New officers get to know their local communities

Ian Hopkins, Chief Constable for Greater Manchester

This week 100 student officers begin a week-long induction to introduce them into their future communities.

The induction provides them with an opportunity to patrol and visit their new areas. It will be a chance to meet support groups, partners, community and faith groups as well as learning about the priorities of the areas they will police.

The officers, who started their training on 22 May are now at the start of a two-year probation period, which will see them take part in classroom based learning as well as a year of active patrol. While in training, our students have the same powers of a regular officer, including the power of arrest.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins for Greater Manchester Police, said: “The tragic events of the Manchester Arena and London attack highlight how important is it for our new colleagues to become a part of their community, which is why neighbourhood policing is at the heart of our policing in Greater Manchester.

“By familiarising themselves with the issues and diversity alongside their more experienced GMP colleagues they will be better equipped once they are officially posted into their boroughs.

“As a police force we remain committed to keeping the public safe and this recruitment drive along with those planned in future reinforces our commitment to protect the communities of Greater Manchester.”

The new recruits will also be given training on the use of smartphones while on the beat. The training will ensure that the officers are able to spend more time out with the public and less in the station.

Clive Hartley, one of the Initial Police Learning and Development (IPLD) managers for Greater Manchester Police trains the student officers. He said: “By providing our new recruits with the equipment they need to be on the beat as much as possible, it is important they are trained appropriately to use the right equipment which their front-line colleagues are already making use of.”

The latest batch of recruits will replace those colleagues who are retiring and will be an asset to the neighbourhood teams they join across the Force.