37 new student officers and detectives hit the beat in Bedfordshire

March has seen a total of 37 new student officers and detectives joining the ranks of Bedfordshire Police.

A cohort of 12 student officers passed their initial training and have started gaining real-world policing experience by working out of response teams. 

This cohort is a special one for Bedfordshire Police as they are the first on the newly introduced Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, also known as PCDA. This cohort will be helping the people of Bedfordshire as well as studying for a degree alongside their policing work with Anglia Ruskin University. 

Now they have been awarded their warrant card they will work on a 1-2-1 basis with a tutor in response teams and be coached through the different incidents they will respond to. Whilst working as a student officer they will also have protected learning time to complete coursework that will go towards their degree. 

Chief Superintendent Julie Henderson said: “We are pleased to welcome our newest cohort to the streets of Bedfordshire. They have spent the last few months learning the basics of policing, from law and how to protect the public to policing in a safe way. 

“It will be a challenging, but extremely rewarding, three-year journey for our first cohort on this new route into policing.  Our students will help people in need and earn a BSc (Hons) degree with Anglia Ruskin University. All whilst being supported by the team around them, from tutors to dedicated student development officers.

“If you are thinking of joining a career in policing, start the process today. We are running a number of events to tell you more about the role and to answer some of your burning career questions.”

During this month Bedfordshire Police has also welcomed 16 new detectives from the Police Now Academy. The officers will complete their 14-week intensive detective academy and their two-year programme with Bedfordshire Police.

Over the course of the two-years, the student detectives play an integral part in solving crimes while developing their leadership, communication and problem-solving skills and supporting the communities that need them the most. They will also be working towards their Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice, in partnership with the University of Huddersfield. 

Bedfordshire Police’s first cohort on the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) started towards the end of the month. The latest group of nine students all hold a degree and will embark on a two-year programme to develop into fully ranked officers and earn a diploma in policing practice. 

Bedfordshire Police will be holding in-person recruitment events around Bedfordshire in April. If you want to speak to officers about the roles in policing, try on the uniform and find out more about the recruitment process view our careers pages.