Police Officer

I have always wanted to pursue a career in policing from a young age and to be able to make a positive difference within my community every day.

I wanted to work within an organization that allowed me to make a positive difference – and what better place to do that than the police.

Every day is different and the satisfaction you get once you’ve completed an investigation and helped someone is why I love my job.

Lewis is in the third year of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA), and said: “It's been a long journey, but I must say it's the best journey I've ever been on. The recruitment process was quick only taking a few months at most from the initial application to completing my vetting, fitness and biometrics.

The programme started with university lecturing, which gave that gradual introduction into the educational side of policing, with 10 weeks of face-to-face or online lecture delivery.

I've worked the shifts, done the courses, and still managed to pass all of my university assignments. It is a rewarding career and course. It might seem scary, the thought of having to balance work, home and university but it's easily manageable if you allocate your time well. The friendships and families you build from this job and this course are second to none, and they'll all be there to help you along the way, and the key learning from the PCDA course can’t be overstated!

When I was a teenager I just didn’t feel going to university was financially viable. I became a Special Constable in Derbyshire while working as a control room operator at Staffordshire Police. When the recruitment process started for PCs I jumped at the chance.

I am enjoying having a broader understanding of policing including the history and social impact. For anyone considering applying I would say that it’s a real lifestyle change and a lifelong commitment. I would say embrace the challenge and you will find a family with the police.

Every day is a new puzzle. When you manage to improve someone’s quality of life, whether it be a domestic situation, mental health issue or a problem in the community - it feels great.

When the pandemic struck, it made me realise how short life is, prompting me to pursue a passion I had always held: helping people. I initially joined as a PCSO, a role I thoroughly enjoyed. Witnessing the role of a Police Constable up close, I felt it was something I could excel at. Encouraged by other officers, I decided to apply for the position.

When I received the call informing me that I had been successful in the application process, I couldn't have been happier. Never having attended university, the opportunity to work towards a degree alongside my role was particularly exciting.

Once initial training began, I realised the vast amount there was to learn about the law and our powers. However, everyone is in the same boat, and this shared experience helps build strong bonds with fellow recruits.

This is the best job I have ever had and sometimes I can't believe I get paid to do what I do. While every job has its challenges, the support from my sergeant, colleagues, and cohort leads helps me navigate any difficulties that arise.

I joined the force as a police officer in 2014 as I wanted to be challenged on a daily basis and be in a role where no two days are the same.

I was lucky enough to join the dog unit in 2020 and became Vixen’s handler. I love dogs and to work alongside them is the best part of my job. They are crucial to fighting crime, tracking and searching offenders, helping find missing people, supporting our firearms colleagues and so much more.

Being a police officer means you can genuinely help people and face new challenges and do what we can to get criminals off the street – which makes this job so worthwhile and why I would recommend this role to others.

I always wanted to become a police officer from a very young age. I wanted to help make a difference to the community and ideally help those in need of real support.

In my role as a police constable, I go to immediate responses and domestic incidents, there is anti-social behaviour occurrences as well as concern for individuals safety and well-being.  I have to take statements and complete public protection notices. There is something different on a daily basis and you don’t know what you could walk into. I enjoy meeting new people of different backgrounds and enjoy attending challenging situations.

After completing my degree in Forensic Science I realised that I was looking for a job that would challenge me mentally and physically. I was looking for a job that was exciting and unpredictable. I was also looking for a job that had good paths of progression and had lots of different departments that I could potentially move to.

After only being in my role a short while, the training I have received so far has been top class. I have been trained by officers from CID, prisoner handling, response and much more. The insight you get into each of the roles makes you well-rounded and really develops your understanding of all that goes into policing Staffordshire.