28 Nov Essex Police welcomes 39 new officers in a passing out parade
Thirty nine new recruits proudly ‘passed out’ this afternoon and were welcomed into the force by Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Gardner and RAF Cosford Group Captain Mark Hunt OBE during a special ceremony at our HQ in Chelmsford.
The 39 officers have spent the last 20 weeks training to be police constables and after pledging their commitment to serve the residents of Essex, were welcomed to the force in front of their loved ones.
Mr Kavanagh thanked the team for all of their hard work during their training and wished them well in their future as PCs.
Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said: “Today is about recognising the journey you have been on and the one you start today. Some of you may have grown up wanting to be police officers and some of you may be following in your family’s footsteps. Whatever your path; you have earned the right to be here and you deserve enormous congratulations for successfully completing your training.”
Jane Gardner, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex said: “I’d like to thank you on behalf of the people of Essex for giving the commitment that you have to Essex Police. There is a big journey ahead of you and many challenges, but having spoken to you all today, your excitement for the job has been infectious and you should rightly be proud of yourselves.”
During their training, the officers from the B1 intake walked four kilometres to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s Society and dementia. Officers from the B2 intake took part in a variety of fundraising events, including an obstacle course race, curry night and raffle to raise money for PARC, a charity that provides support to families who have a child or children with special needs.
Students from both intakes set up their own donation pages, raising a total of £4,017 between them. Representatives from both charities came to the passing out parade to thank the officers for their efforts in raising money.
The event also saw the Kirste Snellgrove Student Officer Award being presented to Pcs Daniel Hirsch and Nick Harlow for demonstrating the core values expected of a police constable.
The award was created in 2012 in honour of Training Sergeant Snellgrove, who sadly died following a long fight against cancer.
During her 22 years’ service with Essex Police, she had displayed the key values expected of every Essex Police officer and loved her role of serving the public.
