Two Nottinghamshire police officers played a leading role in events to mark the fortieth anniversary of the end of the Falklands War.
Veterans, dignitaries and other invited guests gathered at County Hall, West Bridgford, yesterday (14 June), to take part in a flag raising ceremony to mark 40 years since the surrender of the occupying Argentine forces.
Police Constable Luke Bettridge, who served in the British Army before becoming a police officer, had the honour of holding the force standard during the ceremony.
Police Community Support Officer Steve Timperley, another veteran of the British Army, led the colour party through their formal drill and presentations in front of the Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council, Cllr Roger Jackson, and the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Cllr Wendy Smith.
PCSO Timperley, who is also chair of the Nottinghamshire Police Armed Forces Network, said: “It was important for us to take part in this event today not only as former members of the armed forces, but also as serving police officers.
“The police and the armed forces are very closely aligned in terms of values and shared skillsets, and we are very lucky here in Nottinghamshire to have more than 100 veterans serving in and out of uniform.
“As a force we are also engaged in efforts to reach out to veterans who have faced more of a struggle after leaving the forces, up to and including getting into trouble with the police.”
Earlier this year Nottinghamshire Police launched a new recruitment scheme to provide a direct pathway for military personnel to join the police service.
The new Military Widening Access Course, supported by the College of Policing, means serving military personnel will now be supported to transition into an exciting new career in policing.
The course is among a number of entry routes for those wanting to become a police constable in Nottinghamshire.
The ongoing success of these entry routes has seen Nottinghamshire Police achieve its national Uplift recruitment target a year ahead of schedule.
The force reached 2,380 officers by March 2022, meaning officer ranks at the force are now at their highest levels for 11 years.
Serving personnel can register their interest in the Military Widening Access Course by emailing recruitment@notts.police.uk or by applying via the ‘Current Vacancies’ section on our website.
