A former basketball player says he will throw everything he has into his new job after becoming a police officer.
PC David Passmore said he joined Nottinghamshire Police because he wanted to help make local communities safer.
The married dad-of-two, who clocked up 20 years in the sport and leisure sector, passed out as a police constable after completing a 19-week training course.
He said: “I want to make a big difference in the community and help others. I also want to make our communities safer for my two girls.
“They’re part of the reason I joined the police. I want them to grow up and be safe. They’re really excited that I’m now a police officer. They view it as me being a good guy fighting the baddies. There’s obviously more to policing than that but ultimately my number one aim is to help keep people safe.”
David grew up in Devon and moved to the East Midlands after signing for professional basketball outfit Leicester Riders in 2002.
Sadly an ankle injury forced him to retire a year later and he spent the next two decades in the sport and leisure sector, including six years as manager of Victoria Leisure Centre in Nottingham. He also managed various gyms and health clubs in places including Colwick, Mansfield and Ilkeston.
He revealed his decision to switch careers and apply for the police came during lockdown.
“Covid was a time of reflection for me and someone suggested I have a look at policing. The more I looked into it the more it appealed to me.
“I was looking at the Nottinghamshire Police PROUD values (Professional, Respect for all, One team, Utmost integrity; Doing it differently) and they really resonated with me and how I am as a person.”
He added: “Sport has been my life since growing up but I’ve always been interested in joining the police. At 40 years of age and having done sport and leisure for a long time, I felt like doing something a bit different.
“I wanted to do something that is rewarding and would enable me to make a difference, as well as being part of a team. For me, policing ticks all of those boxes.”
Much of the training programme took place at the joint Nottinghamshire Police and Fire Service headquarters in Arnold.
David said he enjoyed the training but was now looking forward to getting out on the beat as a Response officer, based out of Oxclose Police Station.
“The training was really good,” he said. “There was a good blend of classroom learning and role play scenarios. It was a multifaceted look at how the force operates. The more the weeks went on the more I knew I’d made the right decision to join the police.
“It’s exciting – it’s going to be a very hands-on role that’s fast-moving and comes with lots of challenges. I can’t wait to get going and put everything we’ve learnt into practice.”
Nottinghamshire Police is seeking individuals with outstanding talent and skills to ensure that we are both representative of and are able to deliver excellent services to our community.
