Having previously worked in a prison, Kate Clews, a 23-year-old Criminology graduate said she couldn’t wait to start solving crimes having embarked on a new career in the police service.
On Friday, Kate was among a new cohort of trainee detectives who took part in a passing out parade having completed their initial training at our purpose-built £18.5m facility in Sherwood Forest.
Asked what motivated her to join the course, Kate said: “I’ve always had an interest in investigating crime and having an investigative mindset. It comes from watching TV shows when I was growing up, such as The Bill and more recently Trigger Point.
“It’s looked really cool and that’s why I did a Criminology degree at university. From there I joined the prison service as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation worker, but I’d always wanted to be a detective so as soon as I saw the opportunity at Nottinghamshire Police I applied.
“Supporting vulnerable people and helping communities is something I’m really passionate about so I can’t wait to get started.”
With the passing out ceremony now completed, the cohort members will now join Response teams across the county to gain valuable policing experience before undertaking the next stage of their detective training.
Kate, is joining the Response team at West Bridgford, said she was thoroughly enjoying the learning programme, adding that it was teaching the cohort how to achieve positive outcomes for victims.
She said: “The training’s been quite intense but the support you get here is incredible. I’ve really enjoyed it – the trainers and the staff have been amazing.”
Friday’s pass out parade – which was overseen by Chief Superintendent Nick Waldram – was also a proud moment for cohort member Ben Watson, who applied to be a detective after the role was recommended to him by a friend.
Ben, aged 24, said: “I’ve lived in Nottingham my whole life and studied at the University of Nottingham. After that, I didn’t know what I wanted to do so worked at a cinema for a bit.
“I had a friend who also worked at the cinema and he joined Nottinghamshire Police. He’s out there now as a response police officer but is on the same detective pathway that I’m on. I spoke to him and he said, ‘this is really good, you should do this as well’.”
Having researched the role in further detail, Ben said he quickly became convinced that it was the right career for him.
He said: “A lot of people become detectives to investigate murders, but I also find things like fraud and cyber crime really interesting. Covert policing also sounds really fun.
“Whichever area of policing you go into, I’ve heard a lot of stories that no matter how long your shift may be, the idea that at the end of the investigation you get to put someone behind bars is a feeling that you just can’t get with any other career.
“I imagine getting to that end point would just be an amazing feeling.”
