A pilot initiative which sees talented graduates recruited into Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) has now expanded to the West Midlands, as 45 new West Midlands Police trainee detectives were attested at Police Now’s national academy today (17th March).
The new officers will bolster the UK’s protection against serious harm and terrorist threat, as they are supported to become highly trained, qualified detectives on Police Now’s two-year National Detective Programme.
The latest data released by the Home Office shows that more people have been arrested for terrorism related offences in 2024 than in the four years previously. Those on this specialist stream of the programme will gain key policing and investigative skills and knowledge before moving into CTP teams to prevent, deter, and investigate terrorist activity, alongside their experienced colleagues.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, Detective Chief Superintendent Alison Hurst said: “This is the first time that we have welcomed detectives into our counter terrorism unit directly from Police Now, and so the path that the newly sworn in officers are on is an innovative approach for us and the new detectives.
“I am certain that the passion, ideas and energy that these officers will be bringing to CTP West Midlands will be pivotal in driving forward service, progress and change to the ever-evolving world of counter terrorism.
“I am looking forward to seeing first-hand what we can achieve together over the coming months and years. For now, I wish the new recruits the very best with their initial training and look forward to welcoming them into Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands, once they have completed the academy.”
Police Now, a Times Top 100 Graduate Employer, drives innovation across national police training and recruitment and delivers essential difference to the service. The organisation pioneered direct-entry detective training across England and Wales in 2019 with its National Detective Programme, which has since grown to include important specialisms.
The CTP stream piloted last year in the Met’s SO15 – with one Met trainer crediting the pilot for his ‘renewed sense of enthusiasm and optimism for policing’ – and has now expanded to include the West Midlands and North West CTP regions this year, thanks to the pilot’s success.
Police Now particularly focuses on recruiting and training those who had not considered a career in policing before. It consistently brings more women and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds into the service, to contribute to building a more diverse and operationally effective police service which better represents the communities it serves. 62% of these new CTP West Midlands recruits identify as women and 18% identify as coming from an ethnic minority background, both higher than the policing national average.
Police Now’s Chief Executive Officer Kurtis Christoforides, who addressed the officers at their attestation ceremony today, said: “This programme is for the dedicated, the resilient and the hard-working graduates who want to make a difference in society and be at the forefront of change and innovation in policing.
“Our brilliant new recruits attested here today will help us deliver new initiatives on our National Detective Programme and will all play a part in building public trust and confidence in policing, supporting victims of crime, and protecting the public from harm. I have huge faith in their passion for public service and wish them luck on their journey ahead, as Police Now and our partner forces support them to meet the highest possible standards and become exceptional investigators on the frontline.”