Brighton welcomes new police recruit as part of new ‘fast track detectives’ programme

Police constable Lucy Thomas joined the Brighton and Hove police unit over the festive period. She worked in intelligence as police staff before joining the Detective Constable Degree-Holder Entry Programme.

Ms Thomas said, “I have always wanted to join up and studied psychology at the Open University while working full time.”

“I am loving being in uniform but I am looking forward to being able to see jobs right through to court as a detective constable.”

“I made my first arrest, which was for suspicion of actual bodily harm assault and damage to property, during one of my first night shifts.

“While attending the hospital with the detainee, we encountered an individual – who has since been jailed – assaulting an emergency worker. Other officers were on scene and my coach made the arrest.

“It’s been a challenging time to join, but rewarding. Receiving comments from members of the public thanking me for working through this tough time and appreciating what we do reminds me how special it is to be able to protect and help others”

The uptake of new recruits means that Sussex Police has completed its uplift of officers as part of the government campaign. The recruits are the police’s first ‘fast track detectives’ as they’re thrown into a new two-year detective constable training programme for degree-holders that will help accelerate the development of specialist officers.

Just four weeks in, the new officers have attended a variety of incidents as well as undertaking some high visibility Covid patrols.

Adrian Rutherford, director of people’s services at Sussex Police, said, “I am very impressed with the impact that these new officers and their colleagues on the programme have already made in their earliest days of operational policing.

“They have undertaken their intensive initial training and joined our frontline at the height of the pandemic, yet have shown a proactive determination to make a positive difference to our communities and our policing teams in these most challenging times.

“I am very proud that Sussex, in partnership with the University of Cumbria, was amongst the first two forces nationally to launch the Detective Constable Degree-Holder Entry Programme.

“I am heartened by the great start all of these new officers have made and I am confident they will continue making a positive difference to the people of Sussex beyond these difficult times.”

Police & Crime Commissioner for Sussex Katy Bourne, said, “I’m delighted that Sussex Police is leading the way in forward-thinking recruitment - being one of the first forces to offer this new entry route into policing is a huge achievement and the force is to be commended for its progressive approach.

“Sussex Police is demonstrating how it is prepared to meet challenges head-on in the rapidly changing landscape of 21st century policing and I’m incredibly impressed with the impact that these officers have made in such a short space of time.

“Recruitment to Sussex Police has continued despite the Covid pandemic with a welcome determination from the chief constable to provide the extra boots on the ground and visible policing in our communities that residents have asked for.”