"Be the change you want to see" says Notts police officer after completing his training

25 officers took part in the ceremony at Nottinghamshire Police Headquarters at Sherwood Lodge marked a significant moment in the officers’ careers.

PC Kamoto had a further reason to celebrate, after being awarded with the Best Overall Performance Award by his cohort’s trainers.

Speaking after the ceremony, Jamie said: "Be the change that you want to see. If people say, ‘police officers are x, y and z’ in a negative light, then why don’t you get in and try and change the organisation and be the change that should happen.

“One of the reasons I joined was because I wanted to help build connections with my community, the black community, and the police and to help break down those stereotypes and negative views that some people have.

“I am delighted to have completed my training and I am very excited to start my career as a fully-fledged police officer.”

He said the past year has been a fantastic learning experience and he is so pleased for everyone in his cohort to have reached this milestone.

Jamie, 36, previously served with the Royal Military Police both in Germany and on tour in Afghanistan. Whilst deployed he was tasked with mentoring a number of Afghan National Policemen.

Prior to joining the military Jamie also gained transferable skills as a support worker for adults with learning difficulties and also those struggling with ill mental health.

Jamie traces his dreams of joining the police back to his childhood, where he recalls being helped by a police officer after getting lost whilst shopping with his mum. It was that small engagement which was enough for him to see the Police as protectors and inspire his own journey to joining up.

He has now encouraged others to follow in his footsteps: “I’d say just go for it and see what happens. Initially, when I joined I thought it was such a long process because, understandably, you have to go through assessments, interviews, vetting and it’s a very competitive career.

“I’d say go into it with an open mind. Obviously there are a lot of ideas and maybe misconceptions of what the police service is but you are not going to know unless you get in yourself.”

Oliver Pate, from the force's training school, said: “Every single officer should be incredibly proud for what they have achieved and I look forward to seeing their careers grow.”

The cohort is part of ongoing work to expand the number of officers at the force, which has welcomed more than 350 new officers since September 2019.

Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “The officers are another example of our commitment to expanding the force and recruiting people with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds.

“We are ahead of the game as a force in terms of recruitment and I am very pleased to note the impact this is also having in terms of us being more representative of the people we serve as a force."

Interested in a career in policing? Visit Nottinghamshire Police’s website