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Police want you to join the ranks

Tom Rowley
22/ 3/2006

DERBYSHIRE Police are keen to attract new officers from Glossop in their first recruitment drive in two years.

A spokesman said: "For some reason we are always short of recruits from Glossop and the High Peak - maybe it's because the area is so near to Tameside, so they join Greater Manchester Police.

"But we would encourage people to come forward who know that area of 'B' Division."

The force is running a recruitment drive between 18-28 April and looking for an extra 100 officers to join up over the next 18 months.

Police community support officers and special constables are also wanted.

An open day was held in Buxton on Monday as the first step in the drive to attract new personnel.

The annual salary for a new police constable is £20,397 which rises to £22,770 after completing initial training.

Pay goes up in stages to £31,392, which is the starting pay scale for sergeants.

There is no longer a minimum height requirement for new bobbies.

Back in the 1950s many police forces insisted new male recruits should be at least 6ft tall.

This was reduced down the years to 5ft 10in, then 5ft 8in - with WPCs allowed to be a minimum two inches shorter - until the requirement was abolished in the 1990s.

The force already has some 2,050 officers who are supported by 250 special constables.

Application forms to join the Derbyshire force can be downloaded via the www.derbyshire.police.uk website by following links to 'Could You Police.'

These will be available from Buxton divisional HQ from Monday, 3 April.