[30 AUG 00]  WARWICKSHIRE CONSTABULARY NEWS
Recruits Sworn As Recruitment Drive Begins

More police will be on the beat in Warwickshire with a dozen new recruits being sworn in this afternoon.

And it coincides with a national campaign to recruit 9,000 officers being launched today by home secretary Jack Straw.

The five women and seven probationers were welcomed to the Warwickshire force by new chief constable John Burbeck this morning ahead of an official ceremony by Alan Aucott JP, chair of the Nuneaton bench.

Warwickshire has been given additional funding to recruit 59 extra officers in the next three years, over and above its normal recruitment target.

A police spokesman said:

"A six-month intensive training programme will be undertaken by the recruits which will cover all aspects of police work.

"It will involve sessions at police headquarters, Ryton police training centre and supervised beat work in Warwickshire.

"After this, officers will take up their posts on areas with further training sessions during the remainder of their two-year probationary period."

The new officers are Dean Carless aged 22, Joanne Edgar aged 20, Kirsty Wildbore aged 28, Richard Clark aged 23, Sarah Hewings aged 37, Ian Bassett aged 24, Nick Lowden aged 20, Dean Lyon, aged 29 in the northern area covering, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Rugby.

In the south, the new officers are Keith Dyson aged 40, Ben Kirby aged 23, Susan Neville aged 33 and Nicola Stubbs aged 22.

The first-ever national to campaign to recruit new officers being launched today is costing £7 million. 

Previously it was left to each force to arrange its own recruitment and publicity, but action has been stepped up with a loss of serving officers - more are leaving the service than are joining it.

Forces are being told that extra money for new officers is also dependent on forcing increasing the proportion of non-white officers.

SEE [11 AUG 00] HUNDREDS MORE OFFICERS FOR THE AREA