Nottinghamshire Police has again been recognised for its commitment to current and former Armed Forces personnel.

The force, which was recently granted a Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence for its work with veterans, has also been honoured with a Community (Together) Award at the Nottinghamshire Boots & Berets Awards 2023.

The award, made by Nottinghamshire County Council, recognises collaborative work that delivers effective solutions and approaches to support the sector within the wider Armed Forces community.

It acknowledges several initiatives, including the police’s involvement in the Civil & Military Partnerships Board for Nottinghamshire, and its Armed Forces Network — a local support association run by officers for veterans.

PCSO Steven Timperley, chair of the Nottinghamshire Police Armed Forces Network, said: “Over the last couple of years we have put a huge amount of effort into this work, and we are now starting to see the results.

“Not only do we have more service personnel expressing an interest in policing, we also have more of them coming to us for support when they need it, which has always been one of my main motivations.”

The force has developed close links with councils, NHS organisations, businesses, and other partners, and has also fostered partnerships with local authorities and those supporting veterans via a national platform.

PCSO Timperley added: “Leaving the military isn’t easy and people really can struggle to adjust. Identifying and engaging with those people is a real win, win for us. On the one hand it gives us the chance to help them, and on the other it reduces the likelihood of them coming into contact with us in other ways.

“We really proud to have won this award and would like to thank all the other officers and staff who have been so dedicated in their support.”

There are more than 110 veterans serving with Nottinghamshire Police, and the force is also taking positive steps to continue to attract more former Services personnel to its ranks.
In partnership with the University of Derby, it recently launched the country’s first direct employment pathway for those in their military resettlement period to join the police service.