Having been accepted to join Norfolk Constabulary as a Police Officer you will enter your 'probationary period' and join the 'Probationer Training Programme'
The training programme lasts 2 years. It is a mixture of classroom training, practical policing and gives you the opportunity to find out about all the different departments and teams of police officers who work in Norfolk.
You will be continually assessed during the whole period and you have to keep a Professional Development Portfolio which shows what you have done.
The training programme lasts 2 years. It is a mixture of classroom training, practical policing and gives you the opportunity to find out about all the different departments and teams of police officers who work in Norfolk.
You will be continually assessed during the whole period and you have to keep a Professional Development Portfolio which shows what you have done.
Find out more about becoming a Police Officer
Lisa Rogers
26
Police Constable
North Walsham Police Station
Eastern Area
Eastern Area
I had lots of different jobs before I decided to join the Police including part-time waitressing and bar work whilst I was at University. After I had graduated and left University I worked in a call centre and then for Norfolk County Council. I really like helping people and this was one of the main reasons I wanted to be a police officer.
I have 10 GCSEs as well as 5 'A' levels. When I realised I wanted to join the police I spent alot of my time finding out about police work. I decided that the sensible thing for me to do would be to go to University and get a degree and then get some work experience. I graduated from the University of East Anglia with a BA Hons in English Literature in 2004.
I had already decided that I wanted a job that would allow me to work with the public and meet new people. It was when I was 18 and watching 'Street Crime UK' that I suddenly realised I wanted to join the police more than anything else!
I applied in June 2004, and I took a long time filling in the application form to make sure I got it all right.
I was told by Norfolk Constabulary in October that I had passed the first papersift stage and to attend a fitness test at the Police Headquarters which I passed, the first milestone out of the way!
I was told by Norfolk Constabulary in October that I had passed the first papersift stage and to attend a fitness test at the Police Headquarters which I passed, the first milestone out of the way!
In May 2005 I was asked to attend an assessment centre in Bedford where I had to do a maths test and a written test, take part in some role plays and then have an interview.
Two nerve-racking weeks later I received a letter telling me that I had passed the assessment stage. After a few more weeks I received a letter asking me to come along for my final interview in early July.
I can't remember much about it but it must have gone well as thank goodness, I passed that as well. That was the final hurdle of the recruitment process out of the way!
In December 2005 I was asked to come back to the Police Headquarters to have a medical and be fitted for my uniform. After what seemed like an eternity I was given a start date for my training of May 2006, It was now almost two years since I had first applied!
In 2006, all police forces introduced a new style of training programme for their new recruits to enable them to train to be police officers. This is called the Initial Police Learning and Development programme - or 'IPLDP' for short.
I was one of the first student officers to go through the new style training for Norfolk Constabulary. It was very exciting to be a guinea pig of this new system.
I have been through the 'learning the law' part of the training and out on patrol with my Tutor. I now go out and patrol the streets on my own! I love every minute of my new life as a Police Officer.
Two nerve-racking weeks later I received a letter telling me that I had passed the assessment stage. After a few more weeks I received a letter asking me to come along for my final interview in early July.
I can't remember much about it but it must have gone well as thank goodness, I passed that as well. That was the final hurdle of the recruitment process out of the way!
In December 2005 I was asked to come back to the Police Headquarters to have a medical and be fitted for my uniform. After what seemed like an eternity I was given a start date for my training of May 2006, It was now almost two years since I had first applied!
In 2006, all police forces introduced a new style of training programme for their new recruits to enable them to train to be police officers. This is called the Initial Police Learning and Development programme - or 'IPLDP' for short.
I was one of the first student officers to go through the new style training for Norfolk Constabulary. It was very exciting to be a guinea pig of this new system.
I have been through the 'learning the law' part of the training and out on patrol with my Tutor. I now go out and patrol the streets on my own! I love every minute of my new life as a Police Officer.
Yes, in fact there are have been so many funny moments it is difficult to decide which ones to tell you about! I certainly remember alot of laughs from my training, such as me getting home one day and practising my Unarmed Defence Tactics training on my partner. He was not amused at me suddenly attacking him!
One of the funniest things which still makes me laugh and cringe all at the same time is when I accidentally handcuffed myself! We were given an water spray to train with, and I clipped it onto my belt next to my handcuffs. I practiced a few times drawing the spray from my belt and then I went for it....I quickly pulled the spray from my belt out....and handcuffed myself with the cuffs on my belt! I stood for a few seconds thinking 'what the….'I couldn't think what on earth had happened and realised that the entire class and 3 instructors were busy laughing their socks off at me. My handcuffs now live in my body armour pocket. Can't be doing that on the streets!
Another funny incident is one that happened on one of my first days out on patrol with my Tutor when we were called out to a 'body' that had been found at the local community centre. We sped up there with our blue lights and sirens wailing and an ambulance was on its way as well. We ran across the field to where we could see a body lying down, and when we shone the torch to see what or who it was, it turned out to be a young teenage couple, getting a bit, erm, romantic! I don't know who was more embarrassed – my tutor and I - or them!
One of the funniest things which still makes me laugh and cringe all at the same time is when I accidentally handcuffed myself! We were given an water spray to train with, and I clipped it onto my belt next to my handcuffs. I practiced a few times drawing the spray from my belt and then I went for it....I quickly pulled the spray from my belt out....and handcuffed myself with the cuffs on my belt! I stood for a few seconds thinking 'what the….'I couldn't think what on earth had happened and realised that the entire class and 3 instructors were busy laughing their socks off at me. My handcuffs now live in my body armour pocket. Can't be doing that on the streets!
Another funny incident is one that happened on one of my first days out on patrol with my Tutor when we were called out to a 'body' that had been found at the local community centre. We sped up there with our blue lights and sirens wailing and an ambulance was on its way as well. We ran across the field to where we could see a body lying down, and when we shone the torch to see what or who it was, it turned out to be a young teenage couple, getting a bit, erm, romantic! I don't know who was more embarrassed – my tutor and I - or them!
First of all I need to get through my probationer training, I have 18 months to go. During this time I have to complete a Personal Development Portfolio in addition to my full time job. I hope to go on attachments to other departments that I am interested in. There are so many different roles that Police Officers can have, that this will help me decide which path I would like to take.
In the meantime I'm really enjoying being a 'bobby on the beat' so I'm not in any rush and I'm certainly never bored!
In the meantime I'm really enjoying being a 'bobby on the beat' so I'm not in any rush and I'm certainly never bored!