Greater Manchester Police – A smooth transition
Eight years in the Military Police left PC Sarah Taylor well prepared for a career with Greater Manchester Police – and she’s now helping others follow the same path.
The 34-year-old had always dreamed of joining the police but, after her first attempt aged 19, she joined the Army to gain some life experience.
Spending time in Wiltshire and Cornwall, and on tours in Afghanistan and Kenya, she decided she was ready to settle down back home in Greater Manchester and applied to join GMP in 2019. She said: “I joined the Military Police because it was the next best thing and it gave me a foot in the door, but I’ve always wanted to be a police officer – I’ve got a passion for helping people.”
Sarah joined GMP on the Initial Police Learning & Development Programme (IPLDP), making the smooth transition straight from the Army. She commented: “The application process was different to what I’d done before but there was plenty of support in terms of practising the competency questions, so I felt well prepared.”
Experience
As her Military training had already included a police diploma, once she started the role, the course was shortened to take into consideration her previous experience. Sarah completed the programme, which involves evidence-based learning.
Now a police officer at Rochdale, she’s found the job is everything she hoped it would be – providing her with a varied career for life and the chance to make a difference. With aspirations to be a detective, Sarah said: “It’s challenging, in a good way, because you don’t realise how busy you’ll be. Since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to be a detective. It would be my dream and GMP has these opportunities.”
Now enjoying her new career, she is helping others do the same as part of the Armed Forces Network within GMP. The network offers advice to Service-leavers and Veterans on the recruitment process and contacts all new starters from Military backgrounds to offer ongoing careers advice. The network of Armed Forces leads is supported by Armed Forces champions across all districts and branches, who are there to support any ex-Military personnel.
Support
Sarah said: “There are so many transferable skills from the Military to the police that it’s a great choice that GMP have brought the IPLDP route back temporarily, for those who have these skills but don’t wish to join a degree entry programme. There’s also so much support for people from the Military – from those of us who have done it before them and can advise them on the application process.
Joining GMP has been fantastic for me and I can’t wait to see where my career takes me.”
For more information about joining the police visit: www.gmp.police.uk/jointhepolice
