A Career Built on Service

After serving with the Royal Air Force and deploying to Iraq, Bosnia and the Falklands, Neil Reynolds began a second career with Nottinghamshire Police. He explains how his Military service prepared him for policing and why he would encourage other Veterans to make the move. 

Which branch of the Armed Forces did you serve in, and what attracted you to join Nottinghamshire Police?

I was in the Royal Air Force and served as a driver working on Operational Squadrons in the UK and Germany. I was deployed to Iraq, Italy, Bosnia and the Falklands as well as other postings throughout my career in the RAF.

I was interested in applying for Nottinghamshire Police as Nottinghamshire is local to where I grew up (Chesterfield, Derbyshire) and is central in the country which means I could travel to locations all around to visit family and friends.

How has your Military service helped you in your career?

Being in the Military gave me great life experience. I was able to experience different cultures and different ways of life all around the world. Due to how I was deployed within the Military I learnt how to deal with change at very short notice, which has put me in good stead for being a police officer as situations can change frequently and often quickly.

Working in the Military means having a lot of discipline, which has helped me no end in my current role as it helped me work through jobs in a logical manner and have the tools to be able to deal with a variety of situations.

Talk us through your career so far with Nottinghamshire Police and your transition from police officer to police staff.

I first joined Nottinghamshire Police in 2001 and was stationed at St Ann’s.
Whilst I was there the Second Gulf War began and I was the first Nottinghamshire Police officer to have my Reserve service activated, and I went on to serve another year in the Military. On returning to the police, I did another year on response and then went on to work in the Divisional Support Unit, which went on to become the Neighbourhood Support Unit. I did this for 16 years and worked all over England and Ireland.

I worked in the Twyford Woods Police Support Unit and gained my qualification as a protector removal officer. After this I joined East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) as a prison intelligence officer and enjoyed working in all the prisons in the Nottinghamshire area. This was my final role as a police officer. I now work as a police staff member in an admin role, ensuring that all covert authorities are lawful.

What benefits do you have as an employee of Nottinghamshire Police?

I enjoy having the chance to still be involved in policing and have contact with officers I used to work with, it brings a great deal of camaraderie and it’s a bit like joining the Reserves after being in the Military. The organisation also has a great support network for the Armed Forces, as well as other networks for colleagues to join and have the opportunity to talk with like-minded people and gain the support they may need.

What advice would you give to ex-Military personnel who are considering a career in policing?

Nottinghamshire Police is a great employer that’s very supportive of its officers and staff, and I would recommend them to anyone leaving the Military who wants to join an organisation that holds similar values and principles as the Military.  

For further information regarding opportunities with Nottinghamshire Police, please visit:
www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/careers