Hitchin and north Herts welcome three graduate police officers this week.

The trio are part of a county-wide cohort of 15 that successfully passed their 20-week training course.

The group, who range from school leavers to those swapping professions, including a former physiotherapist, an electrical engineer and an aircraft engineer, started their first postings this week.

Two of them are ex-Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), two are former Special Constables and three were police staff members, including two who worked in our control room taking 999 calls.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall gave a big virtual welcome to the nine men and six women thanking them for the hard work and commitment already shown.

He said: "It's not been easy for this cohort, the first to undertake our new 20-week training course, and under lockdown conditions.

"With a couple of them testing positive for coronavirus during their training, some of the course was delivered online rather than in person, making it even more of a challenge, but these recruits took it all in their stride and I am very proud of them.

"I am always happy to welcome new police officers to our force and know that they will find their chosen career challenging and rewarding, as I have."

The 15 new trainee police officers officially graduated on Friday and have already started their careers with postings to police stations across Hertfordshire.

As well as three officers in north Herts, Stevenage has received five PCs, with Welwyn Hatfield taking four, while two will be based in East Herts and one in Watford.

Their training included a mixture of classroom based and practical sessions, covering a vast range of topics including law and powers, personal safety and dealing with volatile situations, first aid and safeguarding vulnerable victims.

On-the-job training continues for many months until officers are declared fit for independent patrol.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, David Lloyd said: "Thousands of members of the public responded to my policing survey earlier this year, with the majority asking for more money to be spent on more frontline officers.

"This is exactly what is happening and we are on course to have the largest force ever in Hertfordshire by the end of the year.

"Congratulation to these new officers. I and the public look forward to seeing them patrolling our streets very soon."

It's all change later this year, with these new entry routes to become a police officer:

Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)

Join as a police officer and achieve a BSc (Hons) degree in Professional Policing Practice.

This is a three-year, work-based, practical and vocational degree.

Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP)

Aimed at those who have a degree in any subject. In your first two years, you will achieve a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice while you train as a police officer.

If you feel inspired to become a Hertfordshire police officer, click here to find out how to apply.