Recruiting for Purpose

Clare Power & Katryna Smyth, Police Now

Darren Lancaster:
Hello everyone and welcome to the Talent Download podcast. I’m Darren Lancaster from Amberjack, and I’m really looking forward to today’s conversation.

We’re joined by two brilliant guests from Police Now. Police Now’s mission is to transform communities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and increase public confidence in policing. Achieving that means attracting and developing exceptional, diverse talent into roles many people may never have previously considered.

Today, I’m delighted to be joined by Clare Power and Katryna Smyth to explore what it takes to recruit for purpose, build awareness of non‑traditional policing roles, and ensure impact across the entire candidate journey.

Clare, would you mind starting by telling us a bit more about Police Now?

Clare Power:
Of course. Police Now is a government‑funded charity that recruits and trains diverse, high‑potential graduates to become neighbourhood police officers, detectives, and specialists in areas like counter‑terrorism and economic crime.

To date, we’ve recruited just over 3,000 graduates across England and Wales, working in partnership with 37 of the UK’s 43 police forces.

What really drives us is offering something different to policing. We want to support policing to move forward, to serve communities better, and to do so in a way that reflects the people and places being served. That means bringing in people who think differently, look different, and innovate within the system, particularly in areas where there have historically been skills shortages.

Darren Lancaster:
That point about difference is really interesting. Policing isn’t always seen as a graduate career. Katerina, how do you tackle that perception?

Katryna Smyth:
It’s definitely a challenge. Many people understand what a detective does, but far fewer understand the role of a neighbourhood police officer. A big part of our attraction work is demystifying that role and showing the breadth of impact someone can have.

We also actively reach people who have never considered policing before. Instead of leading with “policing”, we focus on transferable skills – problem solving, partnership working, stakeholder management – and show how those skills come to life in policing roles.

Around 50% of our trainees have never considered policing before and don’t have family connections to the service. That’s exactly the difference we want to bring.

Clare Power:
I’d add that policing is often not seen as a graduate destination at all. Graduates sometimes question how their degree applies, whether it’s music, fashion or something else.

But what we see is that those degrees and experiences have huge value – whether that’s communicating with vulnerable people, building trust with communities, or solving complex problems. Our graduates progress quickly, particularly into leadership roles, and that challenges a lot of preconceptions.

Darren Lancaster:
You’ve both worked extensively in early careers. How different is Police Now in terms of the skills you look for?

Clare Power:
It’s very different. This is frontline public service. It’s shift work, it’s emotionally demanding, and you don’t always get to step away at the end of the day.

We look for strong motivational alignment – a real commitment to public service. Resilience is critical, but resilience in a very specific sense: supporting victims at the worst moments of their lives, dealing with trauma, and operating within a challenging organisational culture that needs continued change.

We’re also honest about that reality. Some of the hardest parts of policing aren’t just the frontline work – they’re calling out unacceptable behaviour, challenging colleagues, and helping shift culture from within.

That’s a big ask, and we don’t underestimate it.

Katryna Smyth:
That honesty is key. Policing isn’t a nine‑to‑five role. You’ll miss birthdays, Christmases, and evenings at home. The salary may initially be a step down for some career‑changers.

But there are also clear benefits – job security, a strong pension, guaranteed progression, and unparalleled purpose. We owe it to candidates to be transparent so they can make an informed choice.

Darren Lancaster:
Location can also be a challenge in public sector careers. How do you handle that?

Katryna Smyth:
It’s complex. We don’t always know which forces we’ll be recruiting for far in advance, and that affects planning. We also want recruits to reflect the communities they serve, which means balancing national attraction with very local engagement.

London is usually easier, but rural and coastal forces can be tougher. That means tailored campaigns, local storytelling, and being realistic about what policing looks like in different areas.

Clare Power:
And perceptions matter. When trust in policing dips – particularly following high‑profile cases – the graduate market responds immediately. We have to address that head‑on and show what Police Now exists to change.

There isn’t a one‑size‑fits‑all policing experience, and we work hard to reflect that honestly.

Darren Lancaster:
Diversity clearly runs through everything you do. How do you approach that in practice?

Clare Power:
Diversity is central to our mission – across ethnicity, gender, background, experience and mindset. Trust in policing is historically low in some communities, and we’re very aware of the responsibility that creates.

We don’t just focus on recruitment numbers; we focus on inclusion, progression and retention. Bringing people into policing is only part of the job. Ensuring they can thrive and progress is just as important.

We also take an intersectional approach. Different groups face different barriers, and we actively design around those challenges across attraction, assessment and support.

Darren Lancaster:
That leads nicely into data and insight. How do you use data to drive fairness?

Katryna Smyth:
Data is everything. We track our entire process to identify bias, barriers and unintended impact. We build and refine our assessments constantly to ensure fairness and parity across groups.

We also monitor changes year‑on‑year. For example, this year around 30% of our offer holders have been out of university for five years or more – a big shift for us. Data helps us understand why and adapt accordingly.

Clare Power:
That mix of fresh graduates and experienced career‑changers adds real strength to our cohorts. Different perspectives create better problem solving and ultimately better policing.

Darren Lancaster:
There’s been a lot of discussion recently about rising graduate application volumes. You take a slightly different approach, don’t you?

Clare Power:
We do. We set a high benchmark – equivalent to supervisory level – and we only open applications until we’ve reached the volume we need.

We don’t believe it’s responsible to encourage thousands of applications we can’t realistically progress. That’s not fair on candidates or taxpayers.

Our process is intense, and candidates need to be genuinely committed. That’s reflected in our screening, assessments and vetting.

Katryna Smyth:
Once candidates enter our process, completion and conversion rates are high because they understand what they’re signing up for.

Darren Lancaster:
Police Now is celebrating its 10‑year anniversary. What makes the work worth it on difficult days?

Clare Power:
Meeting our graduates. Hearing about the lives they’ve changed, the victims they’ve supported, and the justice they’ve helped secure.

Those stories remind us why policing matters and why bringing excellent people into the service is so important – especially when the headlines are difficult.

Katryna Smyth:
And from a leadership perspective, we’re deeply conscious that we’re publicly funded. Every pound matters.

We focus on quality, fairness and impact. We can’t do everything, but we work hard to maximise what we do have and give candidates a truly supportive experience.

Darren Lancaster:
Looking ahead, what’s next for Police Now?

Katryna Smyth:
Agility is key. We adapt to shifts in crime, government priorities and force demand – whether that’s neighbourhood policing, detectives or specialist roles.

Clare Power:
One particularly exciting area is a new specialism focused on Violence Against Women and Girls. This aligns closely with government priorities and allows us to bring in officers specifically motivated to tackle these crimes – from prevention through to serious investigation.

We’re also exploring longer leadership pathways and how we can further accelerate progression responsibly.

Darren Lancaster:
A final topic – AI. How do you see it shaping early careers and recruitment?

Katryna Smyth:
AI is here to stay. We need to be clear with candidates about where it’s appropriate to use and where it isn’t.

From a policing perspective, understanding AI will be critical for tackling crime and analysing data. From a recruitment perspective, it offers opportunities to improve feedback and efficiency.

Clare Power:
It’s about balance. AI can enhance decision‑making, but we must stay alert to bias and always apply human judgment. Transparency with candidates is crucial.

Darren Lancaster:
To close, a quick‑fire round. One word to describe the Police Now mission?

Clare Power:
Ambitious.

Katryna Smyth:
Ambitious.

Darren Lancaster:
A skill you most admire in your participants?

Clare Power:
Resilience.

Darren Lancaster:
One piece of advice for someone considering applying?

Katryna Smyth:
Be yourself.

Darren Lancaster:
Thank you both. It’s been a brilliant conversation, and the passion you bring to your work really comes through. Thanks to everyone listening.