Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s first ever all-female intake of new police officers celebrates 20 years of service

Twenty years ago, when Cambridgeshire Constabulary announced its first ever all-female intake of new police officers, it caused quite a stir. It was also a landmark moment in the force’s efforts to better represent the community it serves.

Now, some of that cohort have come back together as they were presented with their 20-year long service medals at a ceremony at Hinchingbrooke House, in Huntingdon.

PC Carly Smith, 41, was one of the new recruits who were sworn in at a ceremony at force HQ in January 2004 (the medal is presented the year after the anniversary) before being posted to one of the force’s then three divisions – Southern, Central and Fens/Northern.

She joined a week after her 21^st birthday and has enjoyed a career that’s taken her through numerous uniformed roles – response and neighbourhood policing in the south of the county, road policing, and then the control room, before her current role as a student assessor in operational learning.

“It was a bit of a talking point to be in the first all-female intake, both in the force and at training school, but in a good way.

“It almost became a bit of a tagline when I was asked when I joined. It was recognised and remembered across the whole force.

“I think it was definitely an important landmark and hopefully it helped female recruitment in the years that followed.”

PC Carly Smith.

Seven of the 15 women in the original cohort collected their long service medals and while some have remained PCs, others have become detectives and moved up in the ranks to sergeant and inspector.

Tracy Sawyer, who is now a detective inspector, said she “vividly remembered” the “novelty” of the all-female intake.

She said: “On one hand it does feel like yesterday and time has flown by, but on the other hand so much has changed.

“I remember paper crime reports, fax machines, actual ink for fingerprinting in custody, just a small bank of computers to check for emails before the shift started and, of course, no mobile phones. So much has now changed!”

Tracy said the number of female recruits today was significantly greater than when she joined.

“It’s great to see. The more we as police can represent the communities we serve, the better.”

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