New Northumbria Police recruits swear allegiance to new King

The latest 89 recruits were officially welcomed into the force by Chief Constable Winton Keenen QPM following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Mr Keenen said: “All police officers swear allegiance to the reigning monarch and following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen this is the first time that we have done so to King Charles III.

“I can remember the great sense of pride I felt when I took this oath and it has been an honour to have served the Queen for so long and it is a privilege to continue that service to the King.”

He added: “These latest recruits join a committed team of officers, staff and volunteers, who continually go above and beyond what should be expected of them, to provide the very best service possible.”

The latest recruits will replace retiring officers and will now begin an extensive training programme - including time in the classroom and on patrol alongside more experienced colleagues.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “People tell me they want to see more police officers out on the streets and I am pleased that this is the largest student intake we have welcomed in some time.

“Our force has certainly suffered at the hands of Government cuts over the years and there’s still a job to do in building numbers back up, but we are getting on with it as best we can.”