New recruit officers join the Civil Nuclear Constabulary

30th November 2025

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) welcomes its newest recruits.

The CNC hosted two passing out parades for the graduating Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) of Initial Foundation Programme (IFP) 106.

The events took place in Oxfordshire and Cumbria and marked the completion of a challenging 19-week training programme. The residential training programme consists of Policing Skills and Firearms, designed to equip officers with the knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary to undertake the role of an AFO.

The officers joined the force from a range of backgrounds, with some having previous experience in Home Office policing or the armed forces. Families and friends joined representatives from across the CNC to recognise the hard work and achievements of the officers, which included passing multiple forms of assessment throughout the programme.

Assistant Chief Constable Kerry Smith had the privilege of hosting the event held at Griffin Park, Cumbria. Reflecting on the day, Kerry said: "The students have changed so much from day one when they started and I met them previously. Some of them had never even seen a firearm in real life before. Now they are highly trained professionals and part of our constabulary. Congratulations to them all."

Speaking at the Oxfordshire-based graduation, Chief Superintendent Sheree Owen said: "The students have had a fantastic 19 weeks. They've now learned all the core policing skills that they're going to take with them to their sites to start what will be a career’s worth of learning in their new roles."

Although they have now passed their initial training and are being deployed at Operational Policing Units (OPUs) across England and Scotland, the officers have plenty of learning and development ahead.

The officers based at OPUs in England are enrolled on the CNC’s Non-Home Office Police Officer Apprenticeship (NHOPOA) and will continue to work towards their End Point Assessment (EPA) for the next two years. When apprentices pass all elements of their EPA, they will achieve their accreditation and be recommended for confirmation in rank at the end of their two-year probation.

All officers will continue to undertake regular training as well as annual fitness assessments to ensure they remain ready to deliver the Mission of the CNC. Some officers will also seek promotion opportunities through the ranks or apply for specialist roles, such as National Firearms Instructor (NFI), Strategic Escort Group (SEG), Police Medic, or Police Dog Handler, all of which come with further training requirements.

For information about joining the CNC as an AFO please visit the CNC Jobs website - https://cnc.jobs/