GMP has received an award for its work in encouraging recruitment from the armed forces after it set up a steering group headed up by an assistant chief constable to make its HR processes more applicable to former military personnel.

The force is now one of five in the country that has received a gold award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS)

The force signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2015, thereby pledging to ensure members of the armed forces, both past and present, and their families were not disadvantaged because of their military service.

ACC Chris Sykes has set up a steering group comprised of different leads from recruitment, HR, neighbourhood confidence and equality, organisational learning and GMCA. The steering group has an overall aim of becoming the most armed forces friendly police force in the country.

The gold award from the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme is an important milestone on the way to achieving this goal, GMP says,

Through the steering group, GMP has made the following changes to its HR policies:

• Changes to application forms to include questions on whether the applicant has ever served in the military
• Recording that data to improve relevant workforce information
• Certain dispensation for military service leavers who wish to join GMP who due to military commitments cannot meet the recruitment process timetable
• Advice and guidance to service leavers and veterans on the recruitment process for both officer and staff posts
• Contact with all new starters from military backgrounds to offer ongoing career advice
• A network of 35 Armed Forces Leads who are the point of contact for their district/branch
• A network of over 120 Armed Forces Champions across all districts and branches who are managed by their relevant lead and who are the eyes and ears of the force to identify, offenders, victims and staff who are from the armed forces community and need additional support
• A maintained list of all serving officer Reservists so the force can communicate with them when they are required to mobilise or their military skills are required
• Advertising force vacancies within the Armed Forces Community
• Attending military recruitment events held by the Armed Forces Career Transitions Partnership