16/06/2025
Police Oracle
Some have remained PCs while others have become detectives and moved up in the ranks to sergeant and inspector.
At the time it caused quite a stir – the first ever all-female intake of new police officers in Cambridgeshire.
Last week most of that cohort were brought back together again as they were presented with their 20-year long service medals at a ceremony at Hinchingbrooke House, in Huntingdon (see image attached).
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 21st 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”, Carly recalled.
“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.”
Seven of the 15 women in the cohort collected their long service medals last week.
Some have remained PCs while others have become detectives and moved up in the ranks to sergeant and inspector.
After completing training, they passed out in front of family and friends at Ryton, where officers used to be trained.
Carly said: “Our passing out parade is a fond memory. Standing and marching on the parade square with family and friends – it was such a proud and memorable moment.
“We even got to buy a video – although being on VHS I can no longer subject anyone to watching it.”
Carly said she had met up with the others for a meal to celebrate the 20th anniversary.
“Whilst we have all gone in different directions and rarely see one another in the workplace we sat round the table and chatted like we see each other every day.
“It felt quite surreal as time really has flown by. Getting to this level of service feels a huge achievement and something that when I joined, I thought would take forever to reach, but it really hasn’t.
“Being a police officer really is a job like no other and it can throw curve balls like you could never imagine, with lots of happy and sad experiences. Am I glad I took this career option? Most definitely. I have enjoyed all the different roles I have done for different reasons.”
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.”
Caption: It was a landmark in the force’s efforts to represent the community it serves and made headlines in the constabulary’s newspaper
(Top) The long service awards at Hinchingbrooke House, Huntingdon, on Thursday . L-R: DC Becky Hughes, Sgt Stephanie Corletto, PC Laura Clark, Liz Cooper, Lisa Winterburn, DI Tracy Sawyer, PC Carly Smith.