Recruitment event - Reading - 16-05-2008

Police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have spoken of the rewards that a career in Thames Valley Police can offer in the run-up to a recruitment event which is due to take place in Reading next week.

PC Tristan Khezrzadeh, known locally as Buzz, was last year awarded the Thames Valley Police Community Officer of the Year Award for the work he has done in the Newtown neighbourhood. He said: "I have worked on both Reading and Loddon Valley uniform response teams, as well as the Reading town centre patrol as a tutor constable mentoring 12 student officers including police and Police Community Support Officers.

"My current role is as a Neighbourhood Specialist Officer in Newtown, East Reading where I have been for over four years. The Newtown neighbourhood is one of the most ethnically diverse policing areas in the Thames Valley and I have found this policing experience a hugely enjoyable and rewarding role.

"I would strongly recommend the police service as a rewarding and worthwhile career."

PCSO Rachael Kelly is new to her role as a Police Community Support Officer for the Tilehurst East neighbourhood team. She said: "I applied to be a PCSO as I thought this would give me the opportunity to encounter new experiences as well as the freedom and resources to give something back to the community.

"I am still in training and have only just started out on area but I am already really enjoying it. Every day I am faced with a new challenge.

"I am working with some great people both in my neighbourhood team and in the community, so I am sure we will build a great relationship with each other. I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead."

PC Pete Duffy joined Thames Valley Police in November 2003 after six years working in retail. He said: "I had always wanted to join the police because of the variety of the work along with making a real difference to people's lives which is what really appealed to me.

"I spent my first four years working in response shift in West Berkshire covering Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford and parts of west Reading.

"I am now the Neighbourhood Specialist Officer for Southcote in Reading and have been carrying out this post over the last 6 months. I enjoy working with the community and have had a great response to neighbourhood policing in the area.

"It's extremely encouraging to have members of the public come and talk to me when I'm on foot or cycle patrol about local issues."

Anyone interested in joining Thames Valley Police as a police officer or PCSO will have the opportunity to find out more at a general recruitment event at the sports centre on Northumberland Avenue, Reading on Wednesday (21 May) between 10am and 6pm.

Acting Insp Ian Smith, from the Force's community recruiting network, who will be on hand offering advice to potential recruits at the event, said: "This event is a great opportunity for people from different backgrounds and all walks of life to come and find out what being a police officer or PCSO in Reading is all about. We will also be inviting people to an awareness day at a later date, when we will go into greater detail about the roles and how to join the Force.

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