With resilience, passion and determination: A/DS Amy Prosser’s graduation speech

Almost 160 detectives graduated from Police Now’s two-year National Detective Programme last week. A graduation ceremony was held to celebrate the officers’ achievements with family and friends.

Addressing her fellow cohort of graduating officers, Acting Detective Sergeant Amy Prosser of Gwent Police reflected on her proudest moments over the last two years and her enthusiasm to continue making a difference.

Congratulating her colleagues on the positive impact they have already had, Amy Prosser said: “What a journey we have been on over the last two years. Between us we have already investigated thousands of complex cases. We’ve supported victims, protected the most vulnerable and in such a small time made a difference in the communities we serve.

“Recently, my fellow Gwent participants and I had the opportunity to share our proudest moments together. I heard moments of immense bravery, determination and excellent police work, but many were moments I hadn’t heard before, that weren’t publicised – the moments we think of as just doing our jobs. These are the stories I wish could be shared, and we all have them. Think about what your proudest moments are. For me it’s securing a Grievous Bodily Harm conviction for a high-risk domestic violence incident, and the victim telling me she finally felt safe for the first time in months.

“Alongside our day-to-day jobs, the university assignments and completing our portfolios, we’ve also had challenges in our personal lives. Yet we persevered, we’re finally here at our graduation and we have so much more to give. We will investigate countless more cases, continuing to protect the most vulnerable in our communities and give voice to those who have been the victim of crime.

“Some of us may progress up the ranks to become sergeants, inspectors, or even chief constables. Who knows, maybe it will be one of us giving the guest speech as a chief constable at a future graduation ceremony. 

“Throughout our time on the programme, we have received support from our partners, parents, family, friends, Syndicate Leads (Police Now academy trainers), sergeants, tutors, Performance and Development Coaches and Police Now, which we all appreciate, but none of this would have been possible without our own resilience, passion, and determination.

“When we’re doing our daily roles as detectives, it’s easy to forget how far we have come. I am currently a Syndicate Lead for cohort four of the National Detective Programme. The new recruits are just two weeks into academy, and I see so much of us in them. Just over two years ago most of us knew nothing about policing or being a detective (apart from what we’d seen in tv shows and films, which we know is nothing like reality!). But we did it. We should all be so proud of everything we have achieved, everything we’ve passed, every challenge we’ve overcome, the failures we’ve learnt and grown from, and the changes we have made to people’s lives and our local communities. Today is a celebration of us.”

Applications for our 2024 National Detective Programme open next month, register your interest to be the first to hear when they open.