‘Some had never seen a firearm; now they’re professionals,’ said Assistant Chief Constable Kerry Smith, as Cumbria hosted one of two passing‑out parades for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary’s latest Authorised Firearms Officers.

The ceremonies in Oxfordshire and at Griffin Park in Cumbria marked the end of a demanding 19‑week Initial Foundation Programme (IFP 106), a residential course blending core policing skills with firearms training and assessment.

Families and friends joined CNC leaders to cheer the cohort, whose backgrounds range from Home Office policing to the armed forces. The force praised the class for clearing a series of assessments designed to test judgement, resilience and teamwork.

Speaking at the Oxfordshire graduation, Chief Superintendent Sheree Owen told the group their core skills now go to work on live sites - and that the learning doesn’t stop. For the new officers, this is the start of a career‑long commitment.

With initial training complete, the AFOs are being deployed to Operational Policing Units across England and Scotland. Routine refreshers and annual fitness tests keep officers ready to respond to the highest‑risk scenarios the nuclear estate can present.

Officers posted to OPUs in England enrol on the CNC’s Non‑Home Office Police Officer Apprenticeship (NHOPOA). Over two years they work towards an End Point Assessment (EPA); pass every element and they gain accreditation and recommendation for confirmation in rank at the end of probation.

From there, avenues open up - National Firearms Instructor, Strategic Escort Group, Police Medic or Police Dog Handler - each calling for further selection and training, and bringing added capability back into local teams.

For West Cumbria, where the CNC protects sites including Sellafield and underpins the nuclear corridor’s day‑to‑day security, this intake shows skilled, mission‑critical work is being built and retained here, not only in the South.

Anyone considering the role can check the CNC Jobs website for entry routes and application dates. It’s demanding and technical, and it offers a way to grow a career rooted in the North while serving communities nationwide.