Legendary police trainer retires after 52 years of dedicated service

Family, friends and colleagues all joined Bob Fox as he presented his final batch of newly qualified officers at Nottinghamshire Police headquarters.

The special occasion saw two cohorts celebrate joining the force, having completed their initial training.

The new PCs and PCSOs were officially welcomed to the force, before Bob received a rapturous round of applause for his incredible service.

With a distinguished record spanning six decades, Bob has spent his entire career at Nottinghamshire Police.

He joined as a police cadet in 1971, before becoming a police constable three years later – starting at Nottingham Central division before moving to Ollerton Police Station.

Six years later he joined the special operations unit based at force headquarters, before working as a community constable in the Ollerton area.

He went on to become a firearms instructor between 1986 until 1998. He then returned to Ollerton as a response officer for a few years before becoming a trainer once again – spending the past 13 years at force headquarters delivering the initial police development learning programme (IPDLP) and the police constable degree apprenticeship (PCDA) routes into policing.

Chief Constable Kate Meynell said: “Bob's service to the force and has been exceptional. His commitment to policing and public service in Nottinghamshire is truly an inspiration and I know he will be missed by colleagues.

“As Bob embarks on this new chapter in his life, his colleagues, friends, and the entire Nottinghamshire Police family extend their heartful thanks for his years of service and wish him a fulfilling and well-deserved retirement.​”

Sergeant Dylan Boddy, the force’s team leader for Core Skills Training, said Bob had left an “indelible mark” on policing in Nottinghamshire through his unwavering commitment to excellence and his passion for training.

He said: “From his early days in the force as a constable in the City and then Ollerton on the County division to his role as a mentor and educator as Police Core Skills trainer, Bob has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the community and delivering an outstanding service.

“His dedication to preparing officers and staff for the complexities of modern policing has undoubtedly made our communities safer.”

Bob’s retirement was announced earlier this month, with the well-respected trainer saying he felt “incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside some of the finest people in policing”.

The 68-year-old added it had been an “honour” to play a role in shaping the next generation of police officers.

He said: “As a cop, you get a buzz out of doing the job – 100 per cent. But even as a trainer, to see some of these people grow through a course and then go on to have fantastic careers in the police, that gives you a real buzz as well.

“I got a card a few days ago from some members of a cohort I trained nine years ago. It made me quite emotional. What more could you ask for? It’s just brilliant.

“A lot of people ask me what’s been the best part of my career. I can’t answer it – I’ve got to say all of it. I can’t think of any part I haven’t enjoyed.

“In that respect, I’m blessed. I’m very lucky. Every single team that I’ve worked with has been absolutely amazing.”

Bob said policing had changed dramatically since the 1970s, adding Nottinghamshire Police was committed to delivering the very best possible service to local communities. He said:

“Having first stepped out into Nottingham City in 1974, I can see where we’ve improved vastly. But you’ll always get detractors, without a doubt.

“We’ve certainly become more accountable. We record a lot more and in a lot more detail than we used to.

“The biggest positive difference, in my view, is the way we deal with domestic abuse. We’re far, far better than we were. Victims are now better supported and better protected.

“We’re also a lot more diverse. There’s not the level of misogyny, sexism, intolerance and racism that there used to be.”