STEPHEN SMITH: And now we come to our Honorary Award. These are awarded by the University in recognition of somebody who's made a very significant contribution in their particular field. And I now have great pleasure in inviting Professor Keith McLay, Provost Learning and Teaching, to give the commendation for the conferment of the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University to Chief Constable Craig Guilford.
PROFESSOR KEITH MCLAY: Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Honoured Guests and Graduates it gives me great pleasure to be presenting today Chief Constable Craig Guildford for the award of Honorary Doctor of the University.
Craig is the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire and an ardent supporter of the University. He is a former University of Derby student and since graduation has had an exceptional policing career. He is currently one of only 43 serving Chief Constables in England and Wales.
Craig's policing career began when he joined Cheshire Constabulary as a Police Constable in 1994. He had previously served as a volunteer Special Constable with the same force since 1992, while at university. After 18 months' service as a uniformed Police Constable, Craig joined the Criminal Investigation Department and worked in a number of crime units across the Constabulary. In 2000, he was seconded to the National Crime Squad in Manchester where he worked in intelligence and targeted operations as a Detective Constable and Detective Sergeant.
On his return from the National Crime Squad, he progressed through the ranks in Cheshire Constabulary before becoming appointed as Assistant Chief Constable Special Operations with West Yorkshire police in October 2012. He joined Gwent Police as Deputy Chief Constable in April 2014 where he was a strategic lead for All Wales Schools Liaison Programme working with the Welsh government and he successfully led the force out of expectorant intervention.
He is the only police officer to have successfully concluded two challenging Private Finance Initiatives to the benefit of the public purse. Craig joined Nottinghamshire Police as the Chief Constable in February 2017 and has been committed to delivering a partnership-focused policing service that delivers value for money for local people while also increasing the number of police officers employed by the Force.
He is passionate about the development of policing education. He works with the University at Foundation, Undergraduate and Masters Degree level, which provides an opportunity for unprecedented access to a Chief Constable for our students and offers real-world research opportunities. Craig is an inspirational and innovative leader and through adopting an engaging approach with both students, apprentices and serving officers, acts as an inspirational role model.
He was the first Chief Constable in the country to adopt and launch the Police Apprenticeship Scheme and in 2019 sponsored more than 10 Nottinghamshire Senior Officers to undertake a Police Leadership Master's Degree at the University of Derby. His Force also partnered with the University to develop the first two-year policing degree and the only university-accredited Cadet Foundation Programme in the country, which affords an alternative access route to a degree for Police Cadets.
Craig is also passionate about increasing Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic representation in the force and in 2019, Nottinghamshire Police were finalists in the National Apprenticeship Diversity Award due to the success of increasing number of recruits from BAME backgrounds. Recent Home Office data shows Nottinghamshire to be leading the way on workforce representation.
Craig leads for the National Police Chiefs Council on Professional Standards and Ethics. He also heads up the examinations portfolio he is a Co-Director of the Strategic Command course and remains an active strategic firearms and public order commander. Craig remains a strong supporter of diverting people away from crime and continues to work with young offenders having been an attendance centre instructor for the past 25 years.
In June 2021, Craig was awarded the Queen's police medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours for Distinguished Service.
Vice-Chancellor, in recognition of his exceptional policing career and his commitment to education and the University of Derby, we are delighted to award Craig Guilford the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University.
CRAIG GUILDFORD: Thank you. Firstly, can I say thanks to my wife Fiona who's sitting here today who's consistently supported me throughout my policing career and I consider myself to be very fortunate.
Today is a special day for all graduates, each and every one of you have achieved a very significant qualification. Gaining a degree is so much more than the metaphorical piece of paper that it's written on. This University, in my opinion, provides some unique life lessons and skills which are rarely found in any prospectus. I always look for added extras as an employer and as we don't pay VAT in the police due to our status, I seek what I call Value-Added Talent and this institution provides the employment market of the East Midlands with an abundance of talent.
You are, as I was back in the day when I sat in similar seats, very fortunate to have attended the University. I consider all the support, development, challenge, and pastoral care are second to none. A unique blend of educational excellence, personal improvement, and value added that characterises Derby.
It's over 30 years since I commenced my studies and the world was a different place, as was the police when I joined. Most of my colleagues at that time had never been to university. Most were male, white, and most said they were straight. Thank goodness the world has kept turning and has moved on. As could it really be said that the Peelian Principles of the police are the public and the public are the police were entirely evident back then? I think not. So today, with the help of the University, that has continued to change and help me change my force, as Chief Constable, we have a uniquely beneficial partnership and I think that's similar with my colleague here today from Derbyshire. We've benefited from a partnership, and we've appeared at the vanguard of Police learning and sectoral development nationally. Many other forces have followed our lead. With the University and colleagues here today, we've done the first-ever degree apprenticeship, that's professionalising the Police Service.
Half of the people that have graduated today on that course have gained a first-class award. That's a fantastic achievement. With the University we've co-produced the pioneering two-year degree, we've delivered a series of Masters courses and radically we've achieved a much different blend of workforce. A different group of people that are entering the service differentially representative and radically different compared to the service that I joined many years ago. Also, with the University and with the College of Policing and the Ministry of Defence, we're developing a bespoke entry route from colleagues who are leaving the Armed Forces as an entry into policing. That delivers on our corporate responsibilities but also on the military covenant which both institutions are really great supporters of.
So, when it comes to added value, I would always choose Derby. I'd always recommend Derby and to my fellow graduates, because today is your day, I applaud your success. To the University leadership, I admire your vision. To my officers and staff, I remain consistently humbled by your actions in keeping people safe. Thank you, it's an absolute honour.