Celebrating Reserves Day 2024

Did you know that a number of our officers serve not only their community, but also their country?

The roles of police officer and Reservist complement each other well, as Reservists often find themselves drawing on skills gained from the military to assist with policing situations and vice versa.

Response officer PC Alex Lucic serves as an Infantry Soldier in C Company, 4^th Battalion The Mercian Regiment based in Nottingham and Mansfield.

As an Infantryman, Alex is a frontline soldier whose main role involves engaging the enemy in close combat in wartime but may also encompass supporting peacekeeping or disaster relief operations around the world helping people when they are most in need.

He always wanted to be a police officer. Both his parents served as police officers in Derbyshire, with his father Phil retiring as a Sergeant after a 31-year career. After the loss of his father in 2016, Alex’s own collar number incorporates his father’s in a touching tribute.

The 31-year-old signed up as a Reservist ten years ago, after seeing news footage from Afghanistan he felt he needed to ‘do his bit’.

More than 3,000 people across the East Midlands set aside their spare time and family lives, to serve as reservists in the British Armed Forces in addition to their day jobs.

Reservists are liable to be mobilised at any time into full time service with the regular Armed Forces and serve in military operations and disaster zones around the world whenever required. They’re by no means a ‘stand by’ resource and make up a proportion of the United Kingdom’s forces whenever the Armed Forces deploy to conflict zones around the world.

In order to be deployable for operations, Army Reservists like Alex make a minimum basic training commitment of around 27 days a year, which is usually undertaken on weekends, evenings and one two-week continuous period.

“The training helps to develop wider skills, such as thinking under pressure, leadership and being part of a team,” Alex says.

“The Army also instils a sense of service and camaraderie – looking after your mates – which is a similar mindset I take back when on shift back in Derby.”

The force fully supports and encourages its officers and staff to be Reservists. There’s an Armed Forces Family Network which can provide organisational help to overcome any undue obstacles in attending training, deployment and transition back into the workplace.

Alex has already noticed the difference the network has made. “The difference is night and day - best thing the Constabulary has done for those who serve the Armed Forces.”

To anyone considering joining the Reservists, Alex says “Do it! It will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, and you will be pushed to your breaking point and face obstacles along the way. But if you believe in yourself and don’t give up you will overcome them and become a better person in the process.”