A FORMER counter terrorism firearms officer has said protecting the Colchester community is the “best job in the world” after joining the Essex Police ranks.

PC Connor Manning now officially works for Colchester’s Local Policing Team following a passing out parade which he had the honour of leading.

The 30-year-old, one of 70 new officers to take an oath, was entrusted with waving the Essex Police flag during the ceremony in what was a “proud” moment for his family.

The Criminology and Sociology graduate, who once worked with teen criminals who had just left prison, is now looking forward to serving the people of Colchester.

Gazette:

He said: “When it comes to helping your community, even if you can just help one person in their time of need, it makes every moment worth it.

“It is not a job for everyone and it is not all like the films, but it’s the best job in the world and I can’t believe I get paid to do it.

“Communication is one of the most important tools we have and I think it’s important to listen to people.

“There will always be a reason why something has happened, so listening, finding out more details to deescalate and resolve is paramount.

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“There are a lot of people in the world that are suffering in ways they shouldn’t be and [working with young offenders] taught me to be more observant of people’s feelings.

Before joining the Essex Police force PC Manning, a lover of crime documentaries, served as part of the Ministry of Defence Police’s firearms unit for two years.

Gazette:

Although he enjoyed his time as a counter terrorism officer, a job he may one day return to, PC Manning is excited by the prospect of a more public-facing role.

“My role was specialised so we didn’t really get to help the general public,” he added.

“One of the reasons I transferred to Essex Police was because I want to serve my community and help people on a face-to-face capacity on a daily basis.

“I’m also interested in working in child protection teams, but for now I’m quite happy doing a response role for a couple of years.

“Being a police officer means everything to me, it’s a role I’m going to be proud of. It’s a job I’m 99 per cent sure I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life.”