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An arresting career development

You could call it poacher turned gamekeeper.

(Some would call it plain daft!).

But Chris Baker is turning his back on a career in journalism to become a bobby on the beat with Leicestershire Constabulary.

Eighteen months after he first applied, Chris (31) has been accepted for his new career – starting at the bottom as a probationary Police Constable.

It will be a huge lifestyle change for Chris – who currently heads up the Internet news and sports service for Leicester-based Quicksilver Media.

“It will be a culture shock,” said Chris who admits the pay cut he is taking is “massive”.

“I couldn’t do it without the support of my wife. She works and we don’t have any children so I’m not too worried about it. You do get a pay rise every year and if you get promoted your pay rises even faster.”

Chris says he first became interested in working for the police when he was crime reporter at the Derby Evening Telegraph.

At the time colleagues nicknamed him “Inspector” Baker because of his interest in the force.

Above: Chris Baker and photographer Peter Clarke “doorstepping” on a murder inquiry in 1991 when they both worked for the Derby Evening Telegraph

“I used to get ribbed for spending so much time at the police station, but at the time I drank and smoked too much to stand a chance of getting accepted into the force.”

After Derby, Chris – who started out on the Ashby and Coalville Times – went to work the national news service UK News

Out of UK News grew Quicksilver Media which currently supplies a live seven-day news and sport service to more than 40 of the UK’s leading websites. As executive producer, Chris headed up the editorial team.

“I’ll miss the banter you get in journalism, but this move is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Chris.

Chris gave up smoking three and a half years ago, and took up mountain biking to improve his fitness ready for applying.

“I thought I might be too old, but the police said they do like to recruit people who have worked in other areas and seen something of life,” he said.

He and his wife knew a bit of what to expect because her sister’s husband is in the Leicestershire Force.

Chris worked hard in preparation for the physical tests he had to undergo to be accepted into the police, and said they weren’t too bad. But the role-playing and mock situations he had to deal with were “nerve-wracking”.

“It reminded me a bit of the mock interview you have to do for the old Proficiency Test,” (now the NCE) said Chris.

He also had a hard time at his interview board where he was asked some particularly searching questions by the Leicestershire police press officer.

“It’s been a stressful 18 months since I first applied, and for ages it seemed a long way away. But now it’s only a month or so to go,” he added.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

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