Bedfordshire Police student encourages others to join

A student police officer says she hopes to inspire others to join the force whatever their background.

Elizabeth Harvey, 25, is in training with Bedfordshire Police, having been encouraged by a black inspector she met when she was younger.

She said she was backing the force's Women of Colour in Policing recruitment initiative to "show to other black women and girls that you can achieve anything you want to achieve and don't let anything hold you back".

But she says she has faced criticism from some people, who have called her a "snitch".

Bedfordshire Police said it had a series of events in Black History Month which aimed to highlight the "contributions of people from African and Caribbean backgrounds and their impact".

"We recognise this should not be exclusive to a month, but achievements and activities that are marked all year round," the force said.