Manchester lad fulfils childhood dream of becoming police officer - and he’s got the badge to prove it

A young man from Manchester has achieved his childhood dream of becoming a police officer after joining the force as an apprentice when he was a teenager.

PC Sammal Zaman knew he wanted to become a police officer from a young age, having grown up around friends and relatives in law enforcement.

His opportunity came at age 16 in 2018, when he joined as a business apprentice in the Spec Ops Unit and driving school in Clayton Brook. He later moved to the Crime Recording and Resolution Unit in 2019.

He was officially sworn in as a student police constable last week at Greater Manchester Police’s Sedgley Park Training Centre alongside the rest of his new cohort.

Sammal said: "I always wanted to become a police officer; it was a goal of mine when I was young, and now I can say I’ve achieved that goal and even have the badge to prove it.”

He already has ideas about his future career path. He said: "In 5–10 years, I would like to be in the Tactical Aid Unit, Traffic, or the Tactical Vehicle Interception Unit. I’m going to take things as they come and see where my career takes me, but one day I’d like to be a sergeant or perhaps an inspector.

"If anyone is considering changing their career path within GMP, I would advise them to just do it. In my opinion, there is no harm in trying, and if you don’t like it, you can always apply for something different. The great thing about GMP is that there are so many different possibilities for us all to explore, and all you have to do is try. If you don’t try, you’ll never truly know."

Megan Murphy, GMP’s Crime Recording and Resolution Supervisor added: “It was evident from the first time I met Sammal that he had set his standards high. He made sure he took any opportunity presented to him, guaranteeing he was doing all he could to reach his goal of becoming a Police Officer.

“Sammal put himself forward to be a mentor to new starters, providing them with the knowledge and skillset needed to then have the confidence to work on their own. He also volunteered to be a superuser during the new Windows 10 roll out, assisting colleagues with any IT issues when needed.

“Sammal has continuously gone above and beyond in any role he has undertaken, and I am really happy to see that his effort has paid off, allowing him to reach his goal. He is a fantastic example of how hard work and determination allows you to progress to where you want to be within the force."