A STUDENT police officer is following a long-standing tradition after becoming the fifth consecutive generation of his family to join West Midlands Police.
The McWalter name has been synonymous with the region’s policing for more than 100 years, fulfilling roles from Beat Bobbie to Chief Inspector.
So it’s no surprise that Adam McWalter was inspired to follow in their footsteps by joining the latest West Midlands Police training cohort.
The 27-year-old new recruit, who previously worked as a Police Community Support Officer, is due to complete the force’s intensive PC training programme this summer.
He is the eighth member of the family to have joined West Midlands Police − or previously Birmingham City Police − since the early 1900s.
Adam said: “It is hard to believe the family has been involved in policing in the West Midlands for more than 100 years.
“Having heard all about the force from relatives it definitely made me want to become a police officer; it is clearly in my blood but the thought of being able to help protect the public and make a difference is really inspiring.
“I’m enjoying the training programme and have learned many new skills, it is everything I thought it would be and more.”
The legacy begins even before the West Midlands with Adam’s great, great, great grandfather being a Sergeant in Flintshire Police, Wales, in the late 1800s.
Since then there have been seven family members − excluding Adam − who have been based in the Midlands, including his great, great grandfather John who was a Chief Inspector, great grandfather Joseph and his grandfather John who was a Detective Sergeant with Birmingham City Police and later West Midlands Police in 1974.
Great great great grandfather Richard McWalter and Adam’s dad John and uncle Ian when they first joined
His father Andy was a Detective Constable in the force’s vehicle crime team before his retirement in 2011 while Uncle Ian was also in the force as a Detective Sergeant, before transferring to the now National Crime Agency in 2000.
Andy said: “Times may have changed but there will always be the same basic principle of policing with the protection of the public at the heart of it all.
“The family never put any pressure on Adam to sign up but when the recruitment process opened he was determined to follow on the tradition.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time with West Midlands Police and hopefully Adam will go on to have a great career within the force.”
