BASILDON’S newest police recruit is set to bust myths around women in the force, while cracking down on criminals on the streets.

PC Libby Keyse, 25, is the latest officer to join the Basildon police team, and standing at just 5ft 2ins she wants to show how diverse Essex Police is.

The officer spent the last two-and-a-half years volunteering as a special constable before passing out as an officer.

PC Keyse feared that her height may be a barrier to success as an officer, but is already proving any doubters wrong.

She added: “This is the biggest achievement I have ever had, there is nothing in this world I have wanted more.

“One myth about women joining the police is height, back in the day, you had to be a certain height and build, but I’m 5ft 2ins and I am here.

“If I can do it, anyone else can, and of course that myth now has completely gone as women don’t get treated differently to men as our force is very diverse.

“If you want to do it, go for it, don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.”

In September 2020, Essex Police launched a diversity recruitment programme called We Value Difference.

This focused on nine strands, including personality, age, cultural background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, language, education, and faith.

A spokesman for Essex Police added: “This has since seen black, Asian and minority officer numbers increase from 3 per cent to 4.3 per cent.

“We now have 148 officers in the force who identify as parts of these communities.

“It has also seen increasing numbers of women joining Essex Police.

“We have almost 1,300 in the force now, which is a rise of 1.3 per cent since Spring 2020, to 35 per cent as at January 2022.

“Our application rates in under-represented groups continue to grow.”

PC Keyse first applied to the police force to be a special constable at 18.

After being unsuccessful, she came back at 22 years old ready to make sure she was successful.

She added that a lot of hard work and dedication had gone in to be where she is today.

The officer said: “I have been trying to do this for seven years, so to actually get to this point, I am on cloud nine.

“I have put in so much hard work, I have surprised myself, I am partly relived and partly in disbelief.

“But it has been nice to see what I am capable of because I am putting myself outside of my comfort zone and facing fears.

“Realising I can do this has built my confidence and it is all about becoming the best version of yourself.

“When I first started, I wanted to work in the Dog Section, and when I started this course, even as a special,

“I didn’t realise how many avenues in the police were available, you don’t realise how many different teams exist in Essex Police.

“I have been there, I have been worried about what people might think of me for joining the police but who cares, if that is what you want to do, do it as there is no other job like it.”