RETIRED police officers have swapped handcuffs for hammers and are working as handymen to help vulnerable people who may have fallen victim to rogue traders.

Trust in Blue was recently launched in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. The service connects people and businesses with self-employed handymen, all of whom carry an enhanced DBS certificate and are verified retired police officers.

Officers typically retire after 30 years of service and many are eager to continue playing an active role in their local community. Trust in Blue focuses on helping more vulnerable members of the community who are wary of who to trust in their home.

Trust in Blue has also recently gained the required accreditations to work in environments where a higher level of vetting and trust is required such as schools, care homes and for local authorities.

Managing director Nick Orde-Powlett hopes that the company’s unique and rigorous selection process will bring security and peace of mind to people in the area.

“Our vetting process is second to none. All of our handymen are friendly. retired police officers with many years working in the local community under their belt – they understand people’s concerns and fears better than anyone else and they genuinely care,” he said.

Handyman Jake Stevenson said: “Having served as a police officer I am aware there are a small number of tradespeople who are out to take advantage of clients and I understand it is sometimes daunting for them to allow a stranger into their home.

“We provide a professional and trustworthy service at a fair price that is agreed prior to any work being carried out. As a company we will do the smaller jobs that some tradespeople are not prepared to do. However for me it is not all about doing the work and rushing off, sometimes it’s about sitting down and having a cup of tea and a chat. We are also able to offer advice on other topics such as crime prevention.”

All Trust in Blue members are required to prove their skills and evidence their qualifications prior to joining and all are interviewed.

For more information visit www.trustinblue.com

Due to high demand, the service is currently recruiting for skilled retired police officers in the area.