Entry requirements barrier to migrant recruitment, says Lincolnshire

Those wishing to join the police must hold a level 3 qualification (or higher) which is equivalent to two A Levels or possess a policing qualification. Lincolnshire Police, like many other forces, is pushing to take advantage of the uplift to diversify its workforce.  “The difficulty we have with that… Lincolnshire’s Uplift Project Manager, Detective Inspector Lee St Quinton, said policing entry requirements were a “key barrier” to recruiting from migrant communities....

Future leaders need new skills and be 'less risk-averse'

'Safe appointees' leading forces they have spent years with will be ill-equipped to meet future policing needs, according to policing experts. Delegates who joined the online Police Foundation annual conference heard from senior policing figures that the current recruitment and training for leaders won’t be enough to run the service… Chief constables will need a wider skillset to meet future challenges, senior leaders have warned....

Action needed to end 104% rise in resignations, experts warn

The Police Foundation’s annual conference was told there has been a 104% increase in officers quitting the service since 2015. Leavers told a study by the University of Portsmouth that their reasons included a lack leadership, not feeling valued, lack of career direction and lack of autonomy. Dr Sarah Charman,… Better leadership and support is needed to stem the tide of officers quitting, chiefs have been told....

Learning for assessments not skills is over, chiefs told

Face to face formal learning aimed at passing assessments is rapidly becoming obsolete due to COVID-19 and new approaches to CPD, the Police Foundation’s annual conference was told. The conference heard a rapid increase in training and development will be needed by forces because 40% of people in the service… Training to pass tests rather than develop skills is holding forces back, experts have warned....

Use VR to prepare recruits for trauma of police work says chief

Lancashire CC Andy Rhodes was part of a panel discussion on promoting wellbeing as part of the Police Foundation's annual conference The Future Police Workforce. He says he can see in new recruits that they’re far more self-aware, more reflective and have less stigma about mental health simply because of the… Days of taking new recruits to a post-mortem are thankfully over says wellbeing lead who suggests greater use of virtual reality to train new officers in coping with trauma ...

Training and CPD vital for forces in the future, chiefs told

Meeting the Uplift target of 20,000 new officers is no guarantee that forces will have the best people to tackle new types of crime, the Police Foundation’s Director has warned. Ahead of the foundation’s annual conference which starts tomorrow (23 February) Rick Muir also told Police Oracle that forces need… Improving the quality of professional development and training is critical, the Police Foundation has warned....

Met degree students start studies

The Met’s group of 196 new officer recruits have begun work on the Police Education Qualification Framework (PEQF) programmes. Studies are being led by Babcock Training and the Met in partnership with a consortium of four London-based universities: Anglia Ruskin University, Brunel University London, University of East London and University… The first group of Metropolitan Police recruits working towards the new degrees have started their studies....

Pandemic policing deputy chief constable to retire in May

DCC Paul Netherton who has been seconded to the Home Office during the pandemic to help co-ordinate the national policing response to COVID-19, will retire in May. He was also heavily involved with the policing preparations for Brexit having built up an expertise is civil contingencies, DCC Netherton has spent… DCC Paul Netherton spent the last six months seconded to Home Office to help with the national response to COVID-19 ...

Appeal for West Midlands LGBT colleagues to share their story

West Midlands recently awarded the contract to convert the old Lock-Up on Steelhouse into a museum to tell the force's story. Heritage Manager Corinne Brazier says there’s not much information from former and current LGBT+ colleagues about how perceptions within the force have changed over time. Her appeal for information… West Midlands Police are appealing for members of our LGBT policing family - past and present - to share their experiences to help fill gaps in their new museum’s history....

Officers near retirement need advice on pension claim, Fed warns

Officers impacted by the pensions discrimination that are set to retire need urgent answers, the Police Federation has said. In its reaction to the offer by the Treasury to resolve the cases hit by its 2015 reforms, the Fed welcomed the choices offered to officers but warned people approaching retirement… Officers retiring soon need clarity on pension options, the Federation has warned....