AC Mark Simmons confirms exit from the Met after 38 years

The Metropolitan Police is set to reshuffle its top ranks with the retirement of the force’s lead in tackling violent crime. Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons will retire from the Metropolitan Police Service later this month, opening the opportunity for several promotions – if the force decides to recruit his replacement… One of the Met’s leadership team is standing down at the end of this month. Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons had extended his stay to help enforce the COVID-19 lockdown....

Interview: a change of image

Rebranding is always tricky for any organisation because getting it wrong is both costly and embarrassing. The dilemma for the College of Policing is in deciding what core work in the service remains the same and what has changed. The digital world has developed learning tools such as interactive video… The College of Policing is about to rebrand itself but will that be enough to silence its critics? Outgoing Chief Executive Mike Cunningham tells Police Oracle he is confident that the changes are a big step forward....

College of Policing rebrands to reconnect with frontline

The College of Policing has gone live with a new online learning portal and a rebrand to ensure officers have the support to meet the challenges of 21st Century society. For the first time it will provide free membership to all serving officers to end the perception that it is… The College of Policing has rebranded and relaunched online courses in a bid to reconnect with frontline officers....

Remote working 'new normal' with improved information sharing

The COVID-19 lockdown switched thousands of officers from stations to working from home in a matter of days in March. According to police leaders, the sudden change to remote working ended battles over systems security, data protection and budgets in the battle to stay operational. Evaluations have shown the change… The sudden switch to laptops during the lockdown has proved the IT case, improving joint working and saving time travelling to meetings, according to force managers and PCCs...

Getting into policing quickly

The two-year BA (Hons) Professional Policing (Accelerated) degree has been developed in partnership between Nottinghamshire Police and the University of Derby and is the first of its kind in the country. Chief Inspector Richard Stapleford who has 25 years of policing experience with Nottinghamshire Police, was seconded to the University… Nottinghamshire hopes that street duty ready students who have taken a two-year degree course and served as Specials will prove an attractive alternative during the officer uplift programme. ...

Derbyshire picks DCC for top post

Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa has announced the force’s DCC is the preferred candidate to be the new chief constable. Rachel Swann will take over from Peter Goodman, who is retiring after a 32-year career in policing.  The appointment will now be subject to a confirmation hearing by… Derbyshire has boosted the ranks of female chief constables with its latest appointment. Rachel Swann, who is currently the Deputy Chief Constable, is stepping up the PCC has announced....

College report on direct entry schemes shows low numbers in post

The independently peer reviewed report, published yesterday (20 July), details the sometimes limited number of participants in the controversial Direct Entry scheme who end up in post against the high cost of marketing, training and recruiting officers.    The report looks at the numbers up to June 2019. The report… The College of Policing has published a five-year report on its Direct Entry Schemes, claiming they “can work” despite high costs and low uptake across forces....

Government offers 2.5% pay rise

The Treasury announced on Monday night that police officers in England and Wales will receive a 2.5% pay rise, to take effect from 1 September 2020. The Police Federation said with the country in the grip of a massive economic downturn, the deal was the best they could hope for.… The government has offered a 2.5% pay rise to police officers in England and Wales – exactly half what the leaders of frontline officers had asked for. But the Fed has called it "a step in the right direction"....

GMP Chief Constable Ian Hopkins wins Director of the Year

The force said CC Hopkins was nominated for his “leadership of the force through significant changes to the policing landscape over the past decade, including reduced government funding, reducing officer numbers as well as the changing nature and complexity of crime”. The award was presented to CC Hopkins at a… Greater Manchester Police’s Chief Constable, Ian Hopkins, has won the Public Sector category at the North West Institute of Directors (IoD) Director of the Year Awards 2020....

Tributes paid to an "outstanding" Hertfordshire sergeant

Sergeant Leah McDermott, who was 46-years-old, was passionate about joining the police from a young age, and her father had been an Inspector in Hertford. She first joined the force as a call handler in 1995 and became a PC in 2002. She met her husband Karl, a former Hertfordshire… Family, friends and colleagues have been paying tribute to a “much-loved and respected” Hertfordshire Police Sergeant who died on Friday 26 June after battling cancer....