‘Street savvy’ officers needed on the beat, says PCC

Andrew Snowden said the decision by the Home Secretary to re-think policing as a “degree only” career will ensure recruitment is about the “calibre of those who apply”.

Speaking on the opening day of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and National Police Chiefs’ Council Partnership Summit in London yesterday (November 9) Home Secretary Suella Braverman confirmed that she has asked the College of Policing to look at options for a new, non-degree, entry route, to complement the existing framework.

And she said she will “take the scissors to any red tape” that gets in the way.

In the meantime, the previous, non-degree programme, the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP) that was being phased out, will remain open.

The College of Policing has previously said the IPLDP route for new police officers, which enables people to join the service without a prior degree education, has not kept pace with the demands of frontline policing and was being phased out completely in favour of the degree-level entry route. In place since 2006, the final deadline for ending the IPLDP was expected to be in March next year.

Mr Snowden said he first called for the change in May, to ensure would-be officers are not put off from the profession, the impact of degree entry on the front line and ensuring that policing is representative of the communities and people it protects.

He was among 16 PCCs who signed a letter at the end October asking for Government to “think again” about the degree only requirement.

Speaking after the announcement, Mr Snowden said: “I was proud to be at the joint conference to hear directly from the Home Secretary the news I have been pushing for, the end to policing as a ‘degree only’ career and the return to people skills, common sense and life experience being just as valuable as a qualification.

“Higher education and the involvement of institutions like UcLan, who we partner with on lots of different projects as well as training, will still have a huge role to play in the policing as a career, but what I’ve been saying, and what we’ve seen recognised by Government at this conference, is the need for multiple routes that ensures our recruitment is about the calibre of those who apply, not just whether they have, or want to study for, a degree.

“By getting street savvy, dedicated officers onto the beat taking the fight to criminals is what I and the people of Lancashire care most about.

“I will continue to work constructive with Government, other commissioners and partners such as the College of Policing to ensure that we deliver a recruitment programme that delivers outstanding police officers in Lancashire and across the country.”

Addressing the summit, Ms Braverman said the College of Policing has been working hard to raise the standards of initial entry and ensure officers are “equipped to meet the challenges of policing today”.

“And we know that to build public confidence, we must draw from the widest possible pool of talent across all sections of society,” she said.

“To deliver this, forces must increase efforts to implement the new entry routes successfully.

“Whilst I have heard some good things about the new entry routes, such as better retention of officers who feel better equipped to do the job, I have also heard from many of you that there is a need for more flexibility to ensure broad access to a policing career.

“So, I have asked the college to build on their work by considering options for a new non-degree entry route, to deliver officers of the highest calibre, which will complement the existing framework. In the meantime, the current transitional non degree entry route will be kept open.

“Our police force must be open to those who do not have a degree or want one.

“And I will take the scissors to any red tape that gets in your way. Sir Stephen House’s Operational Productivity Review will be particularly useful in this endeavour.”