College of Policing must be simplified if rank and file officers are to be more supportive of the organisation

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation wants to see a more simplified College of Policing when it finishes its rebrand and relaunch.

Part of the new look has seen the College of Policing set up a new website which it says will make its resources more accessible and easier to use. It’s also vowing to be ‘more open’ to feedback and comments and in how it uses that feedback to set out its work and policies.

At the moment, most rank and file officers don’t understand the college’s role or how it impacts them, South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said.

“It just needs to be simplified and be more of a supportive organisation.

“It’s not fair to whack the College of Policing with a big stick and say they’re all rubbish because they do some good things and promote some positive policies and interesting tools for officers to use.

“But it needs to be simplified and make itself a bit more open and transparent as to what it can do and what it can offer officers, maybe come out and talk to officers in forces perhaps,” he said.

“Here in South Yorkshire, we do street skills where we have every officer in front of the trainers every six months, being trained and having speakers talk to them about wellbeing etc.

“Surely the College of Policing could deliver something in that environment? At the minute, the majority of rank and file officers don’t understand what the college’s role is and don’t understand the positives of it.

“So it needs to be reflective about promoting that correctly – all people think the College of Policing does in real policing terms is set the exams up,” Steve added.

“There are some good resources, but you’ve got to dig your garden up to find them, and it needs to be a supportive organisation rather than a critical one.”