Inspectors need experience to manage team of police

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation is totally against the idea of direct entry to the inspector rank as people need “experience to be able to command and manage a team of police officers”.

The College of Policing had stated that South Yorkshire and Humberside Police as a collaboration had “signed up” to direct entry at the inspector rank – although this has been checked by the Federation and is not the case in force at this time.

Neil Bowles, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “It’s a totally stupid idea and pours scorn on the hundreds of sergeants that we’ve probably got qualified to the next rank, and they’re saying that none of them are suitable.”

He said that participating forces must be sure they are “doing this for the right purposes and not just because it’s a political win with the current Home Secretary”.

He added: “We’re totally against it for the same reasons we’re against superintendents. You need policing experience to be able to command and manage a team of police officers. There’s no two ways around it, and you’re not going to get that on a quick whistle-stop tour through the ranks.”

Mr Bowles said the idea formed part of the College of Policing’s leadership review which was “basically to water down the Office of Constable, which of course is one of our lines in the sand as a Federation”.