Apprenticeships plan could put people off policing

POLICE apprenticeships are to be introduced enabling two different routes into the service, the Police Federation of England and Wales has heard.

Apprenticeships, which will enable non-graduates to do extra learning on the job, will see officers potentially paid 20% less than their more highly-qualified counterparts.

Zuleika Payne, Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation, warned that these proposals could affect different people wanting to join policing.

Francis Habgood, NPCC lead on police pay, (pictured) told the conference: “The apprenticeships will be introduced for police constables in the spring or summer of 2018. It will be a three-year programme at the end of which they will have a degree, a salary and no student debt. The cost of their education will be borne by the force.”

“In the future we are going to have police officers coming in with a degree and £50,000 worth of debt. Or we are going to have people coming in with zero debt, having everything paid for by the organisation.”

However, this was not a firm position, he added.

Similar schemes will also be set up for PCSOs, call handlers, human resources specialists and those working in finance departments. The apprenticeship scheme may be later introduced for other ranks, said Mr Habgood (pictured).

However, details about the scheme are patchy and many delegates voiced concerns at the conference in Birmingham.

Zuleika said: “You look at the future for policing and those embarking on a police career, when they’re looking at graduate entries and apprenticeships and the pay structure, you can see how there’s a potential to cause some friction or sadly maybe divide the workforce.

She also warned of the “erosion of diversity within the workforce.”

Zuleika added: “Adopting these mechanisms and this selection process actually sifts out some of the very candidates we need to be attracting into the organisation. Certainly when you’re looking at apprenticeships, that is not necessarily going to assist us in attracting older recruits.”

Dr Joan Donnelly, Head of Research and Policy Support at the Federation, said: “I find it shocking that you don’t know what the pay will be for apprentices yet and whether they will get a 20% reduction [compared with graduates].”

The conference heard that officers on pay point zero earn around £19,700 a year. After they have paid their rent, council tax, food, travel and bills they are left with just £35 a month.

Dr Donnelly added: “The average starting age of officer is 28. How would a 28-year old live off that kind of money and disposable income?”

One delegate told the conference that he had dissuaded both his adult children from joining the police as he wants them to earn the living wage.

Alex Duncan, a Constable’s representative, added: “We seem to be having an assessment of how we pay someone based on how much debt they have. I don’t think that is right. We should be paying the right amount to the right people with the right experience.

“I am worried about the definition of penalising people for protected learning time. Senior leaders are doing diplomas. Are we going to be reducing their pay?”