Federation approves of new police recruitment approach

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation has given its approval to a new police recruitment approach that scraps the requirement for officers to have a degree.

Steve Kent said the move would attract a more mixed intake into policing, and would encourage former prison officers, former soldiers and other talented people who could use their experience to become excellent police officers.

Steve said: “You need to have a mixed approach to policing. You need to get skill sets from people with life experiences. But you also do need to have degree entry as well for younger people you want to attract into the role who, otherwise, would go to university. Having a mixed system is very welcome.

“We need to be out there capturing those people who are maybe a bit older in life, with greater experience, who don’t want or need to get a degree, who would make absolutely tremendous police officers.”

However, the change would be problematic for the force after it made significant changes to recruitment to ensure all officers were graduates after the change was introduced in 2016, Steve said.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the APCC and NPCC Partnership Summit last month: “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.

“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.”