College on the front foot to defend degree plan

THE College of Policing is on the offensive to promote its new recruitment requirement scheme for new constables.

By 2020 three routes will be open to those interested in a career in policing as part of the scheme; an apprenticeship, ‘Degree Holder Entry,’ open for anyone with a degree in any subject, and a ‘Pre-Join Degree’ programme.

Both degree programmes include an element of on the job training.

In a series of tweets, the college has said there has been ‘a lot of confusion’ around the Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) and has stressed that people don’t need a degree to apply to be a constable.

It’s promised to publish more information over the next few weeks, while in another tweet it says that its approach has been ‘wrongly interpreted’ and that the scheme is about ‘opening up policing to people’, not blocking existing officers from progressing.

The College’s website says; “Police officers make difficult decisions which impact the public every day. They face complex problems and digital investigations and the existing recruit training programme for officers at the start of their career wasn’t designed with these demands in mind.”

The site also confirms that already serving officers and staff don’t need a degree but that they can use their experience to get one if they want.

The new scheme follows controversial plans to offer fast-tracked detective jobs for graduates.

The newly appointed head of the College Mike Cunningham told The Times that the new requirements would enhance the status of constables and that they would help shed the ‘macho’ image of the force.

For more details visit http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Learning/Policing-Education-Qualifications-Framework/Pages/Policing-Education-Qualifications-Framework.aspx