Police Leaders Need Time For Extra Training

As specialist leadership training for neighbourhood sergeants and inspectors is announced, South Yorkshire Police Federation has called for the force to ensure officers are given the time needed to undertake the extra work.

The training, titled ‘NPP3: Leading Effective Neighbourhood Policing Teams’, was announced by the College of Policing last month and involves both classroom-based training and a structured assessment that requires officers to provide evidence of how they are applying the learning in communities.

Steve Kent said that while he welcomed continued professional development in management issues, he was not convinced that officers on the beat needed training on the mechanics of the job.

He explained: “Officers with experience know what they are doing, and they need to be given the time to do it.

“So with this new training, I would ask, when are officers going to be given the time to do this, and when are they going to implement the training when they are already under so much pressure?

“My concern is that this is a damp squib, but I am happy to have my mind changed.”