MAKING potential police officer recruits pay for their own training at university is a money-saving exercise that will not guarantee producing top officers, the Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
Neil Bowles \u2013 who has a degree \u2013 said he does not believe people need a degree to become a police officer. \u201cWe need people with common sense and people skills,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd academia isn\u2019t very good at producing that, I don\u2019t think, and if they do it\u2019s probably more by luck than judgement.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was responding to a College of Policing consultation on “academic recognition” for police officers \u2013 a degree being required for future entrants, and new policing apprenticeships for those that cannot afford to gain a degree before\u00a0joining.<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles said: \u201cWhen you come to training a police officer, they learn by experience and by learning the law \u2013 the two-year probationary period could equate to a degree level, if the amount of work and learning was compared.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got no qualms about people being awarded degrees once they\u2019re in the force, but to have it as a joining qualification that eliminates so many useful candidates, it\u2019s unfair.\u201d<\/p>\n
The proposals are expected to save the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds a year by requiring new recruits to pay for their own training before joining a force.<\/p>\n
Does he think the degree joining plan is just a money-saving exercise, putting the cost of the training\/qualification back on the potential joiner?<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I believe it is,\u201d added Mr Bowles. \u201cI can understand professions like accountancy, law, and the like, to sort of put the pressure on the learner to pay for their training due to the enormous rewards that they could get once qualified, and their future working life. But we\u2019re talking about the public service here. No one joins the public sector to make money. It\u2019s a vocational call to help your fellows and to serve the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles said the Police Federation has supported the idea of “academic recognition” for police officers \u201cfor some time\u2026 so that they\u2019ve got something portable to take onto the next employer\u201d.<\/p>\n
College of Policing CEO, Chief Constable Alex Marshall, said: \u201cThis is the first time in British policing that a proposal has been put forward allowing officers and staff \u2013 if they wish \u2013 to be recognised for their existing skills.\u201d<\/p>\n