REPRESENTITIVES from the College of Policing need to get out in police cars and experience policing on the streets if the organisation is to become more relevant, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
The College of Policing admitted \u2018much needs to change\u2019 after a fundamental review last month flagged concerns from every level of policing over its effectiveness.<\/p>\n
Frontline officers have raised concern that decisions on difficult issues are not being made. Calls for guidance on an acceptable approach to carrying out stop and search have also not been met, despite pressure from campaigners and the media.<\/p>\n
And the shift to policing degrees has added to pressure on tutor officers \u2013 with different courses being delivered by universities, officers have said.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: \u201cThe College needs to become more relevant. They need to be much more in touch with the front line. They need to come out and spend a lot more time with operational officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s get the College of Policing out on shift, out into detective teams, out with traffic and mobile units. Let\u2019s get them out and finding out what the real issues are and seeing for themselves what the problems are in terms of frontline policing right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey do some good stuff and some good training. But they have to stay in touch with what really matters to frontline policing at the minute and they\u2019ve got to come out and sample that for themselves so they can actually be driving the changes, the training needs, the policy changes that are needed, that actually have a positive effect on people who are on the front line. They need to come out and get stuck in and see it for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detailed findings from the review, based on the views of 15,000 officers and staff plus forces, staff associations and PCCs, revealed serious concerns. Find out more here: https:\/\/www.college.police.uk\/article\/fundamental-review-college-policing<\/a><\/p>\n