POLICE officers need \u201coperational experience to make operational decisions\u201d, the chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
Neil Bowles (pictured) was reacting to the news that the Government plans to introduce direct entry to the inspector and superintending ranks of the service from 2014.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the demand?\u201d said Mr Bowles.<\/p>\n
The Government announced on 14 October that that 20 people from outside the police will be able to join it at the rank of superintendent each year, and a further 80 at inspector level.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems like they have plucked this figure out of the air,\u201d said Mr Bowles. \u201cWhy are we being mandated to recruit middle managers in these days of austerity when middle managers is the area forces are looking to cut?<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that to lead a police force you have to have experience from the bottom up.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need operational experience to make operational decisions. You cannot suddenly ask a Tesco manager with two years of training to command a public order incident, a siege, a firearms incident or a missing person inquiry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, it was revealed that 461 constables and 117 sergeants in South Yorkshire Police have passed both Ospre Parts I and II but have not been substantively promoted.<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles added: \u201cSouth Yorkshire has got a high number of constables and sergeants waiting to be promoted to the next rank but with not enough jobs to satisafy the demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis move will not help that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Announcing the plans for direct entry, The Home Office also stated that Police and Crime Commissioners will be able to appoint overseas officers as chief constables.<\/p>\n
Steve White, vice chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: \u201cExternal candidates should not be able to join the service at any rank above that of constable; the current structure properly equips officers for the next stage in their career.\u201d<\/p>\n
However chief officers, disagreed with the federation\u2019s view.<\/p>\n
ACPO National Policing Lead for Workforce Management, Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, said: \u201cAs a profession, policing has nothing to fear from being open to these ideas.”<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cEvery person in society shares an interest in seeing the best possible leaders in policing. So it is right to review how we attract the brightest and best, including how we can bring more women and minority ethnic leaders into senior roles.<\/p>\n
\u201cForces already have police staff in senior leadership positions in fields such as HR, finance and IT. These proposals will see the College of Policing develop standards for fast-tracking promising entrants to operational policing at Constable level, for bringing in outstanding candidates from outside policing at Superintendent level, and for recruiting Chief Constable candidates from abroad.<\/p>\n
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