In the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens and the despicable crimes committed by David Carrick, another serving police officer, the recruitment, vetting and training of police officers continue to be in the news.
In 2019 former Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised that an “extra” 20,000 police officers would be recruited by March 2023; he conveniently omitted to mention that 20,000 police officers and 24,000 police support staff were lost during the years of financial austerity that preceded.
It is being reported that this target will not be reached. In fact, a Freedom of Information request has revealed that 1,837 officers recruited within this scheme have already resigned.
Recent reporting projected that Wiltshire Police will miss their recruitment target by 42 officers. This would mean that the force could miss out on £1.1 million in government funding.
Philip Wilkinson, our Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner is quoted as saying, “To strip funding from a force in a position such as Wiltshire’s will inevitably have a detrimental effect on any improvements and progress in the short term. It is a fine balancing act: we need to ensure hitting targets doesn’t outweigh the need for the force to recruit the right people for the job too.”
Mr Wilkinson remained upbeat about Wiltshire Police meeting the overall recruitment target of 164 officers and Matt Parr, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, will welcome his sentiments about getting the right people.
Mr Parr has stated that in a recent national review, his staff identified that one in ten officers should not have made it through vetting. He speculated that this potentially “adds up to hundreds of people who have joined the police in the last three years that we don’t think should have.”
He went further asserting that most, if not all, female officers had suffered sexual assault and inappropriate behaviour from colleagues. Mr Parr stated, “The culture of misogyny within policing is something that is there, it’s real and it has absolutely got to be dealt with.”
The race to recruit officers in order to secure government funding has resulted in police vetting units being overwhelmed. There has been a similar impact on the capacity to train new recruits.
This is at a time when the necessity for new recruits to either be graduates or to study for a policing degree is being questioned. Police degree apprenticeships were introduced in 2015 as part of the government’s efforts to improve vocational training and provide alternative routes to higher education.
Mr Wilkinson has voiced his opinion stating, “A more flexible approach to recruitment allowing police forces to recruit new officers without them having a degree prior or committing to studying towards a degree while training is needed.”
The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, clearly agrees as she has stated, “The police must get the basics right. Policing is a difficult job with a simple mission: to keep the public safe. That takes considerable skill and a strong character. It doesn’t necessarily require a degree. Since 2021, police recruits have had to have a degree or to join as an apprentice while they earn a qualification. This is a mistake.”
In trying to understand the issues, it is clear that the failure to provide recruits with protected learning time is a major problem. Officers complain about excessive workloads and insufficient time to study. They have my complete sympathy. My personal experience is that I had to work much harder to get through my police Probation than I did to get my degree; this was at a time when we had the benefit of residential courses at regional police training centres.
Academic research in the USA has identified that “a college education improves ethical decision-making skills, knowledge and understanding of the law and the courts, openness to diversity, and communication skills. In one study, officers with criminal justice degrees said their education helped them gain managerial skills.”
What the Home Secretary fails to acknowledge is that police officers require a detailed understanding of the law, police powers and procedures. For example, in a straightforward offence of theft, there are five elements that must be proved beyond reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. Miss one and there is no prospect of any prosecution of a suspect.
Andy Marsh, an experienced Chief Constable and CEO of the College of Policing, in advocating the current training regime has stated, “Like so many areas of life, crime and the demands policing faces have changed radically, and the training we provide officers needs to reflect this. We have listened to policing and the public to make sure the training helps officers tackle the core issues faced on the street, such as traditional crime like burglary, but also deal with more emerging crime types like fraud and online crime.”
The Parliamentary Affairs Committee has been told that in a year’s time, 38% of all police officers will have less than five years service. The Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue told the Committee that there are “significant issues” in respect of police “tradecraft, experience and professionalism.”
If we are to address these deficiencies as well as deal with concerns about the culture within the police, recruitment, vetting and training are of paramount importance.
In my opinion, the debate about the necessity to have a degree to become a police officer is a red herring. In sustaining a modern police service, officers must be properly trained and equipped to do the job. If the educational attainment in qualifying to become a police officer equates to a degree, then they deserve formal recognition for their efforts.
Queen’s Green Canopy begins to unfurl across Marlborough
