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Detecting a need for standardised olice education and ualifications


The College of Policing is working to develop a national Policing Education Qualifications Framework


(PEQF) which will equip officers to deal with an increasingly complex and demanding job By Ian Hesketh and Emma Williams


An increasing focus on evidence-based practice, and the multiple disciplines involved in modern policing, mean there is a real need for a standardised police education and training framework and accredited national qualifications. Oficer training is currently delivered


individually by each police force. Not nationally accredited, it is delivered in-house by police oficers and staff, rather than by teaching professionals. The College of Policing, which is


responsible for setting overall training standards, has consulted on a Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF). It will take forward proposals to develop national qualifications that underpin the knowledge and skills required for modern policing, and that confer proper professional recognition on police oficers and staff. As noted by Chief Constable Alex


Marshall, the College’s chief executive, “the job’s not what it used to be...”, and police oficers must cope with increasingly complex issues that are outside the traditional policing sphere. Oficers regularly deal with people


with mental ill-health, with domestic abuse, child sexual exploitation, terrorism prevention and cybercrime, to name but a few. It is an occupation high on emotional labour, requiring critical, sometimes unpopular,


REFERENCES


• The College of Policing’s response to its recent consultation on the Policing ducation ualifications aeok consultation is aailable to donload at goo.gl/u6JpJs


 e ollege o olicing oes a ange o esouces to olice oces, olice instuctos and acadeics ese ae aailable at goo.gl/5oijNE


 ute esouces ae aailable o te colleges at oks ente o ie eduction at goo.gl/YZo9Hn


16 ISSUE 27 • SPRING 2017 INTUITION


decision-making and empathy all at once. Police regularly operate in a VUCA world, where vulnerability, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are the norm.


COMPLEX DEMANDS Oficers need to be creative and innovative when meeting these increasingly complex demands, and to understand a wide range of data and viewpoints when developing strategies and tactics to deal with them. Education and training, and the


research that underpins this, has to evolve to match the needs of


modern policing. The College of Policing proposes that a standard Level 6 education and training qualification is required for police oficers to support the shift towards evidence-based policing. A Level 6 education would give


oficers the tools required to help them improve their problem-solving abilities, critical thinking and ability to reflect on, and learn from, their professional practice. This level of education and training would also support the further professionalisation of the police service. However, there are questions about


whether or not the police service, as an organisation, is ready for that. Evidence from a recent College


of Policing consultation can be summed up as “yes we would like the qualifications, but…”. These ‘buts’ relate to the perception of an intensive blame culture in policing, causing oficers to become more risk-averse. There is a belief that prescriptive


‘toolkits’ and a ‘tick box’ approach to policing are becoming commonplace. If something is not in the toolkit for dealing with a particular situation, then oficers can be reluctant to use their professional judgement and initiative for fear of sanction. Education and training that promotes critical thinking and reflection is seen by some oficers


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