New approach needed to find leaders says College of Policing

Modernisation to working practice has sped up during the COVID-19 crisis and that must now extend into supporting and finding future leaders. The College’s head, Mike Cunningham told the Police Superintendents’ Association annual conference this would also be crucial in improving diversity among senior officers. HM Inspectorate has raised concerns… A new national approach is needed to identify leaders across the ranks according to the College of Policing....

Parliament will protect covenant, Home Secretary promises

Priti Patel confirmed at the Police Superintendents’ Association annual conference that the Police Covenant will be introduced in legislation in the new Parliamentary session. She announced it will be extended to cover all who work or have worked in policing and will be subject to a yearly review by Parliament.… The campaign backed by Police Oracle to get welfare protection enshrined in law is set to become a reality for current and retired officers and staff, Priti Patel has confirmed....

Avon and Somerset promotes diversity mark in bid to recruit PCSOs

Avon and Somerset is using a recruitment campaign to sign up new Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) as an opportunity to highlight its commitment to diversity. The campaign, aimed at signing up 70 PCSOs, makes clear that the force was the first in the country to achieve the accreditation for… Avon and Somerset is using its accreditation for a diversity mark as part of a campaign to recruit more PCSOs. ...

GLA calls for Met officers to get unconcious bias training

Greater London Assembly members said Met officers needed training and refresher courses to improve BAME relations. Their concerns followed a series of incidents over the summer where stop and search incidents had been posted on social media. Siân Berry of the Green Party, said: “The police as a service is… Greater London Assembly members say all Metropolitan Police officers should be trained in recognising unconscious bias....

Met pauses recruitment after hitting target of 1,300 extra officers

The force has recruited 1,369 officers this financial year, bringing the workforce to around 32,800 officers. It has now paused its recruitment until early 2021. The number of officers retiring or resigning also slowed during the pandemic with the result that there were fewer vacancies to fill, it said. The… Latest figures also show that 45 full time officers rejoined the force following the appeal in March to former PCs and sergeants ...

The feel good factor

TeamPolice is a new  joint-venture by Ethos and Police Sport UK. PSUK is in the process of becoming a registered charity and is the body responsible for supporting all sporting activities across the UK. It reaches a potential membership of over 300,000 serving police officers, police staff, retired officers and… TeamPolice is a new scheme run by the police, for the police and is dedicated to promoting and improving wellbeing in the service through sport. Louise Fenn who leads marketing and communications for the venture explains how it works ...

Chief Constable Alan Pughsley has his contract extended to 2025

CC Pughsley will continue to lead Kent Police until January 2025. He became chief constable in January 2014 and PCC Scott extended his appointment in 2016 for three years to January 2022. The force is currently undertaking it’s biggest-ever recruitment drive with the aim of will see Kent Police have… Kent Police’s Chief Constable Alan Pughsley has had his contract extended for another five years by Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott....

Third largest BAME force sets out plans for biggest recruitment drive

The force with the third highest proportion of BAME officers in the country will use a community panel to help attract more applicants from diverse backgrounds.  As a relatively small constabulary with just over 1,100 officers it includes the very diverse city of Luton attached to a busy airport and… Bedfordshire Police has launched its biggest ever recruitment drive to find 156 new officers this year....

NPCC welfare lead says COVID-19 highlighted importance of wellbeing

CC Rhodes is the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Organisational Development and Wellbeing. Speaking on Tuesday (25 August) at a virtual conference hosted by Oscar Kilo, Policing through a pandemic: the impact of technology on wellbeing, CC Rhodes said the pandemic has pushed welfare to the top of… Lancashire’s Chief Constable Andy Rhodes said the low sickness levels from forces throughout the pandemic has highlighted how wellbeing should be at the forefront of policing and not an “afterthought". ...

College's evaluation of Day One assessment shows racial disparity

Day One was developed to replace Police SEARCH which had been in place for 18 years. Its planned rollout nationally for 2020 has been delayed due to the pandemic.  It aimed to give new recruit candidates the experience of the challenges a new constable could face on their first day… The College of Policing has published an evaluation of the Day One assessment centre pilot, which had a higher success rate among white candidates than BAME ones. ...