Speaking at the Joint Summit of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in London yesterday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman MP confirmed that she has asked the College of Policing to look at considering options for a new, non-degree, entry route, to compliment the existing framework.
In the meantime, the previous, non-degree programme, the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP) that was being phased out, will remain open.
Commissioner Andrew Snowden first called for the change in May, to ensure would-be officers are not put off from the profession, the impact of degree entry on the front line and ensuring that policing is representative of the communities and people it protects.
This led to a letter signed by 16 PCCs including Mr Snowden, asking for Government to think again about the requirement, at the end October.
Speaking after the announcement, Andrew Snowden, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said:
“I was proud to be at the joint conference to hear directly from the Home Secretary the news I have been pushing for, the end to policing as a ‘degree only’ career and the return to people skills, common sense and life experience being just as valuable as a qualification.
“Higher education and the involvement of institutions like UcLan, who we partner with on lots of different projects as well as training, will still have a huge role to play in the policing as a career, but what I’ve been saying, and what we’ve seen recognised by Government at this conference, is the need for multiple routes that ensures our recruitment is about the calibre of those who apply, not just whether they have, or want to study for, a degree.
“By getting street savvy, dedicated officers onto the beat across the county taking the fight to criminals is what I and the people of Lancashire care most about. I will continue to work constructive with Government, other Commissioners and partners such as the College of Policing to ensure that we deliver a recruitment programme that delivers outstanding police officers in Lancashire and across the country.”
