Police education in England and Wales: a changing landscape

Dr Stephen Tong,

Director of Policing & Criminal Justice

School of Law, Criminal Justice & Computing

Canterbury Christ Church university

steve.tong@canterbury.ac.uk

Police Professionalism, Education and Learning

A ProPEL Pre-Conference, Tuesday 24 June 2014

Stirling Management Centre, University of Stirling

A selective history Post war development ‘The lack of awareness in the police generally of the

value of university interest, support and research is unfortunate to say the least’ (Alderson, 1979: 74)

1987 Research: University of East Anglia (UEA) 1990’s developments with universities 1999 Home Select Committee on recruitment

and training 2002 ‘Training Matters’ (HMIC) 2007 Universities' Police Science Institute 2011 Neyroud report 2012 College of Policing 2013 Steven’s Independent Police Commission

Evolving issues to consider

Barriers to consistency

Engagement of current workforce

Lead in time for new initiatives

Contradictory policies

Access to resources

Morale

Cross organisation innovation

Embedding research into curriculum

Raising the profile of the police as profession and employer

Police opportunities beneficial to universities

Employability Volunteer opportunities Association and credibility Skills development Access to potential

mature and part-time students

Knowledge transfer

Access to field research, participants and secondary data

Identification of police priorities and challenges that can benefit from research

Community orientated activities consistent with university strategies and objectives

University opportunities of benefit to the police

Accreditation Pre-employment

programmes In-service programmes Collaborative programme

design Library and electronic

resources Classroom space and

estate International, national and

regional conference capacity

Ability to analyse police data objectively

Specialist knowledge Development of

publications and materials in collaboration with police services

Multi-disciplinary: business, law, psychology, forensics, criminology, computing…

Summary: opportunities and challenges

‘Critical friends’

National and inter-regional working (hubs)

Increase volunteering capacity

Contradictions in policy

Morale and engagement with current workforce

Pre-service and in-service focus

Research and knowledge

transfer

Shared resources

Professionalisation, accreditation and programme development

Thank you!

Dr Stephen Tong,

Director of Policing & Criminal Justice

School of Law, Criminal Justice & Computing

steve.tong@canterbury.ac.uk

Tel: 07891100946