Degrees not necessary to be a good police officer, says Federation Chair

YOU don’t need a degree to become a police officer, Essex Police Federation has said amid claims the service is ‘dumbing down’ its entry requirements.

The Mail on Sunday suggested forces across the country are set to ditch fast track graduate schemes and on-the-job police degrees to focus on attracting traditional ‘blue-collar’ recruits.

It says they are struggling to find enough potential new officers to fulfil the Government’s pledge to put 20,000 officers back on the beat.

The National College of Policing has rebuffed the article.

Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie said having the right personal and life skills as well as being able to relate to people should be on candidates CVs.

“I sit here as someone that doesn’t have a degree, that’s been a police officer for the last 29 years, so I’ll say no you don’t need a degree to be a police officer because I don’t think you do,” she said.

“I’ve worked with a lot of people that don’t have great qualifications from school. A lot of it comes down to peoples’ personal skills more than their education. You need someone that’s able to relate to people, that can communicate with people, empathise. You don’t get those things in a book,” she said.

“So I do think you need a degree? No. Can it assist? Yes, but it shouldn’t be a necessity.”

Getting a mix of people to properly represent the communities policing serves is critical.

“It’s absolutely about getting that mix right,” Laura said.

“There’s a place for people for degrees, but it shouldn’t be a requirement. I’m not sure why the College of Policing is going down that route.

“Maybe it’s succession planning. Is this the future? Do they see people coming through with degrees are going to make better senior officers? I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that either.”