“A quality police officer is not identified by A levels”

NEW police recruits should not be required to have A-levels, Essex Police Federation has said, as the force launches an external recruitment drive for the first time in five years.

Aspiring police officers have been invited to apply to the force before 5 July. However, Essex Police has said applicants must have achieved a standard of education at A-level or equivalent – such as a BTEC National Diploma, for example – or have achieved independent patrol status as a special constable or community support officer.

Mark Smith, chairman of Essex Police Federation, said he does not believe that the academic requirement for police recruits should be set at a minimum of A-levels.

“I have never been shown any evidence to indicate that a person with A-levels will be a better police officer than a person with no A-levels,” he said. “This is not like any other job. Being a police officer is a calling, a vocation. It requires a special kind of person, who is not identified by A-levels.”

Furthermore, Mr Smith said he did not believe the force had selected this criterion in an attempt to get the best people but to act as a filter for the large amount of applications expected.

“As a result of government cuts to police budgets, Essex has been forced to reduce the number of support staff we have and therefore we do not have the staff to process the applications,” he said.

The Federation believes the academic level set will have an effect on the community that the force polices. “We should be a true representation of that community. ‘The community policing the community,’” he said.

The Federation has, however, voiced its support for another criterion that requires applicants to live in Essex at the time of their application and for the duration of their probationary period. Mr Smith said that this “fits within the true meaning and ethos of policing in this country”.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said the force was “delighted” to be accepting external applications. “Opening up recruitment in this way significantly increases the diversity of our workforce than previous campaigns,” she said.

“In anticipation of the high interest in a limited number of opportunities we have reviewed our entry criteria to ensure that we are able to select the most talented individuals from the widest possible pool. To date we have seen considerable interest in this campaign.

“The introduction of the requirement to be a resident in Essex and to have an A-level (or equivalent) qualification will help us to ensure that we are able to attract the best applicants at times of limited vacancies. The educational requirement allows Essex Police to ensure prospective candidates have previously shown a commitment to learning.”

New officers will be offered a starting salary of £21,000-£22,000, depending on previous experience within the police service, plus a £2,000 south east allowance.