“Policing should be a reflection of the community it serves”

POLICING could be “closing the door” to new recruits with life experience who are not academically minded when it becomes a degree only profession.

That’s the view from Steve Taylor, Chairman of Essex Police Federation, after it was announced by the College of Policing that those wanting to be a police officer would need a degree. “I don’t think it’s right,” said Steve. “The police is a reflection of the community it serves, or at least should be.”

Steve added: “There are academic standards that we should strive for, a kind of baseline to get officers in so that we’ve got competency and the language, both written and oral, so a degree of standards is absolutely proper – but to limit it to only those with the higher end of academic standards is, I think, short sighted.”

The College of Policing announced in December that future recruits to the police service will need a degree – although forces will be able to hire non-graduates and pay for them to complete a policing degree on the job.

Steve, who has a degree in International Politics and Strategic Studies added that “I can honestly say it’s never helped me on a Friday night.”

“Does it make me a better officer by having the degree? No, no it doesn’t make me a better officer, it just demonstrates that I’ve got academic skill in certain areas and as we know we’re not just about academic proficiency.

“A good officer has a range of skills, and not all of them easily measurable by whether or not you’ve got a degree or not.”

Steve did reserve some praise for plans for ongoing professional qualifications for officers but questioned why officers need a degree to join the job when they can get one on the job.

He added: “The College of Policing are looking at converting the skills that we have into a recognisable degree level standard for those of us that are already in policing. Now that, I think, can only be a good thing.

“If you’re able to demonstrate and recognise that the skills that we build and have in policing and worthy of qualifications and a degree – why do you need a degree in the first place?

“If you can demonstrate you’re up to the degree standard and you’ve joined the service without a degree, you don’t need the degree to join the service, do you?”