SPENDING time in uniform and on the frontline \u2013 rather than direct entry – is the best way for detectives to get the experience they need, says Essex Police Federation.<\/p>\n
A recent HMICFRS report into the sector nationally showed that less experienced uniformed officers are now having to investigate more crime, because there aren\u2019t enough detectives.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a situation recognised by Essex Police Federation Chairman Steve Taylor who says while the force is struggling to recruit and retain investigators, it does mean PCs are gaining valuable experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t ignore the fact that we are struggling to recruit and retain,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I firmly believe the best path for detectives to take is through the traditional entrance to the organisation, where they spend their time in uniform, on response, learning the basics of the job, and then go away to specialise further in the more advanced crimes that we expect CIDs to look into.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if you accept that position, we are naturally going to have PCs investigating crimes, because they\u2019re cutting their teeth and learning the trade. We shouldn\u2019t be afraid of that, provided the service doesn\u2019t suffer, provided they\u2019ve got the right oversight and provided the most serious cases are escalated properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
A shortfall in recruitment has been recorded across England and Wales and a lack of people in CID has been labelled as a crisis on some forces \u2013 \u00a0a difficult situation to reverse says Steve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe recruitment and retention question is a sticky one. I don\u2019t have any bright ideas as to how we\u2019d go about making or improving that situation, but I do firmly believe that traditional entry into the organisation, rather than direct entry, for detectives is the way that we should be going.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that relatively inexperienced or experienced officers who aren\u2019t detectives are investigating crimes that traditionally detectives would investigate, is because we don\u2019t have enough detectives,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think the quality of the investigation is necessarily inferior. It\u2019s still more than adequate, more than capable, and they have to learn somewhere. So, I\u2019m loathed to start criticising PCs investigating crimes because it\u2019s part of their job. Just not the more serious ones, I accept that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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