New Met police video

[Fedster + 1,307]

Researchers say it is too early to draw conclusions, despite previous study commissioned by organisation running it.

A discussion at a Police Now summer event last year

An evaluation of a well-funded police graduate scheme has found it has no significant impact on public confidence.

Last year, survey results published by Police Now found a 17 per cent increase in confidence in police among young people in wards where the high-flying graduates are posted.

But a two-year evaluation by the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) found that overall there has been no real change.

While some measures, such as how good a job young people thought the police are doing, showed an increase, the study found larger rises in other questions of public confidence among young people in Met Police wards not served by a Police Now graduate.

The report says: “Across the total number of respondents, there was no compelling change in public confidence or perceptions of the police for the Police Now wards in the first year of the programme.

“Generally, the trends within Police Now and comparison wards paralleled one another.”

It adds that while this could be possible in time, “cause and effect” statements should not be made on it.

Elsewhere, participants told researchers that while the scheme’s intensive training programme is good, fewer than half felt prepared to begin their roles as police officers after the six weeks were up.

But they noted: “Confidence and preparedness also appeared to be an issue for recruits who joined via the traditional MPS entry route, suggesting it is not a problem unique to the Police Now officers but a wider issue for policing training.”

Overall satisfaction with the programme was high among those taking part.

David Spencer, CEO and co-founder of Police Now, said: “Policing is a high intensity and tough career. We shouldn’t hide that from new police recruits and our training is designed to reflect this simple fact.

“In the recent analysis by MOPAC the majority of our participants (89 per cent) say they were highly satisfied with the training, 96 per cent would recommend the programme to friends and all agreed the Summer Academy was a positive learning environment.”

He said that working with MOPAC has enabled the programme to develop as it is being rolled out.

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[David + 4,981]

So, another resounding success all round for the wasting of public money then.

[Remmy + 1,401]

14 minutes ago, David said:

So, another resounding success all round for the wasting of public money then.

I agree 100% a totally ridiculous idea, that has been a huge waste of limited resources at a time we cannot afford waste!

However the buffoons in charge will no doubt cherry pick parts of this report to pat themselves on the back and argue it' all been worthwhile 

25 minutes ago, Fedster said:

Overall satisfaction with the programme was high among those taking part.

 

[Prae 764]

The ones we have don’t do anything other than follow neighbourhood officers around like a bad smell. If that’s “high flying” I’ll stick to being a maggot thanks!

[CountyCop + 178]

Hmm I wonder if they can explain why the Police Now lot have been dropped by two forces in my region......... there is a reason police training is longer than six weeks.

[Zulu 22 + 4,639]

They use the phrase, "An evaluation of a well-funded police graduate scheme has found it has no significant impact on public confidence."  I would imagine that if you asked the public about the scheme you would struggle to find anyone who knew anything about it. I agree with County Cop about the training. If you serve for 30 years every single day you are learning and furthering your experiences in Policing.  It is just something that never stops, and it cannot be learned in a few months, or even a few years. 

[Mac7 808]

I was sceptical of the last survey. Any organisation which commissions its own survey and subsequently finds favourable results must be met with scepticism. I was equally shocked when MP’s commissioned a survey into their pay which recommended a pay rise.

[SimonT + 1,194]

What a heroic result. We spent stacks or cash, upset loads of police and as a result we didn't annoy the public much. 

Almost as if they could have not bothered and achieved the same thing.