Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[Techie1 + 2,024]

Force says new officer brings with him a 'raft of strategic management and leadership experience'.

A former Home Office civil servant is now a superintendent at Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Marc Attwell has joined the force through the Home Office-backed direct entry scheme. He is one of four recruits who started through the programme across forces in England this month.

The former official who spent time in both the department’s immigration office and policy office is Hertfordshire’s first ever person hired through the scheme which brings people with no prior policing experience to upper ranks of the service.

Earlier this year, Sir Philip Rutnam, the most senior Home Office civil servant said he was “delighted” by the progression of his former “close colleague” through the scheme.

The department has been instrumental in the introduction of the programme to a sometimes reluctant police service.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said this week: “The programme opens up the police service to professionals who bring different experience and professional perspective from other sectors into the police family.

“With a significant service in the Home Office and someone who has seen active service as an army reservist in Iraq, Marc Attwell brings a raft of strategic management and leadership experience into Hertfordshire Constabulary. 

“He will be working alongside highly experienced senior officers and police staff as we continue our drive to improve the services we provide to the public.”

When Police Oracle revealed Sir Philip’s colleague was on the scheme, the then Hampshire Police Federation chairman John Apter pointed out that direct entry was originally sold as a way to bring leading business people into the service.

He added: “It now sounds almost like the Home Office want to get the people into it […].

“It could turn out to be good thing in a way, because they may report back to their friends about how badly policing is being treated.”

The College of Policing said all applicants are assessed to the same standard, regardless of background and that as police officers they would always act independently.

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[Zulu 22 + 4,575]

My fear would be that this could be the start of bringing the Police under direct Political control. The first part was creating PCC's. Policing should be acting independently, and just enforcing the Law as set down by Parliament. My first CC was Sir James Anderton who fought fiercely against such political interference.

[Ether + 1,401]

He has every right to apply, the same as everyone else. 

The fact he is an ex civil servant shouldn’t prevent that, equality is equality,  no one should be discriminated against because of past employment.

It’s like claiming ex police officers shouldn’t be employed in certain roles. 

Edited December 2, 2018 by Funkywingnut

[mla + 93]

My fear would be that this could be the start of bringing the Police under direct Political control. The first part was creating PCC's. Policing should be acting independently, and just enforcing the Law as set down by Parliament. My first CC was Sir James Anderton who fought fiercely against such political interference.

May I suggest this book if you are interested in this subject:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Politics-Police-Robert-Reiner/dp/0199283397

It talks about the tripartite relationship between the police, the public and positions and how it has changed over time.