Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[Fedster + 1,307]

Judicial Review dismissed on a technicality relating to timing of announcement of training change.

Date - 9th December 2019
By - Gary Mason

 

The Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Bill Skelly has been denied a full judicial review of the College of Policing’s plan to impose the Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) on all forces which means that new recruits will either have a degree or agree to study for one once they are appointed.  

With the full support of Police and Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones, Mr Skelly had asked for a Judicial Review  for a stay of implementation of PEQF until the summer of 2023.

“I wanted to give time for a legitimate evaluation of the new system being imposed across the country and for the results to be assessed and any adjustments made,” he said. 

Last week’s court hearing considered when the College of Policing made its decision – it claimed it was November 2018 whilst Lincolnshire Police claimed it was May 2019.

Mr Skelly said he was disappointed that the judge had allowed the judicial review to be dismissed on a technicality related to timing.  “We submitted a detailed challenge on the merits of the PEQF and the insufficient preparation that has been undertaken by the College of Policing,” he said.  “Unfortunately, the College chose to ignore the merits of our concerns and sought to strike out the legal case on a technicality.” 

Mr Skelly said he was now considering whether further legal action should be taken forward. 

“This remains a serious option for Lincolnshire Police as the impact of PEQF is so disastrous and means the effective removal of 40 frontline officers.  This is a loss of police officers that cannot be afforded and it would create a harmful impact on policing in the county.”

Mr Skelly said he expected to be in a position to make a more detailed statement following the General Election.

The College of Policing said it was pleased the courts had denied a Judicial Review on the major training change for a second time. 

Deputy Chief Constable Bernie O’Reilly, said: “We welcome the decision of the court today.

“While it is disappointing that Lincolnshire Police chose this course of action, it is important we now move forward to ensure that the public and new officers in Lincolnshire are able to join other areas of the country in benefiting from updated training.

“We want every officer to be properly prepared and recognised for the difficult job they do every day."

The new training for officers joining policing will be up and running in more than 30 police forces across England and Wales over the next year.

Officers are already undergoing the updated training in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, South Wales, Gwent, Dyfed-Powys, West Midlands, Northumbria, Avon and Somerset and Staffordshire.

The College says the new course updates existing training introduced 13 years ago and better prepares officers for the demands placed on them. The programme now includes digital policing, vulnerability, disclosure, mental health and still requires police officers to have empathy, compassion and common sense.

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[BlueBob + 692]

I wonder if a recruits application includes “can complete detailed paperwork and pays attention to detail”?

Edited December 9, 2019 by BlueBob

[Byling * 4]

I am struggling to fully understand the issue here. 
 

Originally, it was explained that potential candidates would need to have a degree to join ‘Policing’. However, that appears not to be the case. Instead, you either have a degree or work towards and obtain one. Surely this is a good thing and transferable? 
 

Or have I completely missed the point? 

[Beaker 817]

5 hours ago, Byling said:

I am struggling to fully understand the issue here. 
 

Originally, it was explained that potential candidates would need to have a degree to join ‘Policing’. However, that appears not to be the case. Instead, you either have a degree or work towards and obtain one. Surely this is a good thing and transferable? 
 

Or have I completely missed the point? 

Doing pretty much the same training, and getting paid to get a degree rather than it costing your £30k+ is obviously a Bad Thing. 

 

[SimonT + 1,185]

I think the fundamental issue is that it has no particular point.

It costs forces, requires officers and tutor units, you lose your new officers for 20% of the time in shift for 3 years and at the end you get a degree in policing.

Assuming you are going to remain a police officer, what use is that that degree? Will it let you advance faster, past those plods who have been in longer, have more experience but can't get a degree in policing, because they are policing? 

Or you leave after the degree, making a massive saving in fees, but have a degree specific for a very limited window of roles. 

Obviously the college are on top of it and it's going to be fine. 

[SD + 688]

4 hours ago, SimonT said:

I think the fundamental issue is that it has no particular point.

It costs forces, requires officers and tutor units, you lose your new officers for 20% of the time in shift for 3 years and at the end you get a degree in policing.

Assuming you are going to remain a police officer, what use is that that degree? Will it let you advance faster, past those plods who have been in longer, have more experience but can't get a degree in policing, because they are policing? 

Or you leave after the degree, making a massive saving in fees, but have a degree specific for a very limited window of roles. 

Obviously the college are on top of it and it's going to be fine. 

Yes there will be more time off shift but It’s better training which surely can’t be a bad thing. The agreement about the degree being useless outside of the job, the same could be said about any degree or policing skills in general. It also show a lack of insight as to the content of the degree on your part.

I partially agree with those joining to get a degree are in a better position than those already in. I therefore think a degree should be made available to everyone. That said, there’s a free lv4 qualification offered to Sgt and loads have decided it’s a waste of time so not done it. So even when the offer is there it’s not taken.

Finally, the high turn over rates may eventually lead to better conditions for all.

[Sierra Lima + 117]

7 hours ago, SimonT said:

I think the fundamental issue is that it has no particular point.

It costs forces, requires officers and tutor units, you lose your new officers for 20% of the time in shift for 3 years and at the end you get a degree in policing.

 

No. I belive the gvt picks up most of the cost of the apprenticeship schemes including the police. Hence why they jumped on it. Effectively the training cost doesn't come out of police budget. 

That's what I was told anyway. 

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

20 hours ago, SimonT said:

Or you leave after the degree, making a massive saving in fees, but have a degree specific for a very limited window of roles. 

A degree shows the holder has wider range of skills than the subject/title of the degree. Many people use their degree to gain employment or promotion in areas of work that don’t obviously equate to the title of their qualification. 

[Beaker 817]

On 14/12/2019 at 12:33, SimonT said:

Or you leave after the degree, making a massive saving in fees, but have a degree specific for a very limited window of roles.

I have a BSc in Business, but I work fixing computers.  My Sister has a BEng in Industrial Geology and she works in high spec aircraft tooling.  One of my friends has am MSc in Socialwork (I think it is) and currently works as a PCRO for WYP.  Your degree at the most basic level show you have the ability to take information and process it using methods that are applicable over the board.  I've maybe met one or two coppers who wouldn't be cable of passing a degree without serious help, the massive majority are pretty damned intelligent.  The Job is FAR more complicated than most degree holders will ever have, yet we let them serve their 30 years and effectively boot them out of the door without any other qualifications.  It's the only real profession that does this these days.  Even the military encourages extra training and qualifications!

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

On the CoP site you can put in your policing qualifications and it tell you how many points they would be worth towards a degree, as RPL. If I was still serving I would be over two-thirds of the way there. So quite little effort to gain a degree level qualification for free. Where’s the downside? 

[SimonT + 1,185]

Well, that's certainly put me in my place.

[Zulu 22 + 4,574]

11 minutes ago, SimonT said:

Well, that's certainly put me in my place.

Nah, the thought Police at the COP strike again.  A Degree does not necessarily equate with Common Sense, the greatest gift a Police Officer could have.😉

[Beaker 817]

54 minutes ago, Zulu 22 said:

Nah, the thought Police at the COP strike again.  A Degree does not necessarily equate with Common Sense, the greatest gift a Police Officer could have.😉

On the same lines having common sense doesn't mean you can't get a degree. 

What happens 10 years down the line when something happens and you're suddenly unfit to continue working?  Or personal circumstances change and you can't carry on being a copper?   You can't guarantee a good job if you leave the police and need to carry on earning.

[SD + 688]

1 hour ago, Zulu 22 said:

Nah, the thought Police at the COP strike again.  A Degree does not necessarily equate with Common Sense, the greatest gift a Police Officer could have.😉

I’m yet to see someone with common sense unable to turn their hand to academia. The ones I see struggle are the ones who’s knowledge and ‘common sense’ was lacking in the first place. It’s interesting though that those who see a policing qualification as useless tend to be those most fearful of them.

[Zulu 22 + 4,574]

I have not known a retired officer who could not walk into a job on his retirement. They are usually high sought after. You cannot get a degree in Common Sense, which is something a graduate does not always have.

Edited December 16, 2019 by Zulu 22