**2. Historical development of police education and training**

The role of a police constable is one of the oldest professions in Great Britain as its history dates back to 1285 Statute of Winchester, attestation of constables following an Act of Parliament in 1673, Bow Street Runners of 1749, the establishment of the City of Glasgow Police in 1800 and finally the creation of a full-time formal police organisation for London, the Metropolitan Police, in 1829. However, the establishment of the Metropolitan Police, a brainchild of the then Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel, who later served as a British Prime Minister, is seen as the introduction of the 'modern' public policing in the world; as a result, policing became a career that offered status and security at the end of the nineteenth century [25].

It was after 100 years since the establishment of the Metropolitan Police, serious efforts were made to develop police training. The Metropolitan Police College at Hendon was established in 1934 as a military-style institution with the intention to train the serving and newly recruited officers for senior rank. The idea originally came from the Indian Police Service (IPS) that used to recruit officers in senior ranks called probationer Assistant Superintendent of Police. The Assistant Commander of the College was seconded from the IPS. In five intakes, 188 officers were graduated from the college to become inspectors until the institution was closed in September 1939. The college was not re-opened in the same format after the Second World War. Instead, in June 1948, the new National Police College (known as the Police Staff College since 1979) was established at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, to run different training courses for higher ranking officers with potentials to become senior police officers [26]. The college ran residential and non-residential junior, senior, and short courses and also overseas command courses for promising officers, and a scholarship scheme was available [27, 28].

Turning to the London Metropolitan Police 'was the first modern police force in a nation with representative government' ([29], ix) and the British bobbies 'occupy a special place in the history of policing in the world' and was 'a role model of successful policing' ([30], p. 435). The initial recruit training played a great role in turning an ordinary citizen into a uniformed policeman. The Metropolitan Police Training School for constables was established at Peel House in Regency Street, Pimlico in 1907, which was there until 1974, and the Metropolitan Police College in Hendon was rebuilt and opened in 1974, popularly known as the Peel Centre [31].

Historically, initial police training was known as the foundation training or basic police training in the UK, which was followed by police organisations around the world, in particular, in former British colonies. Many national police forces such as the Bangladesh Police still run the same initial police training for the new recruits. After World War II, the specialist cadet college for direct entry senior officers for

the Metropolitan Police was turned into a Metropolitan Police Training School for recruit constables. The 17-week initial training was run at Hendon until 2007. However, since the 1960s, intense pressure to change the patterns of recruiting and training for the police force has led to an emphasis on recruiting graduates and since then support for higher education has grown [32, 33].

In addition to Hendon, organisations such as the National Police Training (NPT) (a Home Office unit established in 1993, following the Police Training Council's recognition of problems with the arrangements for managing police training in 1992), the Central Police Training and Development Authority (CENTREX), and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) were involved in running the initial police training in England and Wales [34, 35]. The NPT aimed at bringing greater coherence to all police training establishments including the Police Staff College, Police Training Centres (PTCs), the Police National Computer School, a centre for the design of training and training of trainers at Harrogate and a centre for the training of surveillance techniques for National Crime Squad officers at Loughborough [36]. CENTREX took over from the NPT in 2002 [37] and ran the Probationer Training Programme at six PTCs in various parts of the country, namely Bruche, Ashford, Durham, Bramshill, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, and Cwmbran. In 2007, the functions of CENTREX were merged with the NPIA, which was dissolved in 2013 and the newly established College of Policing took over some of its responsibilities.

In 2006, the new 26-week IPLDP was introduced and it became the responsibility of the respective police forces to train the newly recruited constables. Since 2010, a level 3 qualification called Diploma in Policing was awarded to the recruits upon successful completion of the IPLDP training, which used to run week by week in four phases, that is induction, community placement, supervised patrol, and independent patrol. The academic qualifications proposed by the PEQF have been gradually replacing IPLDP and it is expected that by 2020 all the forces in England and Wales will run the PEQF programmes1 . However, the Metropolitan Police is still in the process of implementing the PEQF and it is expected to run the PCDA and DHEP programmes from September 2020.

Following the government White Paper 'Policing A New Century—A Blueprint for Reform' [38], the report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) entitled 'Training Matters' [39] and BBC's the Panorama show entitled 'The Secret Policeman' (2003) that exposed racism in the regional Police Training Centre at Bruche had a significant impact on the long-lasting police training. As a result, the government came forward to reform the initial police training. Charman ([35], p. 73) argues that:

*'What the HMIC report "Training Matters" (2002) and the 2003 screening of the BBC documentary "The Secret Policeman" revealed was that both the formal and informal training of new police recruits needed a radical overhaul'.*

The creation of the College of Policing in 2012 as well as the Coalition government's approval of the professionalisation agenda of policing and recognition of policing as a graduate level occupation led to the introduction of the PEQF in 2016. It is worth mentioning that as an indirect impact of this new professional body, the world famous Police Staff College, which was relocated to Bramshill in 1960 from Ryton-on-Dunsmore, popularly known as Bramshill, was closed in 2015

**7**

([13], online).

*Police Education in the United Kingdom: Challenges and Future Directions*

undergone professional development training since 1948.

*a fast changing environment' ([40], online).*

and professional discretion [47].

and future challenges. It also says that:

*standards' ([13]: Online).*

where many senior police officers from the UK and Commonwealth countries have

*'... to those who say that policing isn't and shouldn't be a graduate job, I would ask you to just pause for a moment and encourage you to challenge that thought. Because policing needs to be prepared to meet the challenges of the future and the PEQF aims to give officers access to the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in* 

**3. Professionalisation agenda: policing as a graduate level occupation**

and building partnerships between higher education and police practitioners. It is imperative that as a professional, police officers must be allowed a high degree of individual autonomy and they should have independence of judgement. The common elements of any profession to serve in a professional manner include a specialist knowledge and ethical practice related to that profession, scope for CPD, and certain standards set out to educate for that profession [45, 46]. But critics argued that knowledge-based policing in practice promotes a concept of knowledge that indirectly threatens the police officers' traditional experience-based knowledge

According to the College of Policing [13], there is a lack of consistency in relation to nationwide educational background or qualifications for all roles or ranks within the police forces, which provide knowledge and skills to meet the current

*'PEQF aims to bring consistent practice in terms of the implementation, assessment and accreditation of initial police training across the 43 forces in England and Wales. This consistency can contribute to the professionalism of the police service and put policing in line with other professions with regard to its formal education* 

It noted that the PEQF supports the NPCC and APCC's 'Policing Vision 2025' that 'By 2025 policing will be a profession with a more representative workforce that will align the right skills, powers and experience to meet challenging requirements'

The notion of the police as a profession is not new [41]. Across different professions, professionalism is changing and being challenged and changed as professionals now increasingly work at scale [42]. However, the policing professionalisation agenda of the College of Policing and the 'Policing Vision 2025' recognise policing as a graduate level occupation similar to those professions requiring specialist degrees in the relevant subjects such as doctor, social worker, and teacher [43]. This 'Policing Vision 2025' has been developed by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) in consultation with the College of Policing, National Crime Agency, staff associations, and other policing and community partners. Neyroud [44] refers to a new professionalism in policing in England and argues that it focuses on improving and developing effective practice

In 2017, the Police Minister Brandon Lewis MP while speaking at the PEQF conference identified the successes of the College of Policing in introducing a code of ethics, beginning a culture of continuous professional development (CPD), continually growing the body of professional knowledge, and establishing the final pillar through the PEQF as standards of professional qualification for policing. The Minister identified the implementation of the PEQF in cooperation with HEIs as 'a really big challenge' and justified the argument for professionalisation of policing as he stated that:

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92705*

<sup>1</sup> It is worth noting here that this initiative was unsuccessfully challenged by the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police at the High Court [14].

#### *Police Education in the United Kingdom: Challenges and Future Directions DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92705*

*Education, Human Rights and Peace in Sustainable Development*

then support for higher education has grown [32, 33].

the Metropolitan Police was turned into a Metropolitan Police Training School for recruit constables. The 17-week initial training was run at Hendon until 2007. However, since the 1960s, intense pressure to change the patterns of recruiting and training for the police force has led to an emphasis on recruiting graduates and since

(a Home Office unit established in 1993, following the Police Training Council's recognition of problems with the arrangements for managing police training in 1992), the Central Police Training and Development Authority (CENTREX), and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) were involved in running the initial police training in England and Wales [34, 35]. The NPT aimed at bringing greater coherence to all police training establishments including the Police Staff College, Police Training Centres (PTCs), the Police National Computer School, a centre for the design of training and training of trainers at Harrogate and a centre for the training of surveillance techniques for National Crime Squad officers at Loughborough [36]. CENTREX took over from the NPT in 2002 [37] and ran the Probationer Training Programme at six PTCs in various parts of the country, namely Bruche, Ashford, Durham, Bramshill, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, and Cwmbran. In 2007, the functions of CENTREX were merged with the NPIA, which was dissolved in 2013 and the newly established College of Policing took over some of its

In addition to Hendon, organisations such as the National Police Training (NPT)

In 2006, the new 26-week IPLDP was introduced and it became the responsibil-

. However, the Metropolitan Police is still

ity of the respective police forces to train the newly recruited constables. Since 2010, a level 3 qualification called Diploma in Policing was awarded to the recruits upon successful completion of the IPLDP training, which used to run week by week in four phases, that is induction, community placement, supervised patrol, and independent patrol. The academic qualifications proposed by the PEQF have been gradually replacing IPLDP and it is expected that by 2020 all the forces in England

in the process of implementing the PEQF and it is expected to run the PCDA and

Following the government White Paper 'Policing A New Century—A Blueprint for Reform' [38], the report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) entitled 'Training Matters' [39] and BBC's the Panorama show entitled 'The Secret Policeman' (2003) that exposed racism in the regional Police Training Centre at Bruche had a significant impact on the long-lasting police training. As a result, the government came forward to reform the initial police training. Charman ([35],

*'What the HMIC report "Training Matters" (2002) and the 2003 screening of the BBC documentary "The Secret Policeman" revealed was that both the formal and* 

The creation of the College of Policing in 2012 as well as the Coalition government's approval of the professionalisation agenda of policing and recognition of policing as a graduate level occupation led to the introduction of the PEQF in 2016. It is worth mentioning that as an indirect impact of this new professional body, the world famous Police Staff College, which was relocated to Bramshill in 1960 from Ryton-on-Dunsmore, popularly known as Bramshill, was closed in 2015

<sup>1</sup> It is worth noting here that this initiative was unsuccessfully challenged by the Chief Constable of

*informal training of new police recruits needed a radical overhaul'.*

**6**

responsibilities.

p. 73) argues that:

Lincolnshire Police at the High Court [14].

and Wales will run the PEQF programmes1

DHEP programmes from September 2020.

where many senior police officers from the UK and Commonwealth countries have undergone professional development training since 1948.

In 2017, the Police Minister Brandon Lewis MP while speaking at the PEQF conference identified the successes of the College of Policing in introducing a code of ethics, beginning a culture of continuous professional development (CPD), continually growing the body of professional knowledge, and establishing the final pillar through the PEQF as standards of professional qualification for policing. The Minister identified the implementation of the PEQF in cooperation with HEIs as 'a really big challenge' and justified the argument for professionalisation of policing as he stated that:

*'... to those who say that policing isn't and shouldn't be a graduate job, I would ask you to just pause for a moment and encourage you to challenge that thought. Because policing needs to be prepared to meet the challenges of the future and the PEQF aims to give officers access to the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a fast changing environment' ([40], online).*

## **3. Professionalisation agenda: policing as a graduate level occupation**

The notion of the police as a profession is not new [41]. Across different professions, professionalism is changing and being challenged and changed as professionals now increasingly work at scale [42]. However, the policing professionalisation agenda of the College of Policing and the 'Policing Vision 2025' recognise policing as a graduate level occupation similar to those professions requiring specialist degrees in the relevant subjects such as doctor, social worker, and teacher [43]. This 'Policing Vision 2025' has been developed by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) in consultation with the College of Policing, National Crime Agency, staff associations, and other policing and community partners. Neyroud [44] refers to a new professionalism in policing in England and argues that it focuses on improving and developing effective practice and building partnerships between higher education and police practitioners.

It is imperative that as a professional, police officers must be allowed a high degree of individual autonomy and they should have independence of judgement. The common elements of any profession to serve in a professional manner include a specialist knowledge and ethical practice related to that profession, scope for CPD, and certain standards set out to educate for that profession [45, 46]. But critics argued that knowledge-based policing in practice promotes a concept of knowledge that indirectly threatens the police officers' traditional experience-based knowledge and professional discretion [47].

According to the College of Policing [13], there is a lack of consistency in relation to nationwide educational background or qualifications for all roles or ranks within the police forces, which provide knowledge and skills to meet the current and future challenges. It also says that:

*'PEQF aims to bring consistent practice in terms of the implementation, assessment and accreditation of initial police training across the 43 forces in England and Wales. This consistency can contribute to the professionalism of the police service and put policing in line with other professions with regard to its formal education standards' ([13]: Online).*

It noted that the PEQF supports the NPCC and APCC's 'Policing Vision 2025' that 'By 2025 policing will be a profession with a more representative workforce that will align the right skills, powers and experience to meet challenging requirements' ([13], online).

After long consultations, the College of Policing introduced the PEQF and three routes to recruit police constables. Before the PEQF, the IPLDP was introduced in 2006 as a level 3 Diploma in Policing [48] that replaced the Foundation Training (still carried out by many police organisations around the world), which is still in use in some forces including the largest force London Metropolitan Police.

For clarity, it is worth mentioning here that Scottish Police runs Police Officer Recruit Training in line with the Police Scotland National Framework for Quality Assurance in Training and Education and therefore they are not part of the PEQF. Police Service of Northern Ireland runs its own foundation training for the recruit constables at the Northern Ireland Police College, which includes a 23-week Student Officer Training Programme that follows attestation ceremony and Probationer Development Programme. Due to the length, discussion about these programmes is beyond the scope of this chapter.
