Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 81
81
Acknowledged
Investigate the impact of degree requirements on police recruitment, retention, and professionalism.
Recommendation
The Home Office should take care that its determination to keep a non-degree route open into policing is not in conflict with attempts to build the profile of policing as a highly skilled profession, and does not create more inconsistency with the recruitment, competency requirements and training of other entry routes. We recommend the Home Office investigate further the impact of making a degree a mandatory requirement first on police officers’ recruitment and retention and, secondly, on the potential impact on policing’s reputation. We also recommend that the Home Office keep under review the wider impacts of its decision to retain a non-degree entry route. We recommend all three of these elements of research and analysis be commenced within the next three months. (Paragraph 202) The wider criminal justice system
Government Response Summary
The government states the new non-degree entry route will launch in April 2024 and all routes will use the same curriculum. The College of Policing will continue to monitor the effectiveness of all entry routes, but no specific commitment to the recommended investigation or research was made.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
111. The new non-degree entry route into policing (Police Constable Entry Programme) is due to launch to new recruits in April 2024. Whilst the PCEP route will not result in a formal level 6 qualification, officers who join via this route will be judged as to whether they are competently operating a year after their time on the programme. 112. All policing entry routes are based on the same national policing curriculum ensuring all entrants into policing cover the same content. The College will continue to monitor the effectiveness of all entry routes to make sure they are optimised for candidates and forces.