Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
We are not yet convinced that the new training routes introduced by the College of...
Recommendation
We are not yet convinced that the new training routes introduced by the College of Policing best meet the needs of police forces. The College of Policing introduced the Police Education and Qualifications Framework (PEQF) in 2016 and initially planned for the new approach to be fully in place by December 2019. In part due to the unprecedented number of new police officers under the Programme, the transition has now extended to April 2023. The PEQF requires new officers to either hold or to earn a degree as they train. Most forces have already begun using the PEQF. However, views among stakeholders differ about whether it is necessary or desirable for all police officers to hold or work towards qualification at, or equivalent to, a degree-level, and whether this requirement could exclude or deter some from joining the police, irrespective of the route taken to achieve that qualification. 6 The Police Uplift Programme Recommendation: The College of Policing should review the impact of the Police Education and Qualifications Framework to ensure it meets the needs of both new police officers and their forces. It should outline when it will publish the results of this assessment in the Treasury Minute response.
Government Response Summary
The College of Policing is reviewing the impact of the Police Education and Qualifications Framework, with a final report expected by Spring 2024 and a follow-up report planned for publication in early 2023; the department will also work with partners in the Criminal Justice System to provide regular and ongoing analysis on the downstream impacts of the new officers to support better planning and demand management.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Framework for new entry routes at the point they were introduced to ensure that they meet the needs of both new officers and forces. The evaluation commenced in 2018 and a final report is expected by Spring 2024 to ensure that the first cohort of recruits can be followed through to completion of the programme and into their first year as confirmed police constables. The evaluation is exploring officers’ experiences, including wellbeing, perceptions of the new entry routes, as well as views from forces and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Early findings from the evaluation were published in May 2020 and a follow-up report is planned for publication in early 2023. billion to increase the operational capacity of policing and specifically recruit an additional 20,000 officers. This police-led review will ensure that this additional capacity is used effectively to reduce crime. 6b PAC recommendation: The department should: • In its Treasury Minute response, set out how it is working with partners in the Criminal Justice System to provide regular and ongoing analysis on the downstream impacts of the new officers to support better planning and demand management. 6.5 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 6.6 From the outset of the Police Uplift Programme the Home Office has worked closely with partners at the Ministry of Justice and Crown Prosecution Service to understand the downstream impact of new officers, alongside the totality of the workforce, and other factors contributing to demand trajectories. The Home Office shares relevant analysis from the Police Uplift Programme on a regular basis, including projections on the future profile of uplift recruitment and assumptions around the contri