The police education qualification framework: a professional agenda or building professionals?

Abstract

Given the growing complexity in policing in England and Wales, the College of Policing (CoP) are implementing a Police Education Qualification Framework (PEQF) to standardise entry to the police and allow serving officers to gain accreditation for their previous training and experience. This provides occasion to revisit and reconsider longer term international debates about the role and value of tertiary education for policing. Part of this process, in relation to the PEQF, involves the development of a national police curriculum for higher education institutions (HEIs) to deliver to new recruits in the field. This forms part of a wider professionalisation agenda which seeks to align policing with other professions, and enable officers to think more critically about the situations they deal with as part of their role. Sklansky (2014) describes how different definitions of what constitutes professionalism can impact on officers' interpretations of this concept and how they subsequently engage with the proposed reforms. This paper, which is based on in depth qualitative interviews with serving officers who have undertaken an academic qualification in policing, suggests that the relationship between police education and the development of professionalism is complex. Officers need to be trusted and encouraged to use their learning in a way that develops their own personal sense of professionalism. However, this paper will also argue that current perceptions amongst officers are sceptical of the wider agenda and what it really aims to achieve. Rather than being viewed as an enabler to becoming a trusted professional, officers report that standardised prescriptive processes limit the value of 'traditional' forms of police knowledge, restricts critical thinking in the field, and stifles their ability to apply their knowledge in work-based decisions and problem-solving. This paper brings into question the development of a standardised curriculum which may ultimately be viewed as further governance over officer behaviour.

Is there ‘discretionary space’ in rank-based police constabularies for graduate constables to think critically and make autonomous decisions?

“…This monitoring and control can be seen in the positive arrest policy in cases of domestic abuse (Diemer et al, 2017;Myhill, 2019), the introduction of body worn video (Rowe, Pearson and Turner, 2018) and the detailed, time limited, demands of the National Crime Recording (McFadzien and Phillips, 2019). While these policies were designed in response to genuine concerns about the needs of victims and a desire to ensure that individual officers act conscientiously and with integrity, they do appear to conflict with a professionalisation agenda (Heslop, 2011b;de Maillard and Savage, 2018;Williams, Norman and Rowe, 2019).…”

A Program of Their Own: The Design and Evolution of an Undergraduate Degree Program for Police Officers in Ontario

“…Christopher (2015) examines the virtues of mandating that potential police officers complete a higher education credential before entering the field (thus a pre-entry scheme) and uses the partnership between Leicestershire Police and de Montfort University as an example. Ramshaw and Soppitt (2018) and Williams et al (2019) seek to connect the role of higher education with the establishment of the College of Policing and the implementation of a Police Educational Qualification Framework (PEQF) for England and Wales. Significantly, the College of Policing sets out to standardize police training in England and Wales to include pre-entry pathways for potential recruits, pathways for those with other degrees as well as post-join pathways for experienced officers (Ramshaw & Soppitt, 2018).…”

Learning through practice: Collaborative policing partnerships in teaching in higher education

“…police.uk/What-we-do/Learning/Policing-Education-Qualifications-Framework/Pages/ Policing-Education-Qualifications-Framework.aspx) and Policing Degree Programmes. Williams et al (2019) discuss the relationship between this drive towards police professionalism and police education, under the guise of the new PEQF, addressing the lack of knowledge about the application in practice from the police. Reflections from their study focus on how participants were able to employ their knowledge and critical thinking in their utilisation of learning, while ensuring credibility through learning where the practitioner voice is meaningful and is 'translated into practice to promote enhanced practice' (Williams et al, 2019: 10).…”

“…Williams et al . (2019) discuss the relationship between this drive towards police professionalism and police education, under the guise of the new PEQF, addressing the lack of knowledge about the application in practice from the police.…”