Federation Chair: Do all police officers really need a degree?

7 July 2021

Surrey Police Federation Chair Mel Warnes has added her view to the debate on whether all police officers should require a degree to do the job.

Mel said: “There is a risk that Police Forces are losing good operational police officers because they are falling behind with their University work or failing the degree aspect of the course.

“More and more officers are finding it difficult to manage the University aspect of the course on top of the operational part. Because there is no flexibility around the study aspect, good, operational officers are being left in a position where they are facing losing their job through the Police Regulation process, despite them being a competent officer.

“The Police Service needs people from all walks of life with differing experiences and those that can be a good, competent operational officer, despite whether they have a degree or not.

“It is obviously beneficial to have different entry routes into policing, but this should not automatically be restricted to degree holders or obtaining a degree in order to stay in the police.”

The College of Policing wants all recruits to gain a degree before joining the force – or to gain one on the job.

Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones – soon to be the new PCC head – has urged Home Secretary Priti Patel to scrap plans for graduate-only police recruits and says ex-soldiers will be better than university leavers with 'expressive dance' degrees.

His comments come after Nick Adderley, Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Constabulary, criticised the all-graduate recruit plans.

CC Adderley said police recruits joining after university are not prepared to work nights or weekends and are 'sadly lacking' in life experience.

Bernie O’Reilly, interim CEO of the College of Policing, said: 'Policing has changed significantly in recent years and the new training has been created to reflect the challenges officers face and recognise the complex nature of the job.

'The public deserves highly trained, highly skilled officers that can protect them from all crime types, from domestic violence and digital fraud, through to organised crime and modern slavery, as well as protecting vulnerable people.”

The College of Policing added that the new training scheme had already been adopted by 33 forces.