Lord Dear

This Government is committed to ensuring strong leadership at all levels in policing and is driving forward improvements to ensure consistent and high standards in leadership training.

I am pleased to say that the College of Policing has recently completed a full independent review of progression and development to chief officer ranks (2022) and has developed proposals for fundamental change to the current system, which are currently being implemented. This, alongside the National Centre for Police Leadership, has introduced a focus on developing all officers as leaders alongside faster time work to ensure that current chief officer vacancies can be filled. The College has a clear plan for a complete reform of senior leadership development, to improve standards and leadership at all levels in policing.

This work will implement a nationally consistent approach to police leadership for the first time, following previous work by the College and Chief Constables to address issues and concerns identified across various reviews. These include: Front Line Review (2018), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) reports including a leadership thematic in 2019, and the College of Policing Leadership Review (2015). In particular, HMICFRS’ ‘Leading Lights’ Report found that a lack of consistency, fairness and transparency is having a detrimental effect on police forces’ ability to identify and support those with the most potential to become chief officers. The Fundamental Review of the College of Policing (2022) established improving leadership in policing as one of the College’s three key priorities and a new National Centre for Police Leadership is being created.

The College of Policing was established in 2012 as the professional body for policing, to set and improve standards for excellence, including recruitment, leadership, professional development and assessment. The College succeeded the organisations that had previously had responsibility for these functions, including the National Policing Improvement Agency, which had previously incorporated the Police Staff College.

The College has prioritised improvements to leadership training as part of its National Centre for Police Leadership. This includes setting standards for all levels of leadership and providing a host of guidance, resources and training to support development for everyone in policing.  The College also supports the progression of officers for senior leadership roles through providing ongoing development and access to executive coaching and mentoring.

The Government has been clear that strong leadership at all ranks is essential to ensure a positive culture and rigorous standards in policing. Failures of integrity within policing impact on public confidence and recent revelations rightly raise questions about the quality and standards of leadership in the police. We will continue pushing for improvements in standards, expectations, and outcomes for policing, but the drive must also come from within forces.

We have invested £3.35m from 2021 to 2023 for the College of Policing to create a National Leadership Centre. As part of this, the College is now in the process of setting and rolling out national leadership standards at key levels in the police service and providing leadership development programmes aligned to these standards.

We also welcome the College’s proposals for fundamental change to the current system of chief officer selection and development, following a full independent review. These measures are currently being implemented and will increase transparency and open up access to senior level development.

The College of Policing was set up in 2012 to set and improve standards for excellence in policing, including recruitment, leadership, professional development and assessment.

The College’s role is clear: setting high professional standards sharing what works best; acting as the national voice of policing; and ensuring professional development and police leadership are of the highest quality and that they uphold the highest ethics.

There are no plans to re-establish the old Police Staff College.