Dyfed Powys Police Federation secretary Roger Webb says a fundamental review of the College of Policing is an opportunity to make it more meaningful for officers.

Roger welcomed the review, which aimed to set out a new vision to improve leadership, standards and professionalism in the service to help cut crime, boost confidence and keep the public safe.

It was carried out last year and has now been published.

The Federation contributed to the review, setting out its views on behalf of members on:

• What the college does particularly well, and where could it improve?
• What issues and areas, either set out above or missing, should be prioritised for activity and what should be deprioritised?
• If the college is occupying the right part of the policing landscape, or do relationships across policing need amending and, if so, how?
• How the work of the college, across the areas set out, could be better understood and valued by all in policing?

Roger said: “The review is welcome and must be seen as an opportunity to make the College of Policing more relevant and meaningful to frontline officers.

“The Federation fed into the review to ensure that the views of our members was heard – now it’s time for them to be acted on.

“It’s vital the college continues to evolve to meet the needs of officers.”

College of Policing chair Lord Herbert

The review highlighted a number of challenges facing the college, including a lack of professional development, insufficient investment in the development of leadership at all ranks, an absence of coordinated strategic thinking across policing, a blurring of responsibilities at a national level and being insufficiently equipped to respond to the increasing digital aspects of crime.

The review has set out three key priorities:

• Boosting professionalism – ensuring officers and staff have access to the best in CPD and that it is properly prioritised
• Improving leadership – officers and staff at all levels to have their leadership skills developed
• Driving consistency – overcoming the weaknesses of the 43-force model to bring consistency where it matters most for the public and those working in policing.

Lord Herbert, College of Policing chair, said: “Police officers and staff do an incredible job in difficult circumstances and deserve to have a strong professional body alongside them, support them with better training, professional development and the evidence of what works to cut crime.

“The police service faces myriad challenges, from its relationship with black communities and how it protects women, to the need to respond to ever-changing crime threats. The culture within policing is under the microscope, with questions being asked about leadership and professionalism.

“The college must take a lead role in helping policing meet these challenges, but it cannot achieve the necessary cultural change on its own. The review shows there is appetite from the rest of the service to work with the College to help policing meet the high standards the public rightly expect.”