LIST OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

191.  Our conclusions and recommendations are as follows:

Training and the 'occupational culture'

1.  We recognise that the occupational culture in the police service can be a positive force. However, we also note the problems of racist, sexist and homophobic behaviour that can be perpetuated by it. We believe that such behaviour is the exception rather than the norm, and every tendency to exaggerate it is both wrong and counterproductive. We nevertheless welcome the insistence of senior police officers that they would always tackle such behaviour. We would encourage the use of disciplinary action being taken in such cases but we do not agree that disciplinary action alone will solve the problem. Training in the police service, as well as equipping police officers to carry out all their functions, must also be used as a force for eliminating the negative aspects of the occupational culture (paragraph 14).

The national and local delivery of police training

2.  We recognise the points raised with us concerning the independence of chief constables to hold their own budgets and to determine the appropriate amount of resources to be expended on training alongside all the other needs of forces. We also recognise the benefits of "bespoke" training which is relevant to individual forces and set in an appropriate local context. Therefore, we think it is correct in principle that a significant proportion of training should be delivered by individual forces, or consortia of forces. (paragraph 20).

3.  We also recognise that it makes sense—both in terms of cost-effectiveness and of the maintenance of consistent standards—that some training is designed and delivered on a national basis (paragraph 21).

4.  In principle, therefore, we support the continuation of a split between local and national delivery of training (paragraph 22).

Core competencies and common minimum standards

5.  The police service needs to make it a priority to draw up a competency framework outlining the core skills required in all posts. Once such a framework is in place it will allow better appraisal of officers, assist officers in their personal development and help identify individual training needs more clearly. Furthermore, it will mean that all training can be designed and delivered specifically to help officers to attain the necessary competencies (paragraph 28).

6.  Once training is designed to help officers attain core competencies it will be much easier to ensure that training is delivered to common minimum standards. The emphasis should be on the minimum: if chief officers want to add on extra training which they think is necessary for officers in their forces, they should have the freedom to do so. However, we do not believe that individual forces should have the freedom to dilute or not to deliver training designed to common minimum standards to assist officers acquire core competencies. What will matter then is not who delivers the training—NPT, individual forces, or anyone else—but that the training reaches the minimum common standard. The Home Office and the police staff associations should make every effort to assist the drawing up of the competency framework and common minimum standards (paragraph 29).

Evaluation and inspection of training

7.  We agree with HMIC that forces need to adopt a more stringent approach to evaluation and make better use of officers trained in evaluation skills (paragraph 31).

8.  We recommend that all forces and the Home Office examine the findings and recommendations of HMIC's thematic inspection of training, give serious consideration to proposals within it and learn from the best practice identified (paragraph 33).

9.  There is a need for more detailed inspection of forces' training. We agree with the Home Secretary that there should be a dedicated inspectorate team focussed specifically on training. Such a team would be able to make detailed proposals to forces on their training provision and would provide an effective way of disseminating good practice. We encourage the Home Office to set up such a team, based within HMIC, or as a separate small inspectorate. (paragraph 36).

10.  The new training inspectorate would be particularly effective if implemented alongside the introduction of comprehensive competencies and common minimum standards. Without the new inspectorate we are concerned that even if minimum standards in training are introduced there might not be sufficient inspection of forces to ensure that they are being met (paragraph 37).

11.  We would encourage all police authorities to take a close interest in the training and recruitment policies of their forces. We agree that police authorities should be persistent and robust in their scrutiny of forces. We encourage them to demonstrate these qualities in relation to training and recruitment. Specifically, all authorities should give consideration to having regular meetings with forces' heads of training. The implementation of national standards in training would provide one of a number of suitable topics for scrutiny (paragraph 39).

Costs

12.  It is not acceptable that there is such paucity of information available about the cost of police training. Without better information about costs it is not possible to achieve effective value for money and it cannot be satisfactory that approximately half a billion pounds is being spent without such value for money being sought. We welcome the appointment of Sir William Stubbs as an adviser to the Home Office on these issues and we also note the Home Secretary's optimism about the role of a service authority in these matters. We believe action needs to be taken now. Police forces should collect and publish accurate information about their training costs broken down by types of training and detailing the numbers of officers receiving such training. Police authorities should pursue these matters and ask searching questions about their forces' performance in comparison to others. The training inspectorate we want to see established should also routinely examine and comment on value for money issues (paragraph 43).

13.  Nationally, the Home Office and the police service should draw up a standardised costing model to ensure that accurate information is kept, so that training costs can be compared and efficiency achieved (paragraph 44).

The local element of probationer training

14.  We are pleased to note that satisfaction with tutor constables seems to be much higher amongst recently recruited officers than with more experienced officers recalling the arrangements which were in place for them years earlier. However, it must still be a cause for concern that one in five recent recruits did not think this important relationship had been satisfactory. Forces must take care to ensure that tutor constables are carefully selected and that all of them receive relevant training in how to be an effective tutor before they take on that role (paragraph 54).

15.  We are also concerned that barely a quarter of officers surveyed agreed that a career development portfolio was an influential document, especially given that this was a method identified by which probationers could draw attention to any shortcomings in their training. We urge all forces to encourage their officers to treat portfolios as an important tool through which they can influence their career for the better. As for the forces' responsibilities, they must ensure that, wherever possible, the appropriate structures and resources are in place to ensure that needs identified in portfolios can be acted upon. The Home Office and/or NPT should review the use of portfolios to see how effective they are at present and how they can be made more so (paragraph 55).

NPT-delivered probationer training

16.  We were impressed during our visit to Ryton by the commitment demonstrated by the trainers and by the quality of the probationer constables we met. However, we are concerned that most of the probationers we spoke to felt that the course did not prepare them adequately in knowledge of the law and that too much was taught in too little time. We recommend that NPT examine this matter closely when they come to evaluate the new course. We look forward to seeing in due course the outcome of this evaluation. We were also concerned that probationers told us that the accommodation and food offered at Ryton was inadequate. We urge NPT to review accommodation and food offered to probationers and take steps to make improvements where appropriate (paragraph 63).

Probationer training in the Metropolitan Police Service

17.  In the absence of a single costing model, comparing like with like, and a valid comparative evaluation of the quality of training provided, it is impossible to conclude whether NPT or the Metropolitan Police Service is more effective at providing high quality and cost-effective probationer training. We welcome the fact that a national costing model is to be introduced and that there is to be an assessment made of the cases for and against a single arrangement for probationer training. Until these initiatives are completed we recommend that the Metropolitan Police Service retain its separate arrangement for probationer training. This situation should be reviewed once an adequate comparison of the costs and quality of training can be made between NPT and the Metropolitan Police Service's training organisation. Once these comparisons have been made it will be possible to address the issue as to whether there should be a single provider of probationer training in England and Wales, as well as a national standard. Until then, national standards in training should be exactly that: all organisations providing police training should meet them (paragraph 69).

The case for local delivery of all probationer training

18.  The Chief Constable of Kent has made an interesting proposal, calling for the local delivery of all aspects of probationer training. Such a proposal might be desirable if it could be demonstrated that a national common minimum standard would be reached by all forces; and if such an arrangement would be more cost-effective than the current one. However, we have no evidence to suggest that either of these criteria could be met so we cannot support his proposal in its present form. We think it is right that the core part of probationer training continues to be delivered by NPT at their training centres (paragraph 72).

Attestation

19.  We agree with the Metropolitan Police Service, that it should be easier to remove probationers who are clearly not suitable to be police officers. To this end we recommend that the time of attestation be changed from the time of appointment (as is the case at present), to six months after that date (paragraph 75).

Non-specialist post-probationers

20.  We note with concern the views of the Police Federation, HMIC and the Home Office that officers who do not seek promotion or to become specialists do not receive sufficient training throughout their careers. Knowledge of law and operational procedures are crucial to the basic role of a police officer, and it is essential that police officers keep up to date with changes in the law. It is not acceptable that officers are being asked to fulfil this role with insufficient training. We recommend that all forces should review the training needs of all constables and sergeants and provide the training needed to fill any significant gaps which emerge. Police authorities should encourage forces to conduct such a review and look closely at the results, pressing for action where necessary. HMIC should review this exercise on a national basis and work closely with NPT, whose responsibility it should be to ensure that any national training needs which are identified are met (paragraph 79).

21.  If established, as we have recommended, the new police training inspectorate should make it a regular feature of inspections to examine the training provided by forces for constables and sergeants who are not specialists. In any case, effective appraisal systems should be in place which identify training needs of individual officers (paragraph 80).

Custody officer training

22.  We note with dismay the findings of the PCA survey which stated that approximately 23 per cent of custody officers are carrying out their demanding duties without having had specialist training. We agree with the Home Secretary that this is unacceptable. A mandatory requirement that all custody officers receive training before commencing duties should be strictly enforced and police authorities should make it their business to check that this is the case in their forces. As the Home Secretary noted, this is a clear example of where common minimum standards should be followed. We would expect this to be an area with which the proposed inspectorate of police training would concern itself (paragraph 85).

Baton training and CS spray training

23.  We believe that there should be common minimum standards in baton training (we note that different forces use different batons, but we do not believe this means that there cannot be common minimum standards in terms of the training received). Again, this is an area where the proposed inspectorate of police training could comment and where police authorities should monitor closely the training provision of their forces. We look forward to the PCA's findings regarding CS spray and hope that these too will act as an impetus for forces to meet common minimum standards for training in those forces that use it (paragraph 88).

Self-defence and restraint training

24.  Police officers do a challenging and often dangerous job. We are failing them and the communities they serve if we do not ensure that they are trained properly in self-defence and restraint techniques. We support the PCA's call for high-quality training and regular refresher training. When reviewing the needs of constables and sergeants, as we recommend earlier, forces should ensure that self-defence training needs are taken into account (paragraph 90).

Project Fforward

25.  We congratulate the Police Federation for their creative approach to police training as demonstrated by Project Fforward. We support their call for a greater use of IT, distance-learning and for life-long learning. We also believe they are right to emphasise the fact that better training provision needs to be available for police officers who are not promoted and who do not seek specialisms. However, we are not convinced that Project Fforward offers a viable proposal for the future of police training. In particular, we are concerned that there could be a serious conflict of interest for a staff organisation to have the largest influence over the design, delivery, evaluation and standard-setting of police training, as Project Fforward suggests. We also agree with the Home Secretary that there is perhaps an over-emphasis on IT in the plans. We also note that there would need to be a more rigorous process before any contract was awarded. For these reasons, we cannot support Project Fforward in its current form, but we would encourage the Police Federation to continue its innovative approach to police training (paragraph 98).

The academic model

26.  There is obviously a danger of forcing professional training too far down the academic route. However, we do believe that there is room for a larger educational element in police training. This would help to equip police officers for the more complex role they play in a modern society (paragraph 108).

27.  We acknowledge the benefits which a more academic approach could bring to the delivery of police learning and training as put forward by the 1990 Trust. We agree that such an approach would expose officers to a wider cross-section of the community and weaken the negative elements of the occupational culture. However, we do not think that such an approach would be practicable because we are not convinced that the necessary policing skills could be taught better by academics than police officers (paragraph 109).

28.  However, we certainly see value in officers having greater access to an academic dimension to their work and to this end we recommend that the Home Office consider an experiment, along the lines suggested to us by Professor Savage and Dr Wright. The Home Office should consider running a pilot scheme with a number of new recruits taking part in the year-long course proposed alongside the standard training for probationers. At the end of that time those officers should be assessed to see whether the exercise has been worthwhile in terms of equipping them to do their jobs better than those officers who received only the traditional training. Depending on the results of such a pilot scheme, consideration should be given to introducing the scheme on a wider basis. We realise that this would have resource implications, but if similar amounts of expenditure can be justified for trainee nurses and trainee probation officers, we do not see why the option should be ruled out for police officers (paragraph 110).

Review of National Police Training (NPT)

29.  We welcome the outcome of the review into NPT. We agree with its central findings that there is a need for national and local provision of police training and we agree that NPT is the appropriate body to provide the former. We especially support the establishment of a police authority for NPT and hope that this will improve the strategic direction of the organisation and provide a better system of accountability. However, we think that, given that police officers themselves have a special interest in the effective provision of their training, there is a strong case for inviting the Police Federation and the Superintendents' Association to be part of the Authority alongside the tripartite membership. Police officers are important stakeholders in their own training: their representative associations should have a say in the body overseeing NPT (paragraph 120).

30.  We welcome the setting up of a National Training Organisation and hope that it proves a useful body in co-ordinating police training and providing the national strategy needed. We would expect it to work closely with the training inspectorate we want to see established (paragraph 122).

31.  We think that both the new Service Authority and National Training Organisation should pick up on the constructive points made by the Police Federation in their Project Fforward proposals and ensure that effective use is made of IT and distance-learning in both NPT and force delivered training (paragraph 123).

Methods of recruitment

32.  We are concerned that the police recruitment procedure can seem "disorganised and disjointed" and that potential recruits might be confused by it. We therefore support the call by HMIC for less variation in the eligibility criteria for police recruits and the proposal by NPT for common minimum standards of recruitment practices. It is somewhat disappointing to have to repeat a recommendation made by a predecessor Committee ten years earlier, but it is clearly still pertinent: "we...recommend that the Home Office should investigate the establishment of a professional method of nationally directed and regionally organised recruitment into the police service". (paragraph 136).

33.  We recommend that the Home Office review police recruitment with the intention of establishing procedures that ensure that there is more national coherence, ensuring that all forces use recruitment practices that are based on the competency framework for new constables, and ensuring that best practice is disseminated and followed by forces (paragraph 137).

34.  The police training inspectorate which we want to see established should have as a function a remit to monitor the recruitment policies and practices of forces to ensure that these are effective, efficient and that they select recruits who are able to make the most of the training they will receive and become effective officers (paragraph 138).

35.  We welcome the initiative undertaken by NPT and Warwickshire Constabulary which should ensure a stronger link between recruitment and training and help ensure that recruits are capable of responding positively to the training provided. We look forward to seeing whether this initiative is successful and, pending results, we urge the Home Office to consider extending the initiative wider to allow forces to make use of NPT's expertise when recruiting (paragraph 139).

The case for a graduate-only police service

36.  We agree with the argument put to us by the Home Secretary and others that there is no case for a system of graduate-only entrance to the police service and that such a system would deprive the service of many excellent officers (paragraph 146).

Current arrangements for graduates

37.  While we do not think all entrants to the police service need to have degrees, we do believe that the police service could benefit from having more graduates within it. We support the existence of the Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates (APSG), and note the beneficial effects it has for wider recruitment, but we believe it needs to be expanded significantly. We also recommend that all forces do as the Metropolitan Police Service does, and as the Home Secretary recommends, and take active steps to encourage interested graduates who are rejected for the APSG to join as normal graduate entrants (paragraph 150).

Training and recruiting the police in a diverse society

38.  The Macpherson Inquiry has emphasised that the police service's ability to police the whole community fairly is not an add-on extra to its core duties, but absolutely central. Effective training and recruitment practices are essential to building the representative, fair and efficient police service we all want to see (paragraph 151).

Community and race relations training

39.  All forces should take steps to ensure that they make the most of officers given special community and race relations training at the Specialist Support Unit. The training inspectorate we want to see established should examine these issues routinely during inspections of forces (paragraph 156).

40.  Minimum effective training levels in community and race relations training already exist. They must be implemented effectively and comprehensively. Forces should be inspected to ensure that this is done and the Home Office should put pressure on all forces to ensure that they are met. We support the call for the minimum effective training levels to be extended to cover officers of all ranks and welcome the Home Secretary's indication that action will be taken in this area (paragraph 161).

The involvement of ethnic minority community members

41.  We urge all police forces to ensure that there is an input from members of ethnic minority groups to police training in community and race relations (paragraph 165).

The 'golden thread'

42.  We agree that training in community and race relations must be a 'golden thread' running through all aspects of police training. We urge forces and NPT to ensure that this is the case. We recognise that such an approach will not be successful in isolation as there is a danger that the golden thread will be too fine. There is therefore a need for dedicated training in community and race relations. A dual approach should be taken by all forces (paragraph 169).

Equal opportunities training

43.  We recommend that all police services review their equal opportunities training provision to ensure that it is robust. In particular, we recommend that all officers be shown the Police Federation video, Let's Be Fair. We congratulate the Police Federation for their constructive and proactive approach and for producing this training package (paragraph 177).

44.  Training is futile without leadership. All officers must be prepared to tackle inappropriate behaviour by colleagues. Senior officers must be prepared to take tough action against those who demonstrate such behaviour and we are not entirely convinced that this always happens (paragraph 178).

The recruitment and retention of officers from ethnic minority groups

45.  The present under-representation of ethnic minority officers in the police service is not acceptable. We support the Home Secretary's setting of targets for all forces to increase such representation. We welcome the positive response by the police service to such targets (paragraph 186).

46.  Whatever the merits of targets, it is clear that one of the reasons why there are few black and Asian police officers is the mistrust rightly or wrongly felt towards the police service by many in those communities. This has no doubt been exacerbated by the ineffectual police inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Another reason is the unfair and vocal criticism of the police by some community leaders. To increase applications from candidates in ethnic minority groups the police service must be seen to be fair. Better training in community and race relations will lead to better policing of black and Asian communities, which will, in turn, help to increase the number of applicants from these communities (paragraph 187).

47.  We are concerned that ethnic minority officers in the police service are promoted at a slower rate than white colleagues. We recommend that more research is conducted to establish why this is the case. Good practice in the retention of ethnic minority officers should also be researched and the results disseminated to all forces (paragraph 188).

48.  We welcome the action taken by the Metropolitan Police Service to increase the number of ethnic minority officers in the force. Other forces should examine their practices and take similar steps where appropriate. We strike one note of caution: such action must be conducted sensitively to ensure that it does not give the impression of unfair special treatment or cause resentment with other officers. Forces should brief all officers to appreciate the importance of these actions (paragraph 189).

49.  It is extremely surprising that no candidates from ethnic minority groups have been judged good enough to join the Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates in the past four years. As part of the expansion of that scheme which we recommend above, a review should be carried out to ensure that it does not discriminate against any groups of candidates and that it enables all those with the requisite skills and abilities to get to the top ranks of the police service from whichever ethnic group they come (paragraph 190).