Member News
The organisation that represents rank and file police officers has said plans for a College of Policing have not been explained properly.
Last year Home Secretary Theresa May announced plans to establish a professional body to "further professionalise policing", which will be known as the College of Policing.
Simon Reed, who chairs the Police Federation's Professional Development Sub-Committee, said it is unclear if ministers know what they are trying to achieve by it setting up.
Today the Commons Home Affairs Committee announced a new investigation into professional standards in the police and the plans for the new college.
"There is uncertainty about what it is designed or intended to achieve," Mr Reed told Central Lobby.
"We hear a lot about strategic direction, but how does that influence, benefit and contribute to the skills and development of frontline officers?
"The Federation are not against and never have been against professional development, but the police are already a highly skilled organisation and there is a huge measure of accreditation already in the police service.
"How will that translate into what this new college will be? Where are the benefits?
"We are unsure. Then there is the cost of putting this together at a time when Government is talking about austerity measures."
Mr Reed said welcomed the Home Affairs Committee for launching an inquiry.
It will look at the current situation in the police service and investigate how the leadership of police forces must adapt in the new landscape of policing to improve standards, eliminate corruption and deliver a more diverse and effective service.
Keith Vaz MP, Chair of the Committee, said:
"As the landscape of policing is being redrawn we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to open up our police service so that it really represents the communities it serves and to build on the brilliant professionalism our forces already display.
"The Home Affairs Committee is launching this inquiry so that we can make sure that everyone - the public and the police - has a real say in whether a College of Policing is the right body to bring our police forces up to date and up to scratch.
"We will be looking at the current make-up of leadership in police, in particular the practices within the Metropolitan Police Service which produces the vast number of chief constables.
"We will be asking what tools the college will need to train up our future policing leaders and what teeth it needs to ensure that the standards we expect are met."