The Home Secretary has asked the College to consider options around the non-degree entry for new officers.

The Home Secretary has today announced that she has asked the College to consider non-degree entry options into policing, designed to “complement the existing framework”.

She also confirmed that the current IPLDP route will remain open while they do so. 

Last week, PCCs penned a letter to Suella Braverman asking her to keep the IPLDP route open as they pointed to the extraction rates of PEQG as well as the attraction of a wider range of people.

The letter further asked for a consideration of upgrading the IPLDP+ programme to a Level 4 (which could then be converted to a degree later on) – however no comment was passed on this by the Home Secretary today.

Speaking at the NPCC/APCC conference this afternoon Ms Braverman confirmed that the current non-degree route will be extended. It had been due to close completely from April next year.

She also called on forces to increase efforts to improve their implementation of existing degree routes but that options must be open for those “who do not have a degree or do not want one”.

A College spokesman said: “Officers must be trained to the highest standards for the difficult job that they do.

“Our work to introduce the new routes has never been about degrees but ensuring officers are prepared and recognised for the job they do. New officers have told us the updated training has dramatically improved how prepared and confident they feel in doing the job in comparison to the previous training.

“We recognise there are improvements to be made in how forces deliver the new routes and we are already working closely with our partners across policing to deliver these and ensure the new training routes are implemented successfully. For some, the need to gain a degree could be a barrier to them joining the service and this should not be the case. We look forward to working with the service and the Home Office to continue to develop the entry routes and initial training that modern policing needs.”

During her address to the conference Ms Braverman commended GMP’s Chief Stephen Watson's recent success in moving the force out of special measures.

She refrrred to his “superb leadership” and said she was grateful he has agreed to share his learning – asking everyone to “pay close attention”.

She has further asked the Home Office to revisit the issue of non-crime hate incidents, therefore allowing officers to “prioritise time and energy in dealing with threats to people”.

When asked whether it was a “terrible mistake” to lose officers back in 2010, she did not agree. 

“There was an absolute immense need to stabilise the economy back in 2010,” she said.

“All government budgets had to face reductions. That was a political decision taken 10 years ago […] we need to focus on what we are doing now.”