Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Assessment and recognition of competence (ARC)

This process of confirming officer competence was decommissioned in 2022.

ARC was decommissioned in April 2022. 

Police constables are no longer required to complete assessment and recognition of competence (ARC), following changes to the determination under Regulation 24 (Annex F).

ARC was the process of confirming officers were competent to be deployed into an operational role after probation. It was designed for those who entered under the initial police learning and development programme (IPLDP) and took place when constables transitioned from pay point three to four.

Areas impacted by the changes to ARC include:

  • timed development plans (TDP) – pay point progression will not be prevented by ARC timed development plans after 1 April 2022
  • long-term absence – there is no requirement for constables to complete an ARC assessment if they are returning to work after 1 April 2022 following a long-term absence
  • unsatisfactory performance procedures (UPP) – if an officer has been placed on UPP because they have not achieved a TDP through the ARC process, forces should refer to the associated regulations and Home Office guidance for UPP

Why ARC was decommissioned

We reviewed ARC in 2021 because it had been in place since 2017. There were many changes in policing during this time that had a direct link to ARC and impacted the forces overseeing the assessment process across England and Wales.

The review found that:

  • the assessment process for constables is positively impacted by the policing education and qualifications framework (PEQF) entry routes and wider police learning programmes, alongside enhanced professional development review (PDR) processes
  • the National Police Chiefs’ Council's (NPCC) pay progression standard (PPS) will affect constables at all pay points and require completion of a PDR, which is in line with our PDR principles and process expectations

For further information, contact us at [email protected]

Was this page useful?

Do not provide personal information such as your name or email address in the feedback form. Read our privacy policy for more information on how we use this data

What is the reason for your answer?
I couldn't find what I was looking for
The information wasn't relevant to me
The information is too complicated
Other