Our ambition for everyone in policing to be equipped with the skills necessary to cut crime and keep the public safe in a complex operating environment.
Where we are now
Protecting the public from harm by preventing crime is the primary purpose of policing. Crime has become increasingly complex with rising demand, particularly in areas relating to vulnerability and cyber-enabled crime.
In order to effectively prevent harm and keep the public safe, our officers and staff need to have an excellent foundation in core skills, including being able to identify and respond to vulnerability, de-escalate community tension, and interact in ways that build public trust and confidence.
Faced with increasingly complex areas of crime, they also need high levels of investigatory and digital skills.
Our ambition for policing
Our ambition is that everyone in policing is equipped with the skills necessary to cut crime and keep the public safe in a complex operating environment.
Given the myriad of challenges facing policing now – and in the future – officers, staff and volunteers must have excellence in the basics in order to keep the public safe.
Boosting core skills will lead to increased capability and consistency, as well as improvement in performance across the service.
Officers and staff will be able to confidently conduct complex investigations, have high levels of digital literacy, manage risk around vulnerability, and communicate in a way that de-escalates tension and builds trust.
Our commitment over the next four years
We will further develop the training and guidance available to improve investigative capability, supporting the outcomes outlined in the government's Beating Crime Plan by ensuring that police officers and staff conduct professional investigations, identify suspects and support the delivery of appropriate criminal justice outcomes.
A focus on digital investigations and specialist skills in digital and cyber-crime will enable the workforce to use new digital technology in a compliant and ethical way.
Evidence-based standards and national development programmes will equip officers and staff with the skills and knowledge to identify, minimise and manage risk, particularly for the most vulnerable in society.
We will ensure that sufficient emphasis is placed on the development of excellent interpersonal skills.
The boosting core skills section in our Business plan (pages 37 to 42) contains specific steps that will support progress towards this ambition, as well as how we will measure our impact.