Government announces it will fund a nationwide rollout of dedicated training for neighbourhood officers
Nationwide rollout for neighbourhood policing training
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Dedicated training for officers and staff in neighbourhood policing teams is to be rolled out across England and Wales.
The Neighbourhood Policing Pathway is currently being piloted in eleven forces and covers issues specific to the role of being a neighbourhood police officer or police community support officer (PCSO).
Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson, has now confirmed government funding and support for a rollout to all forces.
Dedicated training for neighbourhood officers by the College of Policing will help transform the service policing provides to local communities and help deliver trusted and effective policing that cuts crime and keeps people safe. This programme is based on years of evidence of what works and I’m confident it will make a real difference.
This is a welcome investment by the government and the College of Policing, that will support dedicated and hardworking officers and staff to protect their communities, cut crime and rebuild trust and confidence.
Good neighbourhood policing, which, at its core is about engaging with local people on local issues, is a vital part of any police force, if they are to be effective and help people feel safe.
Sir Andy Marsh, Chief Constable at the College of Policing
Our training focuses on tackling anti-social behaviour, like drug dealing or drug use in public places, nuisance behaviour on our streets which cause harassment, alarm or distress, and street drinking. It will also cover community engagement, supporting officers to build relationships which help to gather intelligence, cut crime and develop plans to address local issues. There is also specific training for those who lead neighbourhood teams.
Most of the training will take place in person with other work done on patrol and some online learning. Those who pass the course will be recognised as specialists within policing and be on par with colleagues in other areas of policing like investigations.
Widespread evidence tells us that, when effectively delivered, community-based neighbourhood policing improves satisfaction and confidence in the police.
The pilots are expected to finish at the end of March 2025, after which the training programme will be refined before being expanded across the country.
