Latest news

Norfolk's new Chief job isn't a shoe-in for locals, says PCC

The next Norfolk Chief Constable isn’t guaranteed to come from within the force’s ranks, according to the final decision maker. Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie (Con) told Police Oracle he wants an open competition and reassured applicants the force won’t favour internal applicants because they are the safe… Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner has written to every force in the country in a bid to find a new Chief Constable....

How Lancs use a comms platform to drive recruitment

As a large organisation based in North West England, Lancashire Constabulary employs over 5000 members of staff and officers, including a growing number of Special Constabulary Officers, Police Cadets and Community Volunteers. Something we are incredibly proud of as an organisation is our commitment to recruiting a diverse workforce. In recognition… Hayley Wallis, Recruitment Marketing Lead at Lancashire Police, explains how the implementation of a flexible communications platform at the organisation has helped to drive recruitment....

Degrees: challenging the ‘Old Guard’

There has been a lot of commentary recently in relation to the Police Educational Qualification Framework and the associated entry routes to policing. Much of this commentary has been unhelpful, and in many cases demotivating and off putting to those officers and students undertaking their qualifications both within police services,… The public rightly expects police officers to be educated professionally and trained to the highest standards argues Martin Tangen...

Finance teams begin training ready for new efficiency demands

Finance teams have begun a new programme backed by the National Police Chefs’ Council to enable them to meet increasing demands for efficiencies. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), the official body that oversees force finance, confirmed the launch of the latest stage of Achieving Finance Excellence… Finance teams in 39 forces have signed up to a new training programme to develop the next generation of finance leaders....

Life after the job: ‘I know I’m one of the lucky few’

I actually had a great career and some amazing roles and consider myself to be incredibly lucky. That said, I did have some really low points, saw and dealt with incidents that haunt me even now, and on a number of occasions, I questioned what I was doing, and why,… Like many officers after 30 years’ service, Andy Labrum was struggling to figure out how to translate his skills and experience to a new role. In the first of a new regular column he explains how he got there and what inspired him to help other officers in a similar position ...