The College of Policing has apologised for any offence which may have been caused to police constables after they published an advert for direct entry candidates citing that they would not have to “start at the bottom”.
After the advert was published, it attracted widespread criticism from officers who felt that police constable roles within dedicated teams such as armed response vehicles, 999 response teams, community policing teams and specialist investigation teams should not be described as ‘at the bottom’.
Indeed, many officers are more than happy to serve in such specialist units for the duration of their careers as a police constable which is one of the reasons as to why the advert has attracted so much critiscism from within the broad spectrum of policing.
Senior officers within the police have also critisicsed the advert and have re-iterated how proud they are to service alongside police constables.
Chief Superintendent Gordon Crossan said:
‘Police recruitment article on direct entry says: So you don’t ‘start at the bottom’.
‘Sorry, I don’t recognise that people I work with, those at the coal face who do graft, shifts, disruptions etc to keep people safe.
‘We are all equal with different responsibilities’.
‘Everyone starts on the same journey in policing.
‘Over time, some progress through the ranks which doesn’t make them better, it gives them different responsibilities.
‘Is there any greater leadership responsibility than caring for your people’.
Meanwhile, @AFOCop tweeted:
‘Are you an insignificant police constable at the bottom?
‘This is how
Former Police Officer and police commentator, Graham Wettone said:
‘This really was a poor advert @CollegeofPolice.
‘You start at the bottom as that’s where you learn & do the job…many
‘Disrespectful at best to
We contacted the College of Policing for comment and were directed towards the following response made by Mike Cunningham, the CEO of the College of Policing:
‘The direct entry advert has caused huge offence to many great people doing a great job.
‘I unreservedly apologise for that.
‘I have had the advert taken down and shall be making enquiries today to understand how it was posted in
The direct entry scheme enables individuals with no prior experience in policing to join the ranks as senior officers.
Until recently, if you wanted to hold any rank in the police force, then you needed to join as a police constable and progress through the ranks if indeed you wanted to hold a position of management.
The direct entry scheme has often attracted criticism as many people feel that in order to truly understand the challenges of policing, then you need to gain ‘hands on’ experience which can only be had by spending a two-year probationary period ‘on the streets’.
As a former officer myself (a PC) then I would have been more than happy to spend my 30 years as a PC had I not of retired, as many of my former colleagues did
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