Scotland’s justice secretary has announced that graduates joining the service will not be fast-tracked into senior police roles without first having served on the frontline.
Humza Yousaf told the Scottish Police Federation conference that the move to allow direct entry inspectors & superintendents into the force who do not have any practical policing skills would be ‘wrong’ for Scottish community policing.
Many police commentators have mooted their concerns in relation to graduate officers being ‘fast tracked’ into senior roles without having any experience of the front line.
Police Constables have a two-year probationary period, often spent policing the streets, before they can be considered for other roles / promotion.
Proposals being put forward in England & Wales could see graduates gain direct entry to inspector or superintendent ranks without spending any time on the streets where they would learn the basic principles of policing as well as understanding the complex causes and effects of crime and serving the community.
Mr Yousaf said:
“Let me make it crystal clear, there will be no direct entrants under my watch.
“I will not be supporting any proposal for direct entry to
“I believe that those who lead other officers must have spent time working on the frontline, to develop the knowledge of how we police our communities and understand the demanding jobs that our officers undertake day in and day out.
“While training is of course important, officers must carry the authority and the respect of communities they serve, and also of their colleagues.
“That is something built up as an organisation, as the sum of all its parts, and embodied in the actions of every officer as they go about their work.”
Mr Yousaf’s comments will be welcomed by many serving in the police force who feel that direct entry candidates will not have any real or practical understanding in relation to the complex behavioral factors affecting crime, offenders, suspects and victims.
Not everyone serving in the police force is against the idea of direct entry candidates as those in favour of such a scheme believe that a more ‘corporate’ management of the police is needed.
However, in disciplined services such as the police force, officers often have more respect for their colleagues who have spent time policing on the front line and who have spent time responding to emergency calls and dealing with critical incidents.
Got a story, video or one-off blog that you would like to share with us?
You can contact our team of former emergency services & armed forces personnel either through our Facebook page, via Twitter ( @ES_News_ ) or you can contact us via email: contact@emergency-services.news or call us on: 0115 888 0592
If you run or manage a ‘job’ social media account and you would like us to share one of your stories then send us a tweet or a message!
If you would like to write an article that you would like us to share (it can be about anything to do with the emergency services / NHS) whether you serve in the emergency services / NHS or whether you are a member of the public who has had a good experience with the emergency services, then feel free to contact our team; anonymously if you prefer.
We are proud to act as a voice for the emergency services, armed forces & health service, with over 500,000 people visiting our website each month.
CLICK HERE to visit our crowdfunding page —>
Before you go...
WE NEED YOUR HELP. As former emergency services & armed forces personnel, we pride ourselves on bringing you important, fast-moving and breaking news stories & videos which are free from the negative 'anti' bias which is often directed at the emergency services & NHS by some sections of the mainstream media.
One of the reasons we started 'Emergency Services News' back in 2018 was because we became tired of reading badly informed stories about the emergency services.
We want to be the unheard voice of the remarkable men and women who serve in the emergency services, NHS and armed forces. And with around 500k page views each month, we are getting there!
As income from ads, the mainstay source of income for most publishers, continues to decline; we need the help of you, our readers.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
