Extended Training For Student Officers

STUDENT officers in Hampshire will now receive an increased period of training so that they’re more equipped on the job.

The Government’s uplift programme to recruit an extra 20,000 officers is underway, but new research from the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) found failings in the system to train these new intakes.

In four out of the 28 forces who responded to the PFEW survey, no formal training was offered to tutor constables prior to training recruits, while a quarter of respondents indicated tutor training in their force lasted just one day.

It also emerged that many new-in-role officers were applying to become tutor constables due to a shortage in interested experienced officers.

Hampshire Police Federation said that concerns had been raised in Hampshire, but that the force had been “brilliant” and had extended the period of training.

It said: “In Hampshire we have raised a lot of concerns that officers have voiced about the quality of the training, but mostly about the timeliness of it. They weren’t having the right training at the right time – they were going out on the streets and hadn’t had the right inputs.

“Our training department in force has been brilliant and they’ve really listened. They’ve now extended the initial training period from nine weeks to 15 weeks, and that first intake will start soon. We hope they will feel more skilled and equipped when they go out on the streets.”