The College of Policing has dropped a recruitment advert for for external candidates to become senior officers after widespread complaints that it insulted the intelligence of frontline officers.
The online ad for the direct-entry programme to become inspectors and superintendents promised external recruits they would be working “within the top 1% of officers in the police service” within 18 months.
It called for “proven leaders” to join at these levels, rather than working their way up after starting “at the bottom”.
Just seen this on the Met’s Instagram. I have to say without making a value judgement on the direct entry scheme I’m not sure “where you don’t start at the bottom” is the way I would describe the frontline PC’s & DC’a who are the bedrock of the Met 1/2 pic.twitter.com/lBRWG5zytz
— Supt Roy Smith (@roysmithpolice) January 21, 2019
Many frontline officers complained online that the ad, which called for “strategic experience” from outside the force, suggested they lacked this attribute.
#DirectEntry Inspector 👇
— Protect Our Police (@ProtectRPolice) January 22, 2019
“You’ll use your strategic experience to work positively with the community partners and Policing teams”
Strategic experience comes from? Surely not by working your way up from the bottom?
Constables and Sergeants have strategic experience too pic.twitter.com/KrBVgVnebR
Mike Cunningham, the head of the College of Policing, said he accepted the ad had caused “huge offence” and offered an apology. He also ordered its removal and promised to find out why the ad had been posted.
The DE 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 enquires today to understand how it was posted in order that it won’t happen again @CollegeofPolice
— Mike Cunningham (@MCunninghamCoP) January 22, 2019
The Police Federation, which represents frontline officers in England and Wales, said the ad was offensive.
“This advert has prompted an understandable backlash from many of our members who work tirelessly doing an incredibly tough job to keep us safe every day,” said the federation’s chairman, John Apter.
“The tone of the advert and what it suggests is offensive and shows that those who have put the advert together are somewhat out of touch with policing.”
He welcomed Cunningham’s decision to remove the ad and said: “I would like to thank him for his swift response and action.”
Brian Paddick, a Liberal Democrat peer and former Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner, tweeted that the ad suggested the college regarded lower-ranking officers as least important.
The police service as it should be seen: pic.twitter.com/eBHbAdhCtp
— Brian Paddick 🇬🇧👨❤️👨🇳🇴 (@brianpaddick) January 22, 2019
Cate Moore, the independent chairwoman of the Lincolnshire police ethics panel, said she was infuriated by the tone of the ad.
“It’s indicative of an unspoken truth: some people think PCs are a ‘a bit thick’,” she tweeted.
It is something that infuriates me - this looking down upon attitude. A qualification is not a measure of intelligence any more than a job choice is. There are 30 yr PCs with higher IQs than Chief Constables. We really need to learn how to value individuals. We are rubbish at it.
— Cate Moore (@cate_a_moore) January 21, 2019
The direct-entry scheme has been championed by ministers and senior police officers as a way of attracting candidates from outside policing to widen the talent pool and bring in people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Addressing police and crime commissioners and chief constables in 2016, the then home secretary, Amber Rudd said: “You must recognise that talent does not only come from within police ranks. It can be found elsewhere too, in both the public and the private sector.”
Citing the direct-entry scheme, she said: “These men and women bring expertise from the worlds of finance, the civil service, the military and business. Expertise that can make a difference.”
