Professional Policing

The Police Service of England and Wales is recognised as the pinnacle model of policing-by-consent globally. For this position to be maintained, policing specialists must characterise and demonstrate exemplary attitudes and behaviours, recognising the complex nature of policing activity. Consequently, this module examines the values, ethics and personal/professional standards required for policing professionals.

Students will reflect upon core ethical and evidence-based practices when making decisions and problem-solving within the identified core areas of policing practice: response policing, policing communities, policing the roads, managing information and intelligence, and conducting investigations. The unbiased use of discretion underpins the module throughout, encompassing wider policing entities and roles.

This module starts to educate students to be able to apply a broad expanse of evidence-based policing to the scenarios they will face. This module introduces the principles of academic study, the associated discipline, research, reading, interpreting, and referencing skills necessary to achieve a professional policing degree. It additionally starts to focus on learning theory, communication skills, and reflective practice, all essential to continuous improvement and development.

Policing in the contemporary world is made challenging by the advent of new methodologies and technologies in terrorism and digital, internet, cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled crime. This, in turn, has an inextricable link and impact on many aspects of the core policing areas of response policing, policing communities, information and intelligence, and conducting investigations. It is therefore appropriate that this module looks in detail at all aspects of the initial considerations in these areas. The module examines the advent of digital policing and terrorism, together with evolving and existing strategies to counter them. The ever-changing scope and function of the core policing areas is examined and later evaluated for its effectiveness.

Throughout, the concept of evidence-based policing, evolutionary in contemporary policing, must be considered and appropriate evidential sources located, applied, and evaluated. This is a fundamental requirement in modern policing contexts.

The Police are just one agency working within the Criminal Justice System - a multi-agency approach to supporting and delivering justice within society. Importantly, the Police will typically initiate the criminal justice process. Underpinning this must therefore be an understanding of criminology and crime prevention within the field of criminal justice. Exploring a range of criminological and criminal justice theoretical perspectives, policing will be considered from this academic viewpoint. The National Decision Model will be introduced, and its role and application will be considered. The study of legislative, judicial and court proceedings will be part of this module as well as wider international influences such as relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals including Gender Inequality, Reducing Inequalities and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Understanding a wider definition of policing, students will start to understand the concept of plural policing and the many different forms that this takes.

Contemporary policing requires appreciation of a wide cross-section of vulnerability and public protection requirements within society. Individuals who are, have been, or are likely to be subjected to modern slavery, human trafficking, forced marriage, honour-based abuse, and female genital mutilation, are examples of those who are of relatively recent consideration to the police in terms of vulnerability and the need for public protection.

This module introduces the students to some of the personal characteristics, history, risk, and situational factors leading to vulnerability. Relevant legislation, noteworthy cases, and the multi-agency information sharing protocols are also examined. Consideration of external (international) influences such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals enable a wider understanding of issues such as inequality, inclusivity and partnership working as elements within this module.

This module will introduce students to some of the core knowledge required in conducting police investigations. Starting from the point of the relevant legislation, principles and powers that are involved in investigating, students will begin to understand both the scope and limits of those powers. Wider legislative and policy influence such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals will be considered. Areas of focus will include stop and search/entry and search powers, and the differing approaches taken in ‘volume and priority’ crimes and ‘serious and complex’ crime investigations. The role of wider ‘policing’ entities will be considered.

With public trust and confidence in the police being essential, the importance of values and valuing difference, ethics and adhesion to professional standards is paramount. Effective communication, leadership, and team-working together with ethical and consistent decision-making, are crucial elements to this. This second-year module requires students to evaluate ethics, values, and norms in policing and to critically examine and reflect upon their impact on policing and communities. Evaluation of theory and professional practice are sought, both in respect of communication and leadership. This will encourage the student to consider both sets of skills in relation to presentations, operational briefings and team dynamics, and cohesion. In addition, a focus on well-being and resilience and strategies to manage organisational justice and organisational culture are key aspects of this module.

Continuing study within the field of social and criminal justice, this module explores relevant criminological theories and strategies, analysing the role of the police in contemporary society and within the wider criminal justice system. The module seeks to critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses of different policing models through sociological and criminological perspectives. The module requires students to critically review operational policing and decision making. Additionally, it reaffirms the importance of multi-agency engagement, crime prevention, bail, offender rehabilitation, and diversity issues within the criminal justice system. The module will further develop students understanding of the role of victims and witnesses within the criminal justice process.

With traditional core policing areas affected by an increasing influence of the more contemporary forms of terrorism and internet-enabled crime, the innovative and creative use of intelligence and analytics together with well-developed investigative ability and the appropriate level of understanding to source and use best available evidence to support an evidence-based policing approach are becoming essential skills within policing. This follow-on module takes a deeper look into the psychology of human behaviour and key history of events and incidents which help to understand both the importance of a contemporary policing approach, but also the impact of crime on response, community, and roads-policing with a view to developing modern prevention and disruption tactics and strategies, fostering, and maintaining community cohesion and ensuring capability within a joint emergency services operational provision. Intelligence, information, and investigative strategies are examined and enhanced in support of this throughout the core policing areas.

This second year Research Methods and Skills module continues to develop the skills needed to support the student, regardless of background, the opportunity to learn and practice the skills needed by future police officers in the research, study, interpretation, presentation, and application of evidence-based policing. Focusing on research methods and approaches that will support the development of students as independent, critical, and ethically sound researchers, the module will prepare students to undertake a work based, problem oriented, Extended Independent Study in their final year of study.

This module explores theories and concepts surrounding victimisation, offending, recidivism, and intervention. Specific study is undertaken in respect of youth gangs’ targeting of the vulnerable or at-risk individuals, and professionals abusing their position of trust. The module culminates in the evaluation of different approaches in supporting and managing the vulnerable, and strategies to manage both repeat victimisation and repeat offending. Understanding the role of wider international policy development such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals – particularly gender equality and reducing inequalities – will frame these considerations.

Evidence-based policing is at the core of modern practice. The concept in both theory and practice is essential knowledge for those conducting criminal investigations. The collection, management and retention of information and intelligence is subject to extensive legislation and guidance and this module introduces this and its applications in policing. Understanding the professional concept of evidence-based policing underpins many of the operational decision-making processes involved in both preventing and investigating criminal activity. The responsibility and interaction with other criminal justice, social justice and community organisations will be covered within this module.

This module continues to develop the students’ knowledge around the use of police powers, policies, and procedures. The module concentrates upon key legislation that can be drawn upon by holders of the office of constable to safeguard and protect the public. Underpinned by their oath of office, constables seek to safeguard fundamental human rights, keep the peace, and prevent offences against people and property. Key legislation is explored which enable constables to undertake proactive and reactive activities to confront suspected criminality. Interactive lectures and practical interactive workshops are utilized throughout this module to help embed learning.

Ethical decision-making, the use of discretion and the maintenance of professional standards are identified as methods by which the police service can help to ensure peaceful and inclusive societies where there is equitable access to justice for all.

This concentrates on the core policing areas concurrent to completion of the evidence-based policing independent research project and requires the student to examine specific challenges in more complex response situations and the enablers to evolving response policing strategies. Community policing is evaluated in respect of key emerging issues, problems, concerns, and challenges placing the imperative on designing problem-solving approaches. The focus for road policing is reviewing, using an evidence-based approach, serious road policing offences and strategies associated with reducing the number of collisions. Underpinning these areas is an evaluation of the National Intelligence Model and how information, intelligence and outcomes from a given policing operation can be reflected upon and the learning used to inform future practices and indeed shape policing objectives. A comprehensive understanding of complex investigations and some of their intricate considerations concludes the module. Understanding the development of wider policing entities and models will be considered.

For many years, policing has focused on reactive practices, responding to crimes once occurred and in response to public reporting. Crime have been regarding as episodes of detection with a conviction being the point of ‘solving’ a crime. However, contemporary policing, as well as community needs, require a much more pro-active and intelligence based approach to policing. This requires a different skill set of police – focusing on problem solving and interrogating a much broader range of intelligence and evidence than has previously been required. The concept and practice of problem-oriented policing is at the core of this module and students will have the opportunity to develop a critical understanding of the underpinning theory, what this means in practice and how this is helping to change the approach of contemporary policing practice.

Conducting complex investigations requires a different set of skills to addressing volume and priority crimes. This module will explore the processes required in conducting such investigations. This will include considering the wide range of stakeholders involved, the practice of interoperability between emergency services and the challenges of such investigations. Taking a practice-based approach, real cases will be explored as to best practice and lessons to be learned. Actions relating to both live and cold cases will be considered. The specific role of victims and witnesses in conducting complex investigations will be considered.

This final module requires an evidence-based independent research project situated within a core area of policing practice. The student is required to research, identify, and demonstrate understanding of an emerging issue or problem and formulate an ethically sound research question. A critical evaluation of the issue or problem is undertaken using appropriate research methodologies, techniques, and analysis as applicable. Consequent to this is the expectation to plan, using an analytical approach to solving complex problems, an intervention to tackle the identified issue or problem. Concurrently, the student assesses the resultant conclusions and recommendations for their potential impact on the workplace, workforce, and service overall.