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November 16, 2004
Police reforms will allow recruits to join force at senior level
The Independent, 10 November 2004
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/story.jsp?story=581286
Police recruits will be able to join the force at any level, rather than having to work their way up from pounding the beat as a constable under a package of reforms announced yesterday by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett. Mr Blunkett was launching a Home Office White Paper, Building Communities, Fighting Crime, aimed at delivering a new-look force for the 21st century - a vision largely built around community-style policing harking back to the days of the "bobby on the beat". [...] Mr Blunkett's proposed recruitment shake-up will mark an end to the traditional system under which officers are required to undergo 12 weeks' training followed by two years on the beat. It is envisaged that probation, Customs and Army officers, or even managers of large shops, could join the force at a more senior rank. There will be a particular effort to encourage blacks and Asians "with successful careers in other professions" to apply for senior posts. Recruitment will also focus on hiring officers with foreign languages. There will also be a drive to attract women, who make up one in five of all officers, with "family-friendly, flexible working patterns". Rules specifying the number of years an officer must serve in each rank would also be scrapped.
See also: Reforms aim to increase diversity of police force http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1347283,00.html
Telegraph: Wanted: high-fliers http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/10/npol10.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/10/ixnewstop.html
Posted by Emma at November 16, 2004 09:46 AM
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