Delivering unique people to communities and policing
Everything we do to achieve our mission, including who we recruit and the experiences provided to participants, colleagues and our partners forces, is guided by a commitment to delivering quality and difference.
We have a clear ambition to bring visible diversity and a variety of life experience to the frontline, ensuring officers are truly representative of the communities they serve.
We seek out unique individuals, many of whom have not previously considered policing as a career. Those that secure a place on our programmes become part of a growing network of inspirational Police Now ambassadors and alumni.
We have worked closely with experts to develop a blended approach to our assessment centres which minimises adverse impact potential. Candidate feedback from our most recent National Graduate Leadership Programme assessment centres found that 95% of candidates had a positive experience at the Assessment Centre and of Police Now1.
We aim to train, support and develop brilliant leaders with and without rank, to the highest standard. This is to ensure that Police Now participants excel in reducing crime, improving public confidence and performing well in complex operational environments, as soon as they join the service.
Above all, we strive to ensure that every single participant leaves our programmes with an experience which is unmatched in terms of quality, support and leadership development.
Award winning campaigns and programmes
Our work has been recognised by students, graduates and industry experts, resulting in our campaigns, our programmes and the graduates on them achieving 35 awards.
Of the 114 participants who started on the National Graduate Leadership Programme in 2023:2
identify as women
(vs. 51% national population)
identify as from an ethnic minority background
(vs. 14% national population)
of those who identify as from an ethnic minority background identify as women
identify as black
(vs. 3% national population)
identify as LGBTQ+
are first generation to go to university
qualified for free school meals when they were children
(vs. 15% national population)
are career changers
never considered policing before hearing about Police Now3
Of the 227 participants who started on the National Detective Programme in 2023:4
identify as women
(vs. 51% national population)
identify as from an ethnic minority background
(vs. 14% national population)
of those who identify as from an ethnic minority background identify as women
identify as black
(vs. 3% national population)
identify as LGBTQ+
are first generation to go to university
qualified for free school meals when they were children
(vs. 15% national population)
are career changers
never considered policing before hearing about Police Now5
Of the 268 participants who started on the Frontline Leadership Programme in 2022/23:6
identify as women
(vs. 51% national population)
identify as from an ethnic minority background
(vs. 14% national population)
of those who identify as from an ethnic minority background identify as women
identify as black
(vs. 3% national population)
identify as LGBTQ+
have a degree education
are Police Now programme alumni
are acting or temporary sergeants
"I want us to inspire new people coming in. I want them to be positive. I want them to relay that in their response to the community when they’re dealing with a variety of different incidents so that also has an impact on our communities and their view on us as a police force."
Jasmine Chadwick
Frontline Leadership Programme,
Avon & Somerset Police
"My ambitions align with the mission statement quite clearly. I want to be a role model in my community for people that look like me to want to join the police, and to those that are within policing."
Jonathan Opaye-Tetteh
Frontline Leadership Programme, Sussex Police
Motivated by public service
Whilst diverse in terms of individual backgrounds, experiences, and skillsets, Police Now participants are all committed to serving the public and building trust in policing. They are motivated by opportunities to make tangible and lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable people and communities.
Our participants are motivated by the chance to have a positive impact in communities through police work. These are the primary motivations of those who joined policing through the National Detective Programme in 20237.
- The opportunity to help people in the community
- Helping vulnerable people
- The excitement and variety of police work
"I always wanted to have a job where I could really help people. After having my two children, I was motivated to apply to the police and contribute to building safer communities for them and the next generation."
National Graduate Leadership Programme, Cheshire Constabulary
Procedurally just policing
Procedural justice is at the very heart of everything Police Now does and runs through all programme inputs, with dedicated materials and tools aimed at improving the police-public relationship.
Independent research indicates that Police Now participants are strongly aligned to procedural justice and serving the public with dignity, fairness and respect.
Independent research examining the attitudes of Police Now participants towards serving the public benchmarked against a comparison police group.
I understand the needs of the community I serve
All victims of crime are deserving of a good service
- Police Now
- Comparison group
FOOTNOTES
Measured via an online survey following attendance at the Assessment Centre for Police Now’s eighth National Graduate Leadership Programme cohort (n=368) 'You had a positive experience at the assessment centre and of Police Now' (strongly agree – strongly disagree). ↩
Based on applications for the National Graduate Leadership Programme for 2023: 3,149 applications for 114 places. ↩
Measured via an online survey at the start of Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme Academy in 2023 (n=89) 'Were you planning to join the police before you heard about Police Now?' ↩
Based on applications for the National Detective Programme for 2023: 6,180 applications for 227 places. ↩
Measured via an online survey at the start of Police Now’s National Detective Programme Academy in 2023 (n=216) 'Were you planning to join the police before you heard about Police Now?' ↩
Based on applications for the Frontline Leadership Programme for 2022/2023 (Year 2): 498 applications for 268 places. ↩
Measured via an online survey at the start of the Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme Academy in 2022 (n=141) 'What were your primary motivations for joining the Police Now programme, rather than applying direct to force?' ↩
London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime [MOPAC] (2017). Police Now Cohort 1: Final Evaluation Report. MOPAC. London. Results should be treated with caution due to low base sizes and sampling differences. ↩
Measured via an online survey after 12 months on the National Detective Programme (n=32). ‘Thinking about working with the public, please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements: Police should treat everyone with dignity and politeness. ↩
Dorset Police
Scott Chilton
Chief Constable
National Graduate Leadership Programme
| Cohorts: | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of police officers enrolled: | — | — | — | 6 | — | — |
National Detective Programme
| Cohorts: | —— | —— | —— | —— | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of police officers enrolled: | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Visit the Dorset Police website www.dorset.police.uk