Impact and Insights Report 2020/21
Constructive disruption and innovation
DEVELOPING LEADERS EQUIPPED TO TACKLE CURRENT AND FUTURE POLICING CHALLENGES
Police Now recruits and develops diverse individuals with strong communication and problem-solving skills, high levels of emotional intelligence as well as a strong motivation to serve and collaborate with the public. These are essential skills for effective leadership, developing new ideas and helping policing prepare for the challenges of the future.

COMMUNICATION AND EVIDENCE-BASED PROBLEM SOLVING
From initial application, Police Now assess for participants’ communication and interpersonal skills.
Independent evaluation suggests Police Now participants are more receptive to using the evidence base than officers joining through other routes and display an understanding of evidence- based policing similar to that of Superintendents1. Participants’ line managers and colleagues have shared consistent positive feedback on participants’ communication and problem-solving skills.
360 line manager and colleague feedback on recruits’ communication and problem-solving skills (% agree)2.
Participants are able to challenge others respectfully
Participants are able to build rapport with a range of people
Participants are able to draw logical conclusions from the data
- 2016 - 2018 Cohort
- 2017 - 2019 Cohort
- 2018 - 2020 Cohort
“He has completed some fantastic problem-solving work over the last year with some protracted cases and he has had a good insight into partnership working.”
Participant line manager,
Thames Valley Police.
“His ability to stay calm whilst communicating with people is exceptional. When giving information to members of the public, offenders or even other officers he is extremely clear and concise.”
Participant line manager,
Greater Manchester Police.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Emotional intelligence, particularly empathy, is an essential leadership skill in policing for building public confidence, valuing diversity and difference, and ensuring that officers themselves are equipped to deal with the range of emotional situations they will confront on the policing frontline.
“A subject reported as missing was arrested for the offence of stalking having been found hiding in her ex-partner’s house. The subject was in custody at the beginning of my shift and I was tasked to deal with her. I discussed with my supervisor how they proposed to manage the subject as I disagreed with their course of action. I treated the subject with empathy, keeping criminality in mind, but also taking time to work out how to help and prevent further incidents occurring.”
Trainee Detective Constable,
National Detective Programme Participant, North Wales Police.
PROCEDURAL JUSTICE
Evidence suggests that when members of the public perceive their interaction with police officers to be procedurally just - that is they feel that they have been treated fairly, with dignity and respect and given a voice in a process - they are more likely to view the police as legitimate4.
Independent research indicates that Police Now participants hold more positive views towards procedural justice and serving the public than a comparison police officer group5.
I understand the needs of the community I serve
All victims of crime are deserving of a good service
The Police should treat everyone with respect regardless of how they behave
- Police Now
- Comparison group

“We really want to try and do things differently if we can. I think that’s something which is massively encouraged by the programme and the sessions we have in terms of leadership. They’re always challenging us to think differently and outside of the box. I think in policing that’s a really important thing to do.”
Police Constable Latia Suen,
National Graduate Leadership Programme Participant, Surrey Police.
PARTICIPANT SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Police Now inspire and recruit high-achieving graduates from socially diverse backgrounds who place strong value on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace6, increasing policing’s ability to tackle racism, bias, or discrimination wherever it is found.
I find interacting with people from different backgrounds very stimulating
Strongly agree/agree
The experience of working with diverse group members will prepare me to be a more effective employee
Strongly agree/agree
Diverse groups can provide useful feedback on one’s ideas
Strongly agree/agree
A diverse leadership team will make more effective decisions
Strongly agree/agree
- % Strongly agree/agree
- % Neither agree nor agree
- % Strongly disagree/disagree

“When looking at how to make an impact in the police force, I ended up being more pulled towards how I could improve them from the inside. I started working with things like unconscious bias, diversity, and women’s leadership. It’s something that I didn’t think I would end up doing, but once I got into the police and started looking around, I just saw so many things that could be improved and made so much better in terms of diversity and inclusion that I just couldn’t help but get involved. “
Police Constable Anokhi Chouhan,
National Graduate Leadership Programme Participant, Essex Police.
HEAR FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS
What kind of leadership development training are you getting?
How are you creating positive change in the role?
case study

Police Constable Fran Robbs de la Hoyde,
National Graduate Leadership Programme Alumnus, South Yorkshire Police.
Winner of the Tilley Award: Police Now and Student Officers Category 2020.
The problem:
The approach:
The impact:
This was as a result of enhanced communication and understanding between ward staff and police and an increased number of patients being allocated to a more appropriate risk grading. Due to the success of this project, it has since been adopted as best practice across the force.
FOOTNOTES
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. ↩
Aggregate 360 feedback data based on 690 respondents (n=287 line managers and n=403 other colleagues) across National Graduate Leadership Programme Cohorts 2, 3 and 4. ↩
London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime [MOPAC] (2018). Developing an Evidence Based Police Degree Holder Entry Programme: Final Report. Home Office Police Innovation Fund 2016–2018. ↩
Mazerolle, L., S. Bennett, J. Davis, E. Sargeant, and Manning, M. (2013). Legitimacy in Policing: A Systematic Review, NY: Campbell Systematic Reviews. ↩
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. ↩
Measured via an online survey at the start of the 2020 Police Now Academy (n=335). More details on the 2020 YouGov poll can be found here. Comparisons between Police Now and YouGov data should be made with caution to differences in sampling and methodology. ↩