National Graduate Leadership Programme

How does the programme work?

Police Now Application process
Police Now partner with more than 30 police forces across England and Wales to recruit, develop and inspire talented, determined and ambitious graduates and career changers.

The National Graduate Leadership Programme is a competitively salaried, two-year graduate training programme. Innovative and bespoke our programme meets the College of Policing’s National Standards.

Once you complete our recruitment process, you will take part in:

  • Six-week academy course.
  • Two years further training throughout the programme.
  • Development with your selected force and Leadership Development Officer.
You’ll be assigned to a community with up to 20,000 residents, usually in an area of great need.

You can rely on the guidance, support and training you need to be an effective officer and make an impact from day one.

Working continuously within a single community means you get to know the challenges. Your policing mentors and Police Now Leadership Development Officers work with you to:

  • Develop innovative strategies and techniques.
  • Address local entrenched problems.
  • Make a tangible impact.
0 %
of you will remain in policing after the programme.

At the end of the two years, you have a number of options inside policing. You can stay in a neighbourhood policing role, seek promotion or pursue further training in a specialist unit.

In the programme you develop the skills you need to:

  • Make decisions.
  • Solve problems.
  • Negotiate.
  • Lead.

Programme timeline

The Police Now National Graduate Programme enables you to positively impact the lives of many people. Over two years you develop leadership and problem-solving skills, embodying all the attributes that you will need to succeed. Our programme comprises the following elements:

Pre-academy

You will have online learning and revision called Core Learning to complete prior to starting at your academy. This will consist of content including learning about the law, legislation and role responsibilities. The purpose of core learning is to equip you for your time at academy and throughout the two-year programme. You will have the opportunity to attend online Police Now learning sessions, in the form of webinars, should you need support.

Academy

The Police Now Academy is an intensive six-week training programme designed and delivered by outstanding, high performing frontline police officers, many of whom are or have been neighbourhood constables and sergeants themselves. At the Academy you will participate in practical sessions and assessments to ensure you have everything you need and are ready for your first day in your neighbourhood.

The Academy is innovative, dynamic, inspiring and challenging. Training is delivered through a mixture of classroom-based and practical activities – including seven full shifts of field training where you will gain real experience on the streets of a busy neighbourhood. The training meets and exceeds the College of Policing foundation police training requirements and includes all mandatory training to ensure you are equipped with all the skills you need to be effective in a neighbourhood-policing role.

In-force training week

Following the Summer Academy, you’ll go to your force to complete your in-force training week. You’ll be introduced to all the force specific information you’ll need to be operationally effective, including local procedures, policies and ICT systems.

Immersion period

After completing your in-force training week, you’ll begin your eight to twelve-week Immersion Period. You’ll be partnered with a PC who will work with you on a one-to-one basis and act as your mentor, providing support and guidance. Your mentor will tutor you on every shift during this critical transition period. Mentors play a crucial role in helping you to get to know the area, making sure you can deal with the challenges you might encounter on patrol

Personal development planning

When you join, you’ll be assigned a Leadership Development Officer (LDO). Your LDO will provide one-to-one guidance, working with your line managers and force to aid your personal and professional development throughout the two-year programme. Your LDO will work with you to develop innovative plans and set ambitious goals for your neighbourhood. Like any good coach, your LDO will help you play to your strengths and address weaknesses, so you can confidently step up and deliver measurable outcomes for your community. Your LDO will meet with you regularly to help you complete your Personal Development Plan (PDP). They will support you at impact events and co-ordinate your skills sessions. They’ll also catch up with you regularly outside of official assessments.

360 feedback

We’ll make sure you receive regular feedback from line managers and colleagues throughout the programme. This will support your learning and improvement. Your Leadership Development Officer will also be on hand to help you develop your skills; including how to self-assess and peer review.

Secondments and attachments

During the second year of the programme, you’ll have an exciting opportunity to spend up to four weeks on an external secondment or internal attachment within your force. External secondments are a fantastic way to experience professional life outside the police service. You will learn new skills, gain valuable experience, work with outside partners and contribute to our objective of bringing policing and society closer together. Internal attachments to specialist departments will allow you to learn about different areas of the policing family. By developing your skills with new teams and by facing new policing challenges, you can start to plan for life after the programme.

Skills sessions

You’ll be involved in five innovative and dynamic skills sessions over the course of the two-year programme, each designed to develop your leadership and policing skills. You can bring your line manager or a team member along to some of the sessions, so that your wider team can also take advantage of this training.

Graduation

Those who successfully complete the programme will attend a Graduation Ceremony in July of their second year. The ceremony is a celebratory event, held in front of proud family members and friends. Every Police Now graduate is invited to step forward to be awarded their graduation certificate. The highest achievers also have an opportunity to present their best work in front of an audience of invited guests. The ceremony culminates with friends and family members joining every new graduate to celebrate the achievements of their two years on the programme.

What is the programme really like?

Are you looking for an opportunity to learn new leadership skills that will give you more confidence in yourself and your career? 

Hear from our National Graduate Leadership Programme participants who explain what attracted them to the programme and their experiences so far. 

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