Defining and Assessing Competence€¦ · Defining and assessing competence across the service...

Defining and Assessing Competence Police Constable Pilot Overview Document for

Candidates and Assessors

Version 1.2

Police Constable DAC Pilot Overview Document for Candidates and Assessors

Version 1.2 © College of Policing 2014

of 23

Terminology:

Candidate – Constable who is nominated to take part in the pilot process. They will be

approaching either pay point 4, 7 or be later in service and as such subject to the

reconfirmation of pay point 4 competence1.

Supervisor – Sergeant/first line manager who has direct supervisory responsibility and

is also responsible for the development of their constable. This individual for the

purpose for the DAC pilot will act as the assessor of the candidate.

Reconfirmation – of competence against set standards for the rank of constable2.

Note: The process that you are participating in is a pilot scheme and therefore

the assessment criteria and methodology may be adapted based on feedback

received from those participating in the process.

1 When rolled out nationally the Foundation Threshold and Advanced Threshold reassessment will reoccur on

on a five yearly basis (quinquennial). The reassessment group has been setup for the pilot to reflect police constable who are at the stage in their career where they are at least five years on from the time at which they could first take their foundation threshold – 9+ years in service. 2 The Police Negotiation Board (PNB) have directed the College to develop threshold assessments where

reconfirmation of foundation threshold for all police constables occurs every five years (quinquennial) regardless of whether officers have met the advanced threshold at police constable rank as the foundation threshold is determining if a police constable still meets the minimum standards required to operate as a PC. Therefore an officer who has met the advanced threshold will need to reconfirm both the advanced and foundation thresholds every five years. Moving forwards for live roll out the College will develop an implementation timetable (subject to project board approvals) outlining this rolling programme of reconfirmations.



of 23

1. Welcome and thank you! As the ACPO lead for Defining and Assessing Competence within the Police Service; I

want to personally thank you for taking part in the project and supporting the pilot

process. Your participation over the next 12 months is very much appreciated and your

input and feedback will be incredibly valuable.

The purpose of the pilot is to test and potentially adapt foundation and advanced level

threshold assessments which introduce a link between competence and pay. However,

there is no linkage between pay increments and the outcome of the assessment for the

purposes of the pilot. As such officers will still progress through the pay scale under the

current arrangements. The pilot will be limited to the rank of constable but the process

will eventually include all ranks up to and including Chief Superintendent.

Within the pilot, officers and their line managers will be required to complete the threshold

assessments designed by the College of Policing. The aim of the pilot is to test the

methodology and assess the equality impact consideration of the process. Furthermore,

the pilot aims to test that the threshold assessments brings with it minimal additional

resource requirement, which will be monitored and evaluated by the College of Policing

during the pilot.

The overall aim of the threshold assessments is to support the professionalisation of

policing. The assessments are designed to ensure that officers, irrespective of any

specialist role they perform, are able to undertake the core role of police constable and

through continuous professional development deliver a consistently high level of service

to the public. This will mean that nationally officers are working to the same standard of

service, know what is expected, and will reassure the public that officers remain

competent, continue to develop policing skills, and demonstrate the expected behaviour

for their rank.

It is proposed that this process will be introduced across all England and Wales forces in

2016 and assessments will take place up to the rank of Chief Superintendent. This links

to the bigger picture and changes in policing such as the development of professional

career pathways.

1.1 What is in it for me?

Whether you are participating as a candidate or assessor during the pilot, the next 12

months will offer you the opportunity to see how the process is intended to work. You

will have the opportunity to influence and shape the process, discuss your experiences



of 23

and provide feedback. You will be acting as the ‘voice’ for all officers and your views will

determine future process/product changes and National Rollout decisions. In addition,

as a candidate you will have feedback on your current competence and as an assessor

you will have an opportunity to apply guidance and to shape the future guidance that is

subsequently rolled out.

1.2 Why Assess Competence?

Assessing and recognising competence is not a new concept, this has been routinely

performed and successfully implemented in several areas already, including teaching and

in the NHS – however these newly designed competence models will provide an

opportunity for Police Officers to demonstrate and showcase the challenging role officers

face and the excellent work being completed on a daily basis as part of their role.

Defining and assessing competence across the service provides a way of ensuring that

core skills are kept up to date through a structured framework to keep the role and skills

focused on the ever-changing role that police constables undertake.

1.3 What do I need to do?

You will be part of the pilot group in your force from January to December 2015 either as

an assessor (line manager) or as a candidate (constable).

As a candidate you will be involved in all aspects of the pilot. You will work with your line

manager on a regular basis to assess how you are performing against the standards and

what areas you need to develop to meet these standards. Manager meetings will include

discussions around your existing evidence which could be used to support competence

within the defined standards. Further discussions will include how you can develop

throughout the year and what action and development plans should be put in place to

assist in building evidence to support achievement of the standards.

As an assessor you will be involved in implementing the development meetings,

supporting your constable to find ways of meeting these standards of competence. As

assessors you will also complete the summative assessment of competence.

Both roles will be involved in the Pilot Evaluation process. You will be asked to provide

feedback on the Defining and Assessing Competence pilot and your experiences of it.

You will be engaged through surveys, one to one chats and group discussions. This is a

crucial part in the development of the product. It is only through providing your valuable

feedback that the product can be further developed and improved. Participants are

therefore encouraged to fully support this process and commit to it over the next 12

months.



of 23

1.4 Who is there to support me?

As both an assessor and a candidate a Pilot Overview Document will be provided as an

initial point of reference for all the information you should need, which can be accessed

via the College website. Frequently Asked Questions will form an integral part of a

dedicated College web page, these will emerge as the project progresses.

In force representatives (known as Force Implementation leads) will be there for

support. Their objective is to provide you will all the necessary knowledge and tools to

assist in implementing the pilot process, and answer any questions or queries you may

have.

The College of Policing is not only designing the methodology and tools, but also

managing the pilot across forces. Through dedicated communication channels they will

be able to assist managers and Implementation leads cover any areas of uncertainty

throughout the project.

Thank you

Remember – what you say can make a difference! Don’t be afraid to ask questions and

please support the evaluation process to ensure your voice is heard.

Again thank you for your support,

Giles York, Chief Constable of Sussex Police

2. Overview of Threshold Assessments A key driver for the development of the models was to develop a process that was non

bureaucratic but equally was sufficiently robust. The proposed model includes milestone

assessments at regular points (i.e. thresholds) within the officers’ career to confirm

competence at the level expected both for the rank and the career progression point.

The model includes two complementary approaches, which (in combination) form the

overall threshold model:

i) a core, central ‘spine’ of professional development that all officers undertake

on an ongoing basis throughout their career.

ii) specific ‘milestone’ assessments, both at Foundation and Advanced levels.



of 23

While emphasis has been placed on the importance of creating a rigorous evaluation at

the threshold points, the proposed system is intended to be sufficiently streamlined to be

workable (utilising and building on criteria and processes that are already in place) in a

policing environment in which increasing resourcing pressures are being experienced.

2.1 Development Spine

The principle of the central ‘spine’ of development is to ensure the continuing

development of officers’ knowledge, skills and abilities, beyond the completion of initial

training. This component of the model includes the following three key activities:

i) Completion of Core Learning Requirement by all constables;

ii) Flexible, role-relevant Continuing Professional Development Activity;

iii) Demonstrating and developing the required behaviours for the rank.

Within the model, there is an expectation that these core development elements would

be completed by officers on an ongoing basis, with an annual review of progress being

undertaken with the supervisor. The majority of the above development activity should

already be taking place and therefore there will be minimum additional activities.

An officer would need to have successfully completed all of these components in the

years leading up to the Foundation Threshold (see section 2.6) or Advanced Threshold

(see section 2.7) in order to meet its requirements. These core development activities

are outlined in more detail in the following sections.

2.2 Development Activity 1 - Core Learning Required for the Rank

In order to be eligible for the Foundation Threshold officers would need to demonstrate

that they have completed all of the required learning for their role, and have

demonstrated understanding and effective application of this learning in the workplace.

To help facilitate this, a list of core learning relevant to a police constable has been

developed, which covers the latest developments in legislation, policy and practice. This

can be found in Appendix A.

2.3 Development Activity 2 – Personal Continuing Professional Development

Role specific CPD activities would be recorded by the officer on an ongoing basis as it

takes place, with an annual confirmation and review of this learning, alongside planning


of 23

Figure 1 – Police Constable Threshold Timeline


of 23

future required learning. This would be an ongoing expectation, not just in the year of

the threshold assessment. In addition to national learning initiatives there will also be a

need to ensure that an officer is up-to-date with new policy and practice at a local level.

It is anticipated that role specific CPD will be planned and recorded by officers on an

ongoing basis, and this evidence will contribute to an annual submission, which will

demonstrate their ongoing professional development in role specific learning. It is likely

to include a short narrative of how the officer has progressed in their career, and how

their own CPD has enhanced the level of their own practice.

2.4 Development Activity 3 – Demonstrating and developing required

behaviours for the rank

The Policing Professional Framework (PPF) Personal Qualities at practitioner level are the

recommended criteria for police forces to use to evaluate that an officer is demonstrating

and developing the required behaviour for the rank of constable. Currently the vast

majority of police forces have signed up to using the PPF and are already applying the

framework. It has been indicated via Chief Constables’ council that other forces will be

moving towards the PPF in the future.

In essence the model proposes an evaluation of behaviour that is very similar to what is

already conducted across the majority of police forces within their respective PDR

processes. However, if a force currently has not adopted PDR then it is proposed that a

system is put in place where a supervisor is able to review the behaviour of a Police

Constable against the national role profile personal qualities. It is anticipated that this

could be achieved through a professional discussion. See Appendix B for further details

of the required personal qualities for the rank of police constable.

2.5 Overview of Milestone Assessments

The ongoing completion of development activities (outlined above) throughout an

individuals’ career will facilitate and confirm progressive development in the role, and

would form a key part of the requirement for award of the Foundation and Advanced

Thresholds. The following two sections outline the additional, specific milestone

assessment requirements of both the Foundation and Advanced Thresholds.

2.6 Foundation Threshold

The Foundation Threshold will require a constable to demonstrate that they continue to be

competent and have developed themselves in the core requirements of their rank and role.

Successful attainment of the Threshold will allow progression to Pay Point 4. However,


of 23

officers will not be financially disadvantaged by participating within the pilot and will still

progress through the pay scale under the current arrangements.

The Foundation Threshold requires reconfirmation of competence in the ten Diploma in

Policing assessment units (in addition to the requirements within the central spine of

development outlined above) – see Appendix C for further details. Reconfirmation of

competence will not require repeating the formalised portfolio assessment of the

Diploma in Policing; ‘lighter touch’ methods will be employed to reconfirm competence.

Reconfirmation against the core requirements of the role will determine whether the

officer’s own practice reflects up-to-date policy, practice and legislation in the core areas

of the constable’s role, while highlighting any development needs.

2.7 Advanced Threshold

By this stage in their career, officers would be expected to have completed five years of

CPD and required core learning, and to have demonstrated competence at the Advanced

Threshold. Moreover, through having gained significant operational experience in

previous years, they will be expected to have developed considerably in both skills and

knowledge required for the role, and behavioural competencies relevant to the rank.

As such, the intention of the Advanced Threshold is to evaluate whether an officer has

reached an altogether higher level of competence, at which they can be considered to be

an example to others of how an experienced constable should operate. Appendix D

outlines the personal qualities that would be expected from an officer (in addition to the

requirements within the central spin of development outlined above) in order to

demonstrate that they are operating at a higher level with the Police Constable rank and

hence meeting the requirement of the advanced threshold.

3. Pilot overview – Pilot specific information for candidates and assessors

3.1 Who is it for?

Pilot forces have agreed to assist during 2015 to have a selection of ‘candidates’ involved

with the process, as close as possible to how the real life process will be rolled out. By

having forces from across the regions taking part this will mean we are able to evaluate

how the process works in both rural and urban settings, and gather feedback on what

success looks like across England and Wales. This will improve the process to inform

final decision making for the national roll out. Your assistance as either a candidate or

assessor (line manager) is essential in determining what the process will look like going


of 23

forward to national roll out. The pilot will allow the capture of data to evaluate the

effectiveness of the agreed threshold model.

3.2 Who’s who?

Who are the people doing the assessing? These will be line managers of constables

approaching pay point 4 (foundation), pay point 7 (advanced) and those longer in

service (reassessment) during the calendar year of 2015

Who are the people being assessed? These will be constables approaching pay point

4 (foundation), pay point 7 (advanced) and those longer in service (reassessment3)

What are the timescales? The pilot will run from January 2015 – December 2015 with

January –June being the preparation phase, June-September being the assessment

phase and September-December being the evaluation phase. A detailed timetable

detailing each phase for candidates and assessors can be found in Table 1 and 2 below.

3.3 Who is not eligible to take part in the pilot?

Constables who are on the fast track development scheme and those officers who are on

long term acting up/temporary duties acting as a higher rank over this period. For the

pilot these constables will not be eligible to take part as further details about how the

model will work for national roll out for these officers will be developed over the next few

months. All other constables will be eligible to take part and any issues around how this

will work for different circumstances will be developed with the force directly.

3.4 Will there be any differences between the pilot and the proposed national

rollout process?

Due to the nature of the agreed assessment model, it will not be possible to exactly

replicate the model within the 12 pilot month period.

In the reality of a national roll out of the product, candidates would have a much longer

window of time to gather evidence (two years leading up to the threshold date). Due to

the limits of the overall timeframe available within the Defining & Assessing Competence

Programme the pilot will reduce this timeframe to focus on how evidence is gathered and

assessed and evaluated. This will however be an advantage to test the impact of

gathering evidence in a shorter window and the evaluation will seek views from

candidates on the practicalities of delivering the threshold assessments.

3 When rolled out nationally the Foundation Threshold and Advanced Threshold reassessment will reoccur on

on a five yearly basis (quinquennial). The reassessment group has been setup for the pilot to reflect police constable who are at the stage in their career where they are at least five years on from the time at which they could first take their foundation threshold – 9+ years in service.


of 23

What do I need to do and by when? - Pilot candidates (foundation, advanced and reconfirmation candidates) January February March April May June July August September October November December

Preparation/evidence gathering Assessment discussions Evaluation of the pilot

Register on the DAC pilot system and generate unique identification

number

Read and become

familiar with the user guide, how to access support and access

materials

Raise any queries or concerns with assessor/ force

implementation lead and access POLKA site for support

Final preparation for assessment discussion/ submit

final evidence

Provide any additional feedback on the process and ideas for

improvements for national roll out

Look at examples of evidence and documents

to complete Record evidence of where meet standards and where gaps are Attend assessment discussion

with assessor Provide any required feedback to the

implementation lead in force

Agree dates for discussions with assessor

through the pilot and book in assessment

discussion Confirm next discussion/catch up date

Raise any queries or concerns with assessor/ implementation

lead

Complete surveys/telephone

interviews/discussions with the evaluation team if required to provide

feedback on the pilot

Meet with your assessor (line manager)

Meet with your assessor (line manager) regularly throughout the

preparation phase

Respond to requests for feedback for the evaluation of the pilot (if required)

Agree how discussions,

evidence and actions are going to be recorded Record evidence against standards

Begin to look at where you fit against the

standards and what

areas need to be focused on

Look at evidence against standards to assess progress - confirm with assessor what need to do to meet standards

Begin time recording for discussions and

preparation through the

pilot Time recording

Agree actions to with the assessor to complete

before the next discussion

Agree actions to with the assessor to complete before the next discussion


Table 1 – Timetable for Candidates


of 23

What do I need to do and by when? - Pilot assessors (line managers)

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Preparation/evidence gathering Assessment discussions Evaluation of the pilot

Register on the DAC pilot system and generate unique

identification number Read and become familiar with

the user guide, how to access support and materials

Raise any queries or concerns with force implementation lead

Meet with candidate for

assessment discussion. Assess final evidence

Provide any additional feedback on the process - forms, how it worked,

time taken, concerns and ideas for improvements for national roll out

Attend any briefings/ read any force communications about the process Provide candidate with outcome of assessment and feedback. Discuss and

carry out reassessment process if not meeting the standard

Read assessor standards and assessor specific documentation

Review assessor standards and assessor specific documentation on an ongoing basis. Be aware of

updates/in force communication about the pilot process Attend assessment discussion

with candidate

Complete surveys/telephone interviews/discussions with the

evaluation team if required to provide feedback on the pilot

Look at examples of evidence and documents to complete

Record evidence of where the candidate meet standards and where gaps are - support the candidate as to in where

to gain evidence and how Respond to requests for feedback for the evaluation of the pilot (if

required)

Agree dates for discussions

with candidate through the pilot and book in assessment

discussion Confirm next discussion date Raise any queries or concerns with implementation lead

Meet with your candidate. Discuss pilot process and agree understanding with candidate -

record any queries

Meet with your candidate regularly throughout the preparation phase

Agree how meetings, evidence and actions are going to be

recorded Record evidence against standards

Begin to look at where the candidate fits against the

standards and areas for development

Look at evidence and where it meets/does not meet

standards. Provide advice and guidance to meet the standards.

Agree actions for the candidate to complete before the next

discussion/catch up Agree actions for the candidate to complete before the next

discussion


Table 2 – Timetable for Assess


of 23

3.5 How’s it going to work?

In each pilot force there is an implementation lead who will be your initial point of

contact for advice and support. They will provide communications about the process and

ensure that you are on track with the tasks required of the pilot process. Between

January and June 2015 you will have regular ongoing discussions (candidate and

assessor) and use this guide to begin to demonstrate your competence against the set of

constable standards for the threshold level you are at (foundation or advanced). With

your line manager you will look at where there are gaps and plan how to meet these

standards. You will have regular catch ups to look at progress and ensure everything is

prepared in advance of the assessment window (July – September). During the

assessment window you will have a more formal meeting with your assessor (line

manager) to review all the evidence you have collected to show how you meet the set

standards. This will be discussed and a decision made by your line manager as to

whether you meet the standards.

3.6 How long is it going to take me?

We do not want this process to become bureaucratic or a paperwork burden to forces.

This process is an extension of the regular development meetings that should already be

happening in force through one to one meetings and the PDR process (if relevant to your

force). In terms of preparation for the meetings and meeting the standards, there will

be time required to become familiar with what is required however we do not envisage

the process developing into portfolios of evidence or endless streams of paperwork. All

evidence should come from tasks that are carried out as part of the day to day job of

being a constable and where there is additional tasks that need to be done to meet the

standards, this can be planned in. One task may also help to meet more than one

standard and so it is not a requirement to have lots of evidence for each standard.

During 2015 the College of Policing will be seeking your views on the process through

surveys, interviews and discussion groups, as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the

pilot. We are keen to hear your views as a candidate and as an assessor to make sure

that the process works and so that any necessary changes can be made in advance of a

national roll out. Part of the evaluation will include monitoring how much time

candidates and assessors are spending on preparation and meetings.

3.7 How will I be kept up to date with what is happening with the pilot?

During 2015 you will receive regular updates from your implementation lead about the

pilot. They will let you know of any issues, areas that have required clarification and how

to provide feedback about the process. You will also be able to find out more information


of 23

during 2015 through POLKA which will provide you with communications and also

support from others going through the pilot where you can share ideas and experiences.

4. Candidate and Assessor Guidance

Guidance documentation will be made available for both candidates and assessors.

These guidance materials will be covered in two separate documents that can be

accessed via the College website.

5. Monitoring & Evaluation

At the start of the pilot, we will be collecting personal details from all candidates. This

will be used by the College of Policing to analyse the results of the pilot, and to monitor

any areas in which results vary between different candidate groups. However,

individual details will not be identified and the data will only be used by the College

to inform the impact of the threshold assessments.

The College of Policing will be evaluating the pilot of the Defining and Assessing

Competence project. This is a key part of the pilot as it will inform a decision about the

national rollout of the assessments and examine the extent to which the overall aim of

the project has been achieved.

5.1 Feedback from Candidates and Assessors

It is extremely important to the College of Policing that we are able to gather your

feedback throughout the pilot; this will include areas such as your perceptions of fairness

of the assessment and the reality of combining the assessments with operational duties.

We are likely to gathering this feedback through questionnaire surveys and in some

cases one to one interviews. Your force implementation lead and the College of Policing

will provide you with further information on the ways in which this feedback will be

collected.

Your responses to these surveys and requests for data are really important in order for

us to ensure that national decisions about rolling out the assessments are based upon

the best possible evidence.

All data collected by the College of Policing during the evaluation will be used by the

College solely for research purposes. We will only be asking for information that is

required for the evaluation and the data acquired will not be used for any other

purposes. The data will be stored by the Knowledge Research and Practice Team for no

longer than five years, after which time it will be destroyed. We will not share the raw


of 23

data with any other party, however the data collected will be reported in a summarised

form in our research outputs. We will anonymise all of the information reported and

ensure that no individuals can be identified in our evaluation reports. For more

information on how the College processes personal data please review our Fair

Processing Notice (http://www.college.police.uk/en/22139.htm ).

5.2 Overall Assessment Outcome

The outcome of the assessment will be shared with candidates by supervisors once all of

the evidence has been evaluated. To confirm, the overall ratings will not have any

implications for candidates own pay – there is no linkage between pay increments

and the outcome of the assessment for the purposes of the pilot. The overall

outcome will not be used for any purpose other than the evaluation of the threshold

assessment model itself.

6. Quality Assurance

To ensure a sufficiently robust system but one which is fair and equitable to candidates a

set of National Quality Standards have been developed. These standards are outlined in

Appendix E. Whilst the standards have been developed by the College of Policing they

are intended to be implemented locally.

It is expected that forces implementing Defining and Assessing Competence will adhere

to these standards. If there is a consistent and transparent approach across the force all

candidates will receive the same standard of assessment.

7. Complaints and Appeals.

Candidates who are unsuccessful and wish to appeal against the decision must do so on

a local basis. The appeals procedure is delivered centrally within the force and is

independent of the candidates’ line management to ensure impartiality and create

confidence in the process.

8. Further Information/FAQ’s

Further information can be found on a dedicated page on the College website, which

includes a number of Frequently Asked Questions. These will be updated as appropriate

throughout the pilot period. If you have any questions regarding the pilot then please

contact the Defining and Assessing Competence team at the following email address:

[email protected]

http://www.college.police.uk/en/22139.htm

mailto:[email protected]


of 23

Appendix A – Core Learning

All police constables will be expected to demonstrate that they have met the learning

outcomes that are related to their role in order to meet the minimum requirements of

the thresholds assessments.

Please note however that if a candidate has already completed the core learning, the

demonstration of continued competence can be used as evidence and the candidate does

not need to repeat the learning. This is to ensure that the pilot is flexible in terms of

taking account of what the candidate has already done due to the reduced timescales of

the pilot process.

Anti-Social Behaviour: Your Powers

Digital Communications, Social Media, Cybercrime and Policing

Emergency Procedures at Major Incidents: First Responders

Emergency Services Interoperability

Mental Ill-Health

National Decision Model

Out of Court Disposals

Public Protection

o Public Protection Initial Response

o Public Protection: Abusive Relationship

o Public Protection: Family Disturbance

o Public Protection: Man in Distress

o Public Protection: Missing Daughter

Victims’ Code

The College of Policing have produced learning outcomes for all of the above areas of

core learning that can be accessed via the College website.

The College of Policing have produced e-learning packages for all of the above packages

that can be accessed via the following web link: http://www.ncalt.com/

http://www.ncalt.com/


of 23

Appendix B – Required Personal Qualities For The Rank of Police Constable

The table below outlines the required personal qualities for the rank of Police Constable

which are represented within the Policing Professional Framework as Personal Qualities

at Practitioner Level.

Area Personal Quality

Decision making

Gathers, verifies and assesses all appropriate and available

information to gain an accurate understanding of situations.

Considers a range of possible options before making clear,

timely, justifiable decisions.

Reviews decisions in the light of new information and

changing circumstances.

Balances risks, costs and benefits, thinking about the wider

impact of decisions.

Exercises discretion and applies professional judgement,

ensuring actions and decisions are proportionate and in the

public interest.

Openness to change

Positive about change, adapting rapidly to different ways of

working and putting effort into making them work.

Flexible and open to alternative approaches to solving

problems.

Finds better, more cost-effective ways to do things, making

suggestions for change and putting forward ideas for

improvement.

Takes an innovative and creative approach to solving

problems.

Professionalism

Acts with integrity

Takes ownership for resolving problems

Acts on own initiative to address issues

Upholds professional standards

Asks for and acts on feedback

Remains calm and professional under pressure

Service delivery

Understands the organisation's objectives and priorities and

how own work fits into these.

Plans and organises tasks effectively, taking a structured

and methodical approach to achieving outcomes.

Manages multiple tasks effectively by thinking things

through in advance, prioritising and managing time well.

Focuses on the outcomes to be achieved, working quickly

and accurately and seeking guidance when appropriate.

Serving the public

Demonstrates a real belief in public service, focusing on

what matters to the public and will best serve their interests.

Understands the expectations, changing needs and concerns

of different communities and strives to address them.


of 23

Builds public confidence by talking with people in local

communities to explore their viewpoints and break down

barriers between them and the police.

Understands the impact and benefits of policing for different

communities and identifies the best way to deliver services

to them.

Works in partnership with other agencies to deliver the best

possible overall service to the public.

Working with others

Works co-operatively with others to get things done, willingly

giving help and support to colleagues.

Is approachable, developing positive working relationships.

Explains things well, focusing on the key points and talking

to people using language they understand.

Listens carefully and asks questions to clarify understanding,

expressing own views positively and constructively.

Persuades people by stressing the benefits of a particular

approach, keeps them informed of progress and manages

their expectations.

Is courteous, polite and considerate, showing empathy and

compassion.

Deals with people as individuals and addresses their specific

needs and concerns.


of 23

Appendix C – Police Constable Foundation Threshold (Diploma in Policing Units)

The following are the current ten Diploma in Policing units4. These will be the units that

are reference within the pilot.

Provide Initial Support to Victims and Witnesses

Gather and Submit Information to Support Law Enforcement Objectives

Provide an Initial Response to Incidents

Arrest, Detain or Report Individuals

Conduct Priority and Volume Investigations

Interview Victims and Witnesses in Relation to Priority and Volume Investigations

Interview Suspects in Relation to Priority and Volume Investigations

Searching People in a Policing Context

Search Vehicles, Premises and Open Spaces

Manage Conflict in a Policing Context

4 These units are currently under review and are likely to change when the threshold assessment goes live in

September 2016.


of 23

Appendix D – Police Constable Advanced Threshold Criteria

Standard of work and behaviour is beyond that associated with a competent police

constable.

1. Works with minimal supervision and can be trusted and relied upon to get work

completed without being prompted by supervisor.

2. Takes initiative to generate own workload and doesn't wait to be asked.

3. Has developed breadth and depth of understanding of law, knowledge, evidence

based policing and understanding of complete role.

4. Takes an active interest in changes in law and evidenced based policing, consistently

identifying gaps in knowledge, and rectifying this.

5. Willingness to make decisions independently, escalating when appropriate.

6. Reasoned decision making based on evidence of what actually works in delivering

outcomes, consideration of the National Decision Making Model, and thinking ahead.

7. When making pressurised decisions does not focus on any potential negative impact

or repercussions on oneself.

8. Trusted to take control, take the lead, and can be relied upon to take over when

required from supervision.

9. Confidently and competently challenges and expresses opinions with peers and

supervisory officers using constructive language.

10. Confidently and effectively communicates with colleagues, members of the public or

external agencies on what needs to happen and the reason why.

11. Actively develops colleagues in terms of developmental or performance needs.

12. Is highly thought of and respected by colleagues for their knowledge, skills and

experience. Considered as a role model who colleagues seek advice from.

13. Retains knowledge (organisational, law, or evidence based policing) in order to share

with colleagues (including knowledge transfer that others benefit from).

14. Consistently copes with the demands of peaks in workload, balancing workload

efficiently, without impacting on the quality of work.

15. Shows commitment to professional development which is demonstrated through

frequent self-initiated learning, further education or skill enhancement.

16. Builds relationships with partner agencies (e.g. local authorities, community leaders,

or internal departments), bringing people together to tackle and resolve community

issues.


of 23

Appendix E – National Quality Standards:

A. Governance:

1) That a senior member of staff holds responsibility for the successful implementation of

the constable threshold and advanced threshold assessment systems (Threshold

portfolio holder)

2) That staff resources are allocated to implement a system of local quality assurance of

the constable threshold and advanced threshold assessment systems based on this set

of national quality standards

3) That a quality assurance report(s) should be prepared and submitted on an annual

basis to the portfolio holder; including any recommendations for change. The portfolio

holder will determine the need for any subsequent action.

4) That a system exists to track the joining dates of officers and which will inform the

subsequent assessment dates for both threshold and advanced levels

B. Communication:

1) An approach to communication exists that ensures that all stakeholders, and

especially all constables and their supervisors, are fully aware of the requirements and

processes of constable threshold and advanced threshold assessment and the related

timeframes

2) An approach to communication exists that ensures that all constables and supervisors

are aware of the core required training and summative assessment (if required) for a

particular review period. This will be identified at the national level and disseminated to

forces.

3) An approach to communication exists that ensures constables and supervisors are

aware of the current Diploma in Policing Assessment Units

4) An approach to communication exists that ensures all constables and supervisors are

aware of the relevant complaints and appeals system

(Note: The phrase ‘An approach to communication’ has been used because it will be at

the discretion of the force as to which communication media are utilised)

C. Constables:

1) That a system exists to ensure that all constables are provided with a copy of the

national guidance for constables provided by the College of Policing

2) That all constables are provided with an account on the NCALT Managed Learning

Environment to facilitate the completion of any relevant E-Learning

3) That all constables are provided with a common force system to record their

Continuous Professional Development; covering both the core required training and

assessment and role related training and assessment

4) That a system exists to capture feedback from constables participating in the

constable threshold and advanced threshold assessment systems

D. Supervisors:

1) That a system exists to ensure that all supervisors are provided with a copy of the

national scheme guidance for supervisors provided by the College of Policing

2) That a system exists to ensure that all supervisors are provided with a copy of the

national guidance on assessors standards and related learning materials

3) That supervisors, particularly those new to role, have the opportunity to undertake

the relevant units from the Core Leadership Programme or equivalent

4) That the force takes steps to ensure that supervisors are working to the principles of

the College of Policing Assessors Standard, and are following specific assessment

guidance for the Defining & Assessing Competence project (i.e. reconfirming competence

rather than assessing initial competence).

5) That supervisors are thoroughly briefed on the required assessment process


of 23

6) That supervisors, particularly new to role, are trained in assessment methodology,

especially regarding professional discussion, observation and the appropriate level of

assessment to deem an officer competent at reconfirmation

7) That supervisors are provided with guidance on recording the outcomes of

assessment; whilst acknowledging any recommended practice from the College of

Policing

8) That standardisation events are provided by the force to ensure the fair and equitable

assessment of constables and that supervisors are required to attend one such event in

any two year period

9) That a system exists to capture feedback from supervisors participating in the

constable threshold and the advanced threshold assessment systems

(Note: There is no implied requirement for the formal training of supervisors. It is more

about ensuring that supervisors have the skills to guarantee the successful

implementation of the schemes.)

E. Assessment:

1) That all stakeholders, and particularly constables and supervisors are aware of

proportionate assessment and the difference between reconfirmation of competence and

formal assessment of competence

2) That constables understand and comply with the need to achieve:

i. Any nationally defined Core Learning requirements

ii. Any role relevant Continuous Professional Development

iii. The demonstration and development of the required behaviours for the rank

3) That where possible, bearing in mind the operational need, the force will facilitate

opportunities for constables to demonstrate competence against all ten assessment units

within the Diploma in Policing (Threshold Test only)

4) That the force will develop and publish an approach to assessment which covers

situations when a constable is not able to demonstrate competence against all ten units;

and which defines:

i. The limited occasions where this is acceptable

ii. Alternative assessment methodologies which are acceptable to use in such

circumstance, for example professional discussion (Threshold test only)

F. Recording of Evidence:

1) That irrespective of if the force uses the national system of Performance and

Development Review or an equivalent, the evidence recording system employed for the

Threshold assessments captures:

i. The successful completion of core required training and related assessment on

an annual basis

ii. The successful completion of planned role related learning and assessment

iii. The successful demonstration of the required behaviours for the rank of

constable

iv. Any benefits provided to colleagues, host department and / or the wider

organisation

v. That constables meet the eligibility requirements to undertake the threshold

assessment

vi. Successful reconfirmation of the 10 assessment units from the Diploma in

Policing over a two year period prior to the agreed date for the threshold

assessment.

2) That constables and supervisors understand the crucial role of the planning element

of PDR process.

G. Policing Professional Framework:


of 23

1) That irrespective if the force uses the Policing Professional Framework (PPF) or an

equivalent the system used encompasses the Personal Qualities for the Practitioner Level

as defined in the PPF

H. Equality:

1) That a system is in place to monitor the outcomes of the threshold and advanced

threshold assessments across the force to ensure that no officer is disadvantaged

because they hold a protected characteristic or have other equality needs. Separate

guidance will be provided on the capture of data.

2) That the monitoring results are incorporated into the overall local quality assurance

report

I. Complaints and Appeals:

1) That separate complaints and appeals procedures are available to constables

undertaking the threshold and advanced threshold assessments

2) That such complaints and appeals procedures incorporate as a minimum the College

of Policing guidance

3) That any outcomes from complaints and / or appeals are considered as part of the

annual report

(Note: there is no requirement for new or separate complaints and appeals procedures

to be developed. Existing ones may be utilised. However, they may benefit from review

to ensure that they meet the requirements of the threshold and advanced threshold

assessment systems)

J. Reasonable Adjustment:

1) That an approach to reasonable adjustment is available to constables undertaking the

threshold and advanced threshold assessments

(Note: there is no requirement for a new reasonable adjustment procedure to be

developed. An existing one may be utilised. However, it may benefit from review to

ensure that it meets the requirements of the threshold and advanced threshold

assessment systems)

Defining and Assessing Competence€¦ · Defining and assessing competence across the service...

Documents

Transcript of Defining and Assessing Competence€¦ · Defining and assessing competence across the service...