Professional Policing BSc(Hons)

This module develops your understanding of criminological approaches to crime. The professionalisation of policing in England and Wales are requiring police officers to be critical as well as reflective. The complexity and diversity of society requires officers who can handle situations which are rarely routine. An introduction to criminological perspectives on policing and crime reduction will foster an understanding of the initiatives and approaches that have been proposed and adopted to reducing crime.

This module will develop your understanding of ‘Community Policing’. You’ll look at the development of community policing, as a response to public criticism of reactive based policing and a move to a more proactive approach. It will highlight examples of real-world significance and explore the changing nature of community policing in a social and political context. It will introduce you to signal crimes and signal disorder and the development of problem-oriented policing (POP) and partnership working.

The module will introduce you to the purpose, responsibilities, and standards of the modern police service. Principles of policing in England and Wales; fairness and equality are part of the change towards professionalisation. Concepts in policing such as ‘policing by consent’ and ‘legitimacy’ rely on public cooperation for officers to carry out their role. This module encourages you to consider an evidenced-based approach.

In this module you'll be introduced to study skills within a Higher Education (HE) setting, focusing on academic writing, referencing and citations, basic library searches and research. Alongside this, you’ll also be introduced to the skills and competencies required to become a police officer and how to prepare for the recruitment process. The module aims to develop your abilities to achieve within a professional HE programme. It will also provide you with an understanding of the police recruitment process.

In this module you’ll consider how the police service in England and Wales develops and maintains positive relationships with all communities. You’ll look at how society has changed and the police service has responded. You’ll explore significant events such as the Brixton Riots (1981) and the murder of Stephen Lawrence (1993). You’ll examine how equality legislation has developed since the 1970s with a focus on confidence in the police.

UK Policing relies on information and intelligence. Intelligence underpins policing operations and contributes to police collaborations with other agencies. This raises issues about how information is collected, how it comes to form intelligence, ethics and the management of data. This module aims to develop your understanding of the role of information and intelligence within policing and how the police are obliged to collect, store, and manage intelligence appropriately. It will consider intelligence use in policing operations and how partner agencies can support operations through the sharing of information and intelligence.

This module introduces you to the structure, processes, and role of police investigations, and the legal, resourcing and professional/ethical standards within which they operate. It reviews core elements of the investigative process, different investigative types, and how different forms of information are utilised. It considers victim/witness support during the investigative process, reviews the differing roles of key stakeholders, and explores roles and relationships between police investigators and specialist partners. It considers how personal attitudes, values and bias can influence investigations, and reviews how investigations and investigative material are managed and reviewed.

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the policing of roads in England and Wales. It will explain the core function of the police service using the 3 Es of roads policing: ‘Education, Engineering and Enforcement’. It will cover the key road traffic legislation and policies relating to the use of vehicles, as well consider the use of vehicles in connection with crime and anti-social behaviour. The use of problem-solving model will be explored, alongside national strategies and policy development for safer roads. Evidence-based Policing research contextualises learning and good practice throughout.

This module introduces you to response policing and its effectiveness in contemporary policing. Response policing often leads to further investigation. It is frequently required when the public first contact the police for assistance. Calls can be challenging; from a person in mental health crisis to a major incident. This module draws upon interoperability and joint working relationships with other emergency services and partner agencies. It develops understanding of key social, political and strategic drivers that impact on contemporary response policing.

This module helps to develop your understanding of vulnerability and risk. It introduces you to competing views of vulnerability and why the police adopt a specific definition related to the concept of policing as a public service. It addresses the interrelationship of vulnerability with risk to highlight how some individuals and groups are more vulnerable to offending behaviour. It will enable you to understand how the police reduces risk. This includes approaches linked to early intervention, prevention and partnership working. College of Policing’s National Policing Curriculum ‘Vulnerability and Risk’ and areas of ‘Victims and Witnesses’ are covered in this module.

This module introduces you to the core models, processes and factors that can influence police decision-making and discretion. Police decision-making is complex. Decisions are required in difficult circumstances and are often made based on incomplete or contradictory information. In addition, police officers and police staff are sometimes required to make decisions in circumstances where those involved deliberately mislead or try to mislead them. It is, therefore, not surprising that sometimes the decision does not achieve the best outcome. The College of Policing National Policing Curriculum (NPC) Learning Outcomes for ‘Decision Making and Discretion’ will be covered in this module.

In this module you’ll analyse the ways in which digital and online services facilitated by contemporary information communication technology has led to a proliferation of new issues and crimes. Digital and online facilities can be accessed easily to provide a platform for offences which are novel intensified and speeded up, creating new and more extensive harms within society. This module requires you to engage with a range of issues relating to the digital world. The College of Policing’s NPC Learning Outcomes from ‘Digital Policing’ and elements of ‘Public Protection’ are also covered in this module.

The aim of this module is to provide you with an opportunity to gain experience of conducting evidenced-based policing research. The ability to undertake planned and well executed research is a core skill within the discipline of police education and is a requirement of the National Policing Curriculum. You’ll have the opportunity to study and research a policing topic in detail, enabling you to further develop your understanding of research gained in Years 1 and 2.

The idea of public protection has been at the centre of policing since its inception in the 19th century. This module builds on the ‘Policing: Core Functions and Standards’ and ‘Victimology: Vulnerability and Risk’, to help deepen your understanding of the concept public protection in modern day policing. It will provide you with the legislative tools and guidance to help you understand how you can develop policing practice in relation to public protection. The College of Policing’s National Police Curriculum for ‘Public Protection’ is covered in this module.