Updated Code of Ethics – have your say
Sir Andy Marsh QPM
Chief Executive Officer of the College of Policing. Former Chief Constable at Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
Earlier this week I visited colleagues at Bedfordshire Police to launch the consultation into a revised police Code of Ethics. We laid the original Code before Parliament back in 2014 and while the review has been going on for a while, this consultation comes at a crucial time. Trust in policing's ability to keep people safe is at the lowest point during my 37 years of service. Recent tragic and upsetting crimes, committed by serving officers, have shone a spotlight on shameful aspects of the profession.
We must act quickly to rebuild that trust and show the public, and all officers, staff and police volunteers, that they have a service they can be proud of. We must support the thousands of dedicated people in policing who uphold the expected high standards of public service and who put the safety of others before their own, to keep the public safe.
I am grateful to Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst and Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye for their invitation to Bedfordshire to launch the consultation, their warm welcome and the chance to speak with a response team.
Public service
I spoke to the team about the three principles that underpin the proposed, revised Code of Ethics, the first of which is Public Service, and how sometimes the right decision is not always clear or easy to make. The revised Code of Ethics is intended to help us make good decisions about the dilemmas we face at work. Trust is at the heart of public service, and we must be transparent in explaining our decisions and holding ourselves accountable to build and retain trust.
Professional courage
The second proposed principle is leading with professional courage: everyone in policing is a leader.
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This firmly places responsibility on us all to act with absolute integrity even when the circumstances are difficult, to stand against anything that could bring our profession into disrepute and to have brave conversations when needed, to challenge behaviour that falls short of our high standards.
Respect and empathy
I am clear, that the ultimate professional advantage in policing is caring and compassion. It starts with and applies to every policing organisation. Responding with respect and empathy is the third and final principle – whether this is in the way we deal with victims and witnesses, arrest a repeat offender or are supervising a colleague, everyone is entitled to a policing service that is built on respect and empathy.
It’s important to mention that the code is not just about frontline policing services. It places a requirement on Chief Officers to create the environment where we can all put the principles into action and they can thrive. This means:
Have your say on the updated Code of Ethics
Months of consultation preceded the drafting and we’re now at the stage where we want to hear from everyone – if we’ve missed anything out and whether we could make anything clearer, please tell us and take part in the consultation today.
Public Order Public Safety Command Trainer @ West Midlands Region Police | Police Tactics and Training
1yI've had a look (albeit glancing) and the proposed changes. I've looked at them from the perspective of a trainer and a front line PC. The existing code is a simple list of words. Words which might not have the right meaning depending on the audience. However, they are simple and easy to record to memory. On my glance, I saw info graphics, words grouped linked to other words. It all seemed a little over complicated. From a cops point of view, I would have switched off pretty quickly. From a trainers point of view, I thought I'd have some work to do to put all this into perspective. I agree with some of the comments here. The existing code is good, if given proper weight and context. My experience as the recipient of training is that it's listed and moved away from (albeit from several years ago). As a command trainer, I'll spend ages talking about it and how important it is. Different audiences but still important. Command training has seen the re-introduction of listing the Nolan principles in training, which seems like a step back without context and push from the trainers. Personally, I believe the existing code is fit for purpose. It's training and follow through is what's lacking.
Police - Airwave
1yLeadership on standards in public life starts with Government and trickles down much like their economics!
Business Crime Reduction Specialist. Ethics and Community Development Champion. Memorial Device Alternative National Treasure. * Opinions expressed are my own
1yRobust application of ethics are the bedrock on which faith and trust are built, good luck with the mission Andy.