Police

[JBR]

A very interesting discussion on t'telly right now (on YouTube):  "Senior Police Are Not On Your side"

A former police officer stating, among other things, that the police are now being directed to 'deal with' people in a different way which could be described as 'two tier policing'.  
The so-called 'College of Policing' demonstrates by its name that police are now expected to obtain a degree in policing.  He asserts that this is counter productive, and that the police traditionally were down to earth, practical, and experienced in life in general, and that having to obtain a degree is both unnecessary and creating a less effective type of police.  This politicising of the police is not to our advantage.
I wonder how others feel about this.

[muddy]

While one does not want an ignorant thug as a policeman why is it necessary to have a degree? 
A good character and a desire to do what is right by the law would seem more important .
But what's the use of degree educated police when degree educated judges hand out trivial crackpot sentences ?
My son ( who did have a degree) joined the police for a while.
He left to start his own business .

[GrannyMac]

My nephew, who didn't have a degree, was a DI.  He left and went into business, using the trade he learnt before the police.  

I think a mixture of qualifications, depending on the role, is OK. A friend's daughter has been a copper for several years, she has a degree in criminology.  She's done her stint as a PC, now working as a DC. 

[Ashy]

I think it reflects an attitude among degree holders that people without a degree are worthless, stupid and common.

[Scrumpy]

Sam was in the police force when we first met..
He was told by a senior officer 'Leave the expensive motor drivers alone'..
This was after reporting a 'posh' motor for some incident..
two tier policing has been going on for years.

A former police officer stating, among other things, that the police are now being directed to 'deal with' people in a different way which could be described as 'two tier policing'. 
advantage.

[muddy]

I think it reflects an attitude among degree holders that people without a degree are worthless, stupid and common.

I don't think all people with degrees people think like that .

[JBR]

While one does not want an ignorant thug as a policeman why is it necessary to have a degree?
A good character and a desire to do what is right by the law would seem more important .
But what's the use of degree educated police when degree educated judges hand out trivial crackpot sentences ?

Yes indeed.  I agree with all of this.
The old traditional coppers were not degree holders.  They were trustworthy people who knew right from wrong and importantly were no physical pushovers.  You don't need to be the Brain of Britain to be a policeperson; all that is needed is common sense, a strong character and a right mind.

I'll always remember a recent TV recording of the chief constable of the Metropolitan police angrily pushing a reporter aside as he walked past in his officious way.

I really don't know why university education and degrees are now being pushed as if such things are a necessary thing.  They can be important in the right situation, but certainly not for each and every job.  In fact a lack of 'street knowledge' is detrimental for many jobs like policing.  I'm sure it is true that many degree holders have done nothing other than gone to school and then gone straight to university, and have little or no experience of the real world.

April 17, 2025, 06:03:41 PM

I don't think all people with degrees people think like that .

I agree.  Dex and I each have one and I'm sure that neither of us are of that opinion.  We are very down to earth and very nice people.  😉🤣

[dextrous63]

100% agree.

[Alex]

100% agree.

People in our age group don't think that way, but I'm not so sure about the younger generation.  A lot of them are obsessed with having a 'degree' this is why we have to import electricians, plumbers and chippies.
I blame Tony Blair.

[klondike]

People in our age group don't think that way

Maybe because of this (from ChatGPT obviously)

Baby boomers came of age before the major expansion of higher education in the UK, which occurred in the late 1980s and 1990s.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics and academic studies:

In the 1970s, only about 10-15% of young people in the UK attended university.

By the early 1990s, the proportion began to rise rapidly due to reforms and the expansion of higher education.

Therefore, among the older boomers (born 1946–1955), the degree-holding rate is likely closer to 20% or below, while the younger boomers (born 1956–1964) may be in the 25–30% range.

[JBR]

People in our age group don't think that way, but I'm not so sure about the younger generation.  A lot of them are obsessed with having a 'degree' this is why we have to import electricians, plumbers and chippies.
I blame Tony Blair.

I agree.  Unfortunately, the innocence of youth.  A lot of young people can't see beyond the end of their noses.

[muddy]

Probably  because they can't get into jobs without a degree.
Jobs that were once done by people who did not have degrees are now not open to them .
How many nurses ,midwives bank workers etc used to need a degree to enter ? 

[GrannyMac]

When I retired, I was the only person in my department, at my level, without a degree.  Obviously I was the oldest. 😬 I fall into the 'older' category of baby boomers.

Both my kids have masters. One went the traditional route, school then university.  The other went into a vocational job, then nursing, without a degree.  Her qualifications were gained on the job as she progressed. 

[klondike]

When I started in IT or DP as it was called at the time I don't think there even were any degree courses in it. Certainly there was  no requirement for one but these days you'd be unlikely to get a start without one. After that what counts is experience.