Back to the future

It was three years ago that Derbyshire’s Assistant Chief Constable, Dee Collins, graduated from the Strategic Command Course, but she returned this year to put back some of the investment the service made in her in 2007.

The second time around is even more enjoyable, according to the enthusiasm Dee Collins expresses about serving chief officers being seconded to the course, benefits to both participants and chief officers.

The role of a syndicate director is to facilitate exercises and learning, mentoring a group of participants through personal development plans, examining how to achieve their goals and how to develop the necessary skills for the future.

“For instance, one may recognise a gap in public order command, so we look at how to cover that in a variety of ways; it is not just through a traditional public order course but will include thinking through the consequences of a commander’s actions, how to resource situations and how decisions fit alongside other parts of policing,” said Ms Collins.

It is important to work with participants – as individuals and groups – to look at the issues in their broadest context, such as how they fit into the wider public sector, the business world and changes in society.

What is noticeable about the course of 2010 compared to three years ago is how it has responded to the major developments in the world of policing to make it contemporary; the exercises use real force data, providing a timely reminder of reality as the course posed a number of questions participants will face as they return and apply for senior positions.

Having had considerable involvement in police training earlier in her career, and with a portfolio that has until recently included HR, an involvement in leadership development was a natural step and a way to give something back, considering the opportunity that was afforded her when she attended Bramshill in 2007.

A clear message for any force or police authority allowing a chief officer to be seconded to the college is the benefit that each director also gains by their involvement, possibly more than some participants.

“In terms of personal development, it has allowed me to return to speed with national issues and to prepare for a portfolio change to more operational responsibility.

“By sharing experiences, examining political issues and positioning the service, with three years experience and hindsight to feed into discussions and stimulate debate, I have got a lot out of it as well.”

The course aims to provide an understanding of the changing environment of collaboration, a wider mission and partnerships.

“Everyone recognises current structures are probably no longer fit for purpose, given where we know we need to move towards. It is about how to get people to think differently, to not think parochially, only about their force or their part of the force, but to get them to think about the bigger picture.

“In particular, to think about the benefits of partnership working in which there are lots of great examples for it to be the norm. The fundamental policing mission – to protect the vulnerable – is also shared with the health sector and many other parts of the public sector.”

While some participants on the course may not have had much experience of working closely with other agencies, it is important to understand the opportunities that working across boundaries can provide, said Ms Collins.

“Everyone began their careers in a command and control structure and the service is moving, or has moved, to be part of social engineering and public entrepreneurship,” she said.
The wider issues include the advent of police force report cards and a focus on anti-social behaviour, which has led to greater discussion on the policing mission and a lack of knowledge about what it is the public expects of the police.

“Perhaps it is time we went out and asked our communities what they want. At the moment, the policing mission is so wide and vari