IOPC launches mandatory training course for new recruits
Student police officers across England and Wales will for the first time receive mandatory training on the role and powers of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, following the launch of a new online course developed in partnership with the College of Policing.
The 90-minute interactive package, which went live last month on the College’s College Learn platform, has been built into the curriculum for all new police officers and staff — the first time an IOPC-designed course has formed part of mandatory initial training.
The course was created by the IOPC’s Oversight Team, which examines how forces in England and Wales handle complaints from the public and advises on best practice in complaint handling.
IOPC Director of Oversight and Casework David Ford said the move was intended to address inconsistency in how recruits had previously been briefed on the watchdog’s work. “Until now there hasn’t been any formal, IOPC-led training for new officers. We would regularly provide training inputs to groups of student officers, but it was inconsistent across forces with varying uptake rates,” he said.
Ford expects around 3,000 trainee officers will have access to the course in its first year, broadly matching the number of new officers recruited across England and Wales in the previous twelve months.
The course covers the IOPC’s structure, investigative role and the processes officers and staff should expect if they become subject to a review or independent investigation. Ford said a key aim was to counter misinformation. “We know there is a risk trainees may encounter misunderstandings or inaccurate information about the IOPC. That’s why it’s important to reach them in the early stages of their career to clearly lay out our role, processes, and responsibilities.”
The launch sits within a broader push to professionalise policing from the point of entry. The government’s policing reform white paper, published in January, set out plans for a Licence to Practise — a formal accreditation framework that would, for the first time, make continued service conditional on meeting defined professional standards. Under those proposals, officers who fall short could have their licence suspended or revoked.
Louise Hodgson, Head of Recruitment and Initial Entry Routes at the College of Policing, said embedding the learning within initial training would support transparency and professionalism from the outset, and would allow forces to ensure all new joiners receive consistent and up-to-date information on police oversight.
The course is also accessible to existing officers and staff with College Learn accounts.