The National Police Promotions Framework is a promotions process for the selection of Sergeants and Inspectors.  It consists of four steps:

Step One - Competence in Current Rank. 

Candidates must have completed probation and be competent in their current rank as assessed through the Performance Development Review.

Step Two - Legal examination (OSPRE® Part I exam).

Candidates must demonstrate the appropriate legal knowledge relevant to the rank applied to.

Step Three - Assessment against rank specific competencies and vacancy requirements. 

Candidates must demonstrate potential against the full range of required competencies. Additional competencies may also be required for specific roles.

Step Four - Temporary promotion and work-based assessment.

Candidates are provided with an opportunity to demonstrate competence in the relevant rank aspired to over a period of at least 12 months, and if successful they are expected to achieve a substantive promotion.

In response to concerns about the OSPRE system of promotion to the rank of Sergeant and Inspector, a Police Promotion Review Steering Group was established by the Home Office in 2003. 

One concern was that while some forces had an excess of promotion qualified officers, others did not have enough.  In addition some forces were predicting that the situation could become worse unless changes were made.  The review recommended that some forces trial alternative approaches to promotion that would allow greater control and choice with regard to the supply of officer numbers into their promotion pools.

The precursor to the National Police Promotions Framework, known as the Police Promotions Trial, sought to address these concerns and has been used in seven forces (Bedfordshire, MPS, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Merseyside, Thames Valley and Sussex).

The Police Promotion Examination Board (PPEB) want to be able to trial the new licensed National Police Promotion Framework.

In particular, we want to see how the governance procedures work, how national standards are maintained and to monitor the effect on the different diversity strands.

• Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
• Association of Police Authorities (APA)
• NPIA: Workforce Strategy, Examinations and Assessment and Equality Diversity and Human Rights Team
• Police Federation of England and Wales
• Superintendents' Association of England and Wales
• Trial Force Representatives (Sussex and Metropolitan Police)
• Non-Trial Force Representative (East Midlands region)
• Skills for Justice

The NPIA invited expressions of interest from all forces and then administered a selection process in order to select the three.  The chosen forces were suitably prepared to undertake the trial and have been contributing to it since Autumn 2009 

My force is a trial force for the National Police Promotions Framework and I am considering applying to be a promoted - Can you tell me more about the four steps?

Step One confirms that candidates have:

• Completed the probation period in their current rank
• Demonstrated competence in that rank through their Performance Development Review (PDR), or Student Officer Learning and Assessment Portfolio (SOLAP)
• No current improvement notices in force under the unsatisfactory performance procedures
• No current live misconduct issues or findings
• Adhered to the attendance management policy, taking full account of the Police Advisory Board guidance on sickness management.

If you are judged unsuitable for promotion, a development plan will be agreed with your line manager. You can make a fresh application when the reason for you being deemed unsuitable is resolved.

Step Two ensures that candidates have the appropriate legal knowledge to the relevant rank. It is a written, multiple choice examination, nationally designed and administered.  Candidates pursuing promotion through the National Police Promotion Framework will sit the same OSPRE® Part I examination as those pursuing promotion through the OSPRE® Part I and OSPRE® Part II route.

If you are unsuccessful you must return to Step One, and agree a development plan with your line manager if you still wish to pursue promotion.

Step Three candidates will be assessed against rank-specific competencies from the Police Performance Framework or its equivalent as designed by your force's senior management, in conjunction with human resources specialists.  Your force should let you know at an early stage what assessment techniques they will use so you have the maximum chance to prepare. They should also let you know how many vacancies there are at the rank you aspire to, as well as the number of officers eligible to apply for those vacancies.

At the end of step three, candidates will be identified as being:

• Suitable for promotion, although, depending on their relative performance, and on the number of potential vacancies arising not necessarily guaranteed an early temporary posting at the next rank
• Unsuitable for promotion.

Those judged unsuitable for promotion can reapply for promotion at the next opportunity.  They will be be provided with and should follow a development action plan in the interim.  As vacancies occur and depending on their position in the rank ordering, those judged suitable for promotion will be promoted temporarily in the higher rank.

Step Four is a temporary promotion period of at least 12 months during which candidates will be assessed in the workplace against selected National Occupational Standards or Qualification and Credit framework Units, appropriate to the new rank. 

Achievements of standards will lead to substantive promotion after 12 months; otherwise temporary promotion can be extended for a maximum of 12 months.  Where there are no extenuating circumstances, failure to achieve a satisfactory assessment within 24 months in all the mandatory competencies would mean that the candidate would revert to Step Three, provided they are within the OSPRE® I validity period.

Those judged unsuitable for substantive promotion whilst on Step Four can be removed from the Step and are not allowed to reapply at Step Three for at least 12 months, They will be be provided with and should follow a development action plan in the interim.

The Operating Manual acts as the control to ensure that the National Police Promotion Framework is applied fairly across all forces. 

The licensing process will ensure that national standards are maintained. 

Information will be collated by Forces and submitted to NPIA for analysis at each of the four steps of the process. NPIA will produce reports to allow Forces and the Police Promotion Examinations Board (who govern police promotion to the rank of sergeant and inspector) to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on particular groups of candidates.  This is referred to as the Data Capture Process.

It covers the following:

• Describes the four step National Police Promotion Framework
• Outlines the context and oversight of the National Police Promotion Framework
• Outlines arrangements for compulsory data collection to assure ongoing fairness, reliability and validity
• Details the National Occupational Standards to be assessed
• Provides guidance on extenuating circumstances and appeals
• Provides guidance on leadership learning
• Describes how it integrates with the High Potential Development Scheme.
  

The PPEB require that Forces must adhere to a robust licensing system in order to run the National Police Promotion Framework.  The licence will ensure that national standards are maintained consistently across forces. 

The Licensing System has three stages; Registration, Interim Licence and Confirmed Licence. 

Once a registered force is able to demonstrate that they have the necessary infrastructure in place then they will be issued an Interim Licence.  This will enable them to operate the four steps of the National Police Promotion Framework for the first time.

Forces will then work through all four steps of the National Police Promotion Framework as they progress towards their Confirmed Licence.

Forces will be given support to achieve their Confirmed Licences but sanctions can be imposed against forces who do not make sufficient progress, or who fail to achieve their Confirmed Licence.

As a Force implements the first full cycle of the National Police Promotion Framework (Steps One to Four inclusive) it will be required to evidence in practice that it meets the key requirements of the Operating Manual and Data Capture Process.  This will be assessed by staff from the NPIA by means of validation visit(s). 

Successful evidencing of the implementation of the National Police Promotion Framework will result in the issue of the Confirmed Licence.

The licence will be subject to renewal every three years, to cater for national or legislative changes, and to ensure a force is still meeting the terms and conditions of the National Police Promotion Framework.

The work based assessment process at Step Four is changing over to Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) units. At present there are officers embarking on these QCF units in trial forces as a part of their 12 month work based assessment. 

Some officers are still being assessed against National Occupational Standards at Step Four and these can be found here..

Level 5 Certificate in Police Management - Inspectors
6 Units with 5 Mandatory and 1 optional

CC5 Identify and manage operational threats and risks  - Mandatory
HA2 Manage own professional development within an organisation  (Manage your own resources and professional development) - Mandatory
HB1 Develop and evaluate operational plans for own area of responsibility (Develop and implement operational plans for your area of responsibility) - Mandatory
HB6 Provide leadership and direction for own area of responsibility (Provide leadership in your area of responsibility) - Mandatory
HD6  Plan, allocate and monitor work in own area of responsibility - Mandatory
HE1 Manage a budget for own area or activity of work (Manage a budget) - Optional
CC3 Plan and deploy resources for law enforcement operations - Optional
CC4 Determine and review authorisations - Optional
CC6 Plan law enforcement operations - Optional
HF15 Provide information to support decision making - Optional
CI106 Manage investigations area responsibility - Optional

Level 4 Certificate in Police First Line Management - Sergeants
6 Mandatory units

CB3 Conduct intelligence driven briefing, tasking and debriefing
CC7 Prepare for, monitor and maintain, law enforcement operations
HB5 Set objectives and provide support for team members (Provide leadership for your team)
HA1 Manage personal development (Manage your own resources)
CI105 Supervise investigations and investigators
CD101 Supervise and respond to critical incidents

The new Qualification and Credit Framework units for both sergeants and inspectors are now being used in trial forces and will, in time, be evaluated. There are no plans to change units or add additional units in the near future