Race & Diversity

We have developed the Police Race and Diversity Learning and Development Programme (PRDLDP) as an integral element of the Home Office 'Strategy for Improving Performance in Race and Diversity'.

 

Background

The Police Race and Diversity Learning and Development Programme (PRDLDP) is aimed at improving police performance in race and diversity. It is intended for all police officers and members of the wider police family.

The strategy was drawn up by the tripartite partners, Home Office, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Association of Police Authorities (APA) and was launched by the Home Office Policing Minister in November 2004.

As of 1 April 2007 responsibility for the PRDLDP transferred from the Home Office to the NPIA.

Learning materials and training

The PRDLDP provides a blend of force-based training and a new range of e-learning materials related to each of the six main strands of diversity and an overarching strand entitled "Diversity and the Police". This will ensure that every member of the police service can achieve the national occupational standards (NOS) relating to fostering and promoting race and diversity.

These learning materials are available online via the National Centre for Applied Learning Technologies (NCALT) as version 2.

Note: Users will need to be eligible for and possess a police "pnn" e-mail address in order to access NCALT.

Training will reflect different situations to ensure the programme and the accompanying learning materials are relevant both to individual roles and to the needs of the local community. Performance will be the responsibility of individuals as much as forces and police authorities.

The strategy

Makes clear that effective race and diversity learning and development, with the committed participation of the police service, will lead to improved operational performance through:

  • a change in culture and practices to eliminate discrimination and establish fair treatment for everyone.
  • improved recruitment and retention of officers and staff from all under-represented groups
  • improved interaction with diverse communities, creating a citizen-focused, community-based police service
  • better intelligence and information from the public
  • increased community confidence
  • a level of competence assessed through performance and development review (PDR) and promotion procedures
  • improved performance at local and force level in race and diversity issues
  • compliance with relevant equality legislation
  • an upholding of the moral principle of intolerance of all forms of discrimination

Action plan and national occupational standards

The strategy sets out a clear plan for delivery, allocating responsibility to forces, authorities, the Home Office and NPIA for specific tasks. It also sets out the NOS against which all members of the police service will be assessed. The new NOS for use in the implementation of PRDLDP are AA1 and AA2.

The PRDLDP allows the incorporation of learning and development into everyday roles. It enables an individual's performance to be included and addressed within their annual PDR.

In September 06 the PRDLDP Board introduced a new minimum assessor requirement that requires assessors to be trained to the A1 standard and be occupationally competent in the standards they are assessing.

Monitoring of how the strategy is implemented by forces

Performance will be monitored at local, force and national level through the policing performance assessment framework (PPAF), by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary as part of their baseline assessments.

Reports will be published to monitor the programme's progress against the implementation plan of the strategy. The first of these was the Implementation Progress Report, published March 2007.

Support and Contact Information

NPIA's PRDLDP programme team have made a series of force visits and produced a good practice guide .Forces are welcome to nominate themselves for a visit.