Emerging results on the impact of COVID-19 on police training in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The emergence of COVID-19 impacted teaching across the globe and this study is the first to examine the impact it had on the delivery of training within policing by seeking to address how police services in the United Kingdom adapted their delivery during the pandemic. The study achieves this by focussing on 3 aims (1) How did police services in the United Kingdom adapt delivery of training and education during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) What was the impact of the adaptations? For example, what worked and what did not? (3) What can be done in preparedness for future significant interruptions in police training and education? In pursuing these aims, the study identifies reliance on predominately pedagogic approaches such as increased use of the National Centre for Applied Learning Technologies (NCALT), instructor led power-point presentations and pre-recorded material, undermining engagement and motivation towards training amongst officers. Discussion outlines proposals for improving present police training and in future pandemics.