Teesside is first North East University to be nationally approved to teach policing qualification

Vital knowledge and understanding for aspiring police officers is to be taught at Teesside University after it became the first North East University to be approved to teach an important qualification.

The College of Policing has approved Teesside University to be a provider of the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP).

An increasing number of police forces across the country, including the Metropolitan Police Service, request the CKP qualification be completed before someone applies to join the service.

Teesside University now offer the CKP embedded as a module within its BSc (Hons) Crime and Investigation degree programme and from September within a BSc (Hons) Policing degree.

There are also plans to offer it as a stand-alone qualification in the future.

The CKP was introduced in April 2012 and provides a nationally recognised official qualification for students who want a career in the police.

It also contributes to the Diploma in Policing which is a requirement for all new police constables.

The certificate gives an understanding of policing and police law and demonstrates the critical decision making skills required for the job.

It covers a range of subjects, including: • responding to incidents and providing initial support to victims and witnesses • searching premises and individuals • participating in operations • interviewing witnesses and suspects, and • social and community issues and neighbourhood policing.

The CKP involves approximately 300 hours of study, including 100 hours of teaching time, and successful candidates must achieve a minimum pass mark and attendance rate.

The Approved Provider status for the CKP boosts Teesside University’s credentials as an internationally-renowned centre for teaching and research related to crime, policing and forensic science.

Teesside boasts state-of-the-art facilities for its crime, policing and forensic disciplines including a crime scene house and mock court room.

Dr Ian Pepper, Principal Lecturer in Policing, said: 'It’s a great honour to receive this approved provider status and a fantastic opportunity to teach this exciting course.

'It further enhances our credibility as a University that supports and drives employability.

'We want to be seen as not only meeting the needs of our students but also of the employers in the workplace by providing the sort of qualifications they want for their employees.'

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