Cops in England and Wales will soon need to have a work permit to keep their jobs, or they’ll be fired, according to the Home Office.
They’ll also need to renew this Licence to Practise throughout their time on the force.
These changes, part of a larger set of reforms the Home Office will announce, aim to equip police officers with new skills to adapt to evolving criminal methods.
This includes learning how to handle violence against women and girls, and how to police local areas.
But if a cop doesn’t meet the required standard, even after getting a few chances to improve, they’ll be let go.
According to Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones, all officers need to stay in top shape to keep their communities safe. Criminals are changing, and we want the police to change faster.
She said that the Licence to Practise will give every officer the skills they need, no matter if they’re new or have been on the force for years.
These changes will help police catch more criminals and keep local communities safe.
The Home Office mentioned that these plans were inspired by how other professions, like law and medicine, are managed.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to share more about these reforms soon.
The Home Office is calling this the biggest change to policing in ages.
A report called ‘From local to national: a new model for policing’ says this program will be rolled out gradually.
