Met Police training first
Monday, 05 December, 2022
The Metropolitan Police Service have become the first ever police force to have a training course endorsed by the Police Crime Prevention Academy, having been scrutinised by the Academy and endorsed as fit and proper training providers in the delivery of the Drug Expert Witness training.
The Met's Drug Expert Witness (DEW) training enables experienced officers with a background in investigating drugs offences to develop their skills and knowledge, enabling them to assist in the Criminal Justice Process by providing opinion evidence to inform the courts. This foundation course outlines the requirements of the role that DEWs perform and ensures that officers provide evidence to the highest possible standard.
Academy Head, Guy Collyer, said: "Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and its Academy provide third party accreditation on a number of products and schemes. This is the first police course to achieve the standards required by the code of conduct. It has taken almost a year and is a fantastic achievement by the Metropolitan Police. We are now working with them to achieve this success with other courses."
Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Ryan, Metropolitan Police Service, said: "The development and delivery of this course is a significant achievement for the Central Drugs Team. The successful accreditation by the Academy is the result of a great deal of work and dedication by the team, which will contribute driving excellence in the provision of expert evidence in MPS investigations and assist in disrupting high harm offenders in London."
The Academy is now an established crime prevention learning and development supplier providing qualifications recognised by UK employers and courses for both the public and private sectors.
The Academy have developed an endorsement scheme to assist in the promotion of good training companies and courses. To become 'PCPA Endorsed' a company must have common goals to Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, but not be in competition with the Academy.
PCPA Endorsed falls into three main categories:
* Endorsed CSAS & RSAS Training Companies
* Other Endorsed Training Companies
* Endorsed Police Courses
As a ProQual Approved Centre, the Academy offers an exclusive link to another Police CPI initiative - Secured by Design, which was set up in 1989 to work with the Police Service around the UK, to raise product security standards to deter and reduce crime in new build and refurbished homes.
The Academy maintains close working links with the National Police Chiefs' Council and senior police officers from across the UK as well as with subject matter experts, academics and policymakers to ensure that qualification and course content is current for delivery and assessment.
Clients include Police Forces in England and Wales, Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Siochana - the police force of the Republic of Ireland, as well as security organisations like the military police, local authorities and community safety partnerships.
