Teaching the College of Policing pre-employment “Certificate in Knowledge of Policing” to undergraduate students

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assist in identifying the value to the student of the College of Policing approved Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP), whilst identifying some of the challenges encountered by both students and staff. Design/methodology/approach – The research involved students completing self-administered questionnaires both on commencing their study of the CKP and completing the programme. Written student feedback was also collected and a focus group was facilitated with the academic teaching staff. The research approach adopted was aimed at influencing the development of the programme, whilst establishing the value of the CKP to students. Findings – The research suggests that completing the CKP did not significantly influence the students’ career choice, however, it did have a positive impact on the development of their confidence in terms of applying for the role of a police officer. Both staff and students identified the quantity of the knowledge to be taught and lear...