University of Northampton’s Policing Apprentices ready to hit the beat

Seventeen students of the ‘Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship’ (PCDA) programme have been officially sworn in with Northamptonshire Police.

As part of the Attestation ceremony at Northamptonshire Police Headquarters, the apprentices took the official Police oath and promised to uphold ‘fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people… and cause the peace to be kept and preserved and prevent all offences against people and property.’

These apprentices who are now fully warranted officers, as well as settling into student life on campus and at Police Headquarters, will ultimately be headed out on to the streets of Northamptonshire. Over the course of their three-year degree course, they will receive on-the-job learning alongside academic theory and knowledge, while earning a wage with Northamptonshire Police. These apprentices will hone their policing skills in specialist teaching spaces on campus, including the ‘Hydra’ Immersive Learning System, which uses technology to immerse students in critical incidents to develop their skills in decision making.

Damian Hiscocks, Senior Lecturer in Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies, at the University of Northampton, and a former serving Police officer himself, said: “We have a strong, long-standing relationship with Northamptonshire Police and I’m delighted to see these students attest and begin their service. I look forward to seeing how these students will leave their mark on the University and Northamptonshire as they help to keep our communities safe. This degree apprenticeship is a vital part of the way the University is supporting the Police in providing the Officers of the future.”

The PCDA is part of a programme of national changes to Police education and training, led by the College of Policing.