Police Officer promotion process 833/2024

FOI Reference: 833/2024

Request:

Please, can I make a Freedom of Information request for the following detail, which are questions relating to your Police Officer Promotion Process. I would like to specifically know about: i) PC to Sgt, ii) Sgt to Insp and iii) Insp to Chief Insp. If the time constraints on FOI work start to be a factor, then please concentrate on information relating to Sgt to Insp processes.

1. What reasonable adjustment do you offer for officers that might suffer cognitive impairment through disability, who would be disadvantaged in comparison with their peers in assessment or test formats, be it through ability to retain or process information?
2. It is noted that preparation for interviews and assessments within the Police is highly competitive with much preparatory work at home often required. What reasonable adjustments do you offer for those officers that might be incapable to prepare for tests outside of working hours, either due to health or caring responsibilities?
3. Do you offer a bespoke reasonable adjustment where candidates exhibiting the issues detailed in point 2 are given a reduced area to have to prepare/research for, i.e. provided a more restrictive scope of questions prior to the assessment or given an approximate of crime types, if a crime scenario is reviewed – being told a question relates to Group 2 Crimes, rather than the officer have to try and revise all crime areas (the result being the candidate has less areas to revise in comparison with peers without the disadvantage faced)?
4. Do you offer assessment of ability through observation in role, i.e. a candidate acts or temps within a rank and a judgement is made on whether they are competent to be promoted?
5. Would you consider use of the above (promotion through assessment of ability through observation in role) as a bespoke reasonable adjustment?
6. Does your Force utilise the NPPF, whereby officers who pass a selection sift have a temporary promotion (12 months) and a work-based assessment leading to a professional qualification in police management – with promotion taking place after this 4^th step?
7. Where you have an Assessment Centre as part of your Promotion Process, what criteria governs scenarios or question setting?
8. Would you set a question within an Assessment Centre where a course would be required to answer it to a competent standard, i.e. a question on Public Order Tactics or Child Interviewing? If not, please confirm the reasons why, i.e. lack of fairness to other candidates or financial implications on training workforce in the course, etc. If yes, please explain under what circumstances this would be deemed proportionate, i.e. majority of staff would have undertaken the course, etc.                                          

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I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, as outlined below.

Response Q1

The force offers reasonable adjustments for officers undertaking a promotion process, based on their disability.  The adjustment is determined utilising a professional report provided by the officer, which details their requirements.  The College of Policing also provide reasonable adjustments for their promotion processes.

Response Q2

If an officer was experiencing difficulty in completing any preparatory work at home, this would be discussed with their Line Manager and suitable arrangements put in place.

Response Q3

The reasonable adjustments we provide where relevant are additional time to undertake the assessment, having sight of assessment material prior to the assessment and give time to read and digest this, together with making notes.  

Response Q4

This is not currently offered

Response Q5

The force promotion process is due to be reviewed and all options will be considered

Response Q6

Dyfed Powys Police utilise the National Police Promotional Framework, whereby officers who pass the boards have a temporary promotion (12 months) and a work-based assessment leading to a professional qualification in police management – with promotion taking place after this.

Response Q7

We do not utilise an assessment centre as part of the promotion process under their definition of this.

Response Q8

We do not utilise an assessment centre as part of the promotion process under their definition of this.

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 24/10/2024)