COVID-19 and recruitment assessment centres update

Our priority is to keep the public safe, and to do that we need to ensure police forces have sufficient levels of officers. 

“Joining the police service requires checks and assessments, most of which can be done without any face-to-face contact with the exception of the current assessment centre process. It has been agreed nationally that the continuation of assessment centres is essential activity.

“If we do not continue this work, then not only will the 20,000 officer uplift not happen, but there will be a reduction in police officer numbers and a significant impact on the resilience of operational policing nationally. This reduction will then be further impacted by anticipated workforce abstraction over the coming months due to COVID-19.

“Measures will be put in place to help mitigate potential risks and we are closely monitoring and reviewing all of our activity in what is a fast moving situation.”

Martin Hewitt, Chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council
Mike Cunningham, CEO of the College of Policing