Police, Partnership and Professional Development in Northern Ireland

Posted: August 2009

Through its collaboration with Belfast Metropolitan College and the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust (PRRT) in Northern Ireland the BA Professional Development (BAPD) programme run through the School of Education, Social Work and Community Education is helping with the retraining of serving police officers for further careers in civilian life.

The Review of Policing conducted in the wake of the first paramilitary ceasefire in 1994 identified that, in a sustained period of social and political stability, the Police Service in Northern Ireland would have to be significantly restructured requiring fewer officers in the future.

With funding secured from the Northern Ireland Office PRRT was established as a private company charged with the responsibility of developing a programme responding to support police officers' retraining and rehabilitation needs.

As part of its academic training course provision since 2006 PRRT has offered access to the BA Professional Development awarded by the University of Dundee and to date some 18 police officers have taken the opportunity of gaining this award with a view to securing jobs after leaving the police force.

This year has seen a further development of this collaboration with PRRT now offering the MSc Applied Professional Studies in Leadership and Organisational Development. This Masters programme is part of the School of Education, Social Work and Community Education's postgraduate framework that encourages professional development though a flexible work - based distance learning programme of study.

Already some 12 police officers have made an application for the next intake in September and most of these applicants are graduates of the BA Professional Development programme wishing to continue their studies at postgraduate level.

Glenda Martin, Head of Training and Education at PRRT says:

"Participants on the BAPD found the programme so flexible and relevant to their particular professional development needs that they now wish to continue studying on the MSc Applied Professional Studies programme to further enhance their prospects of securing employment on leaving the Police Service."

For more information about the BA Professional Development or the MSc Applied Professional Studies please get in touch either Brian Leslie, Programme Director for the BAPD (email b.k.leslie@dundee.ac.uk) or Mike Naulty Programme Director for the MSc Applied Professional Studies (email m.naulty@dundee.ac.uk).