Is there ‘discretionary space’ in rank-based police constabularies for graduate constables to think critically and make autonomous decisions?
| Author | Elizabeth A Bates,John McCanney,Julie C Taylor |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X20987300 |
| Published date | 01 June 2022 |
| Date | 01 June 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
2022, Vol. 95(2) 314 –331
Article
Is there ‘discretionary space’
in rank-based police
constabularies for graduate
constables to think critically
and make autonomous
decisions?
John McCanney, Julie C Taylor and Elizabeth A Bates
Institute of Health, University of Cumbria, Carlisle, UK
Abstract
The Police Education and Qualification Framework (PEFQ) mandated that from 2020
police recruits must be educated to degree level. This change has generated much debate
around the relationship between academia and the police. There has been less discussion
about parallel organisational change. To explore the opportunities for graduate officers
to find the ‘discretionary space’ to employ the skills associated with university study, 234
police constables were surveyed. Analysis revealed that officers faced barriers to
decision-making from bureaucratic and managerial procedures. Findings suggest that
police organisations may need to make changes structurally and procedurally to benefit
from a graduate workforce.
Keywords
Critical thinking, discretionary space, professionalisation, police
The role of a police constable in the UK in 21st century is more complex and challenging
than ever before. The typical response officer must be able to police a diverse community
of individuals with an array of needs and expectations, from complex online crimes to
resolving neighbourhood disputes. Officers are expected to act as ‘paramedic’ and
‘mental health worker’ to safeguard the vulnerable in addition to responding to the more
traditional Saturday night disorderly behaviour. In response to these challenges the
Corresponding author:
John McCanney, Institute of Health, University of Cumbria, Fusehill Street Campus, Carlisle CA1 2HH, UK.
Email: s0909483@uni.cumbria.ac.uk
The Police Journal:
Theory, Practice and Principles
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DOI: 10.1177/0032258X20987300
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McCanney et al. 315
Government, The National Police Chiefs Council and the College of Policing agreed that
policing should be a profession, putting police officers on a par with the social workers,
doctors and lawyers with whom they regularly collaborate (College of Policing, 2016;
National Police Chiefs’ Council, 2016; Neyroud, 2011). They proposed that professio-
nalising the police would not only recognise the work that the police already do, but
would help to create a workforce of accredited practitioners confident in making deci-
sions based on skills and knowledge rather than rank (College of Policing, 2018; Jones,
2016; Lee and Punch, 2004; National Police Chiefs’ Council, 2016).
It is generally acceptedthat professions require practitioners to have undertaken tertiary
education before they can practice (Evetts, 2011b; Greenwood, 1957). Until recently, the
police were regardedas an artisan trade meaning that educational qualifications were nota
pre-requisite to employment as a constable (Heslop, 2011a; Jones, 2016; Lee and Punch,
2004). However, in response to the professionalisation agenda, the College of Policing
introduced the Police Education Qualifications Framework. The framework states that
from 2020, police recruits will have to hold a policing degree before they are confirmed
in post (Collegeof Policing, 2019; Cox and Kirby,2018; Ramshaw and Soppitt, 2018).It is
claimed thatgraduate entry will ensure thatrecruits possess critical thinkingskills enabling
them to make autonomous decisions by assessing and balancing complex risks. A move
intended to elevate policing to a profession (College of Policing, 2018; National Police
Chiefs’ Council, 2016; Ramshaw and Soppitt, 2018). However, while there has been
widespread acceptance that policing should be a profession it is argued by some that the
concept has not been has not been rigorously examined either conceptually or practically
(Fleming, 2014; Holdaway, 2017; Sklansky, 2014).
A core concern is the potential conflict between critical thinking graduate recruits and
the long-established pattern within policing; where police leaders, without any consulta-
tion or workforce involvement, introduce policies and procedures, that effectively
‘micro-manage’ officers and restrict discretion (Bradford and Quinton, 2014; Goode
and Lumsden, 2018; Heslop, 2011b).
Professional discretion is considered an inherent attribute in defining a profession, it is
generally accepted that constables have unusually high level of personal discretion. Con-
stables operateout of sight of their supervisors in idiosyncraticsituations that are not easily
recreated for subsequent independent analysis (McLaughlin, 2007; Savage, 2007). How-
ever, unlikein the medical or legal profession, police discretionis not viewed as the natural
professional judgement of qualified and knowledgeable practitioners. Instead police dis-
cretion is problematic, often seen as the subjective and capricious use of police power
against marginalised and minority groups,undermining public expectationsof the fair and
universal application of the law (Phillips, 2016; Rowe, 2007). Police discretion is seen as
fundamental to effective policing because the law cannot be enforced in every situation,
judgement in its’ application is often required (Lustgarten, 1986; Reiner, 2010). Despite
this, police leaders arguably attempt to control and limit their officers’ discretion through
the introduction of regulations that define appropriate practices in certain policing situa-
tions and employ information technology to check that officers have complied. Compli-
ance is typically assessed through detailed and rigorous reporting systems, where officers
outline theiractions in each situation. Anydeviation from the policy must be explainedand
justified. This approach is argued to be driven by risk aversion and has been applied to a
2The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles XX(X)
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