The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has launched the very first Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) to educate future police officers.

The university has teamed up with Lancashire Constabulary to educate new student police recruits in the Lancashire region.

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The programme has been designed in conjunction with the College of Policing as part of the new Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF), which forms part of the National Policing Vision 2025.

The course will be a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Professional Policing Practice which will take place over three years, where graduates will also be fully qualified officers.

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Professor Ian Allison said: “It’s fantastic to have been selected by Lancashire Constabulary to deliver degree apprenticeships as part of the Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF).

“The development of this innovative degree apprenticeship in the Police Service, has involved a strong collaboration between Lancashire Constabulary, UCLan and the College of Policing in its governance role as the professional body for the service.

“This has ensured accreditation and quality in both design and delivery and is an exciting time for all involved in the move towards greater professionalisation of the service.”

The university will deliver academic content on campus, working with Lancashire Constabulary, giving student officers the opportunity to combine academic study with their role as a Police Officer.

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “Police officers come from all walks of life and work around the clock to keep people safe.

“Investing in our officers will always be a top priority and this new recruiting process is a good opportunity to gain hands on operational policing experience, whilst at the same time obtaining valuable academic qualifications to equip officers with the skills necessary to manage the increasing demands of modern policing.”

The student officers will begin a 10 week in-class programme as part of the new Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA), as well as sending the student police officers to work on the streets of Lancashire.

The PCDA degree will be the first of its kind to be available in Lancashire and will initially have an intake of 35 students.

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The new PCDA students were sworn in officially through a special attestation ceremony held at Lancashire Police headquarters at Hutton, near Preston.

Among those attending the ceremony were Lancashire Police Chief Constable Andy Rhodes and Professor Ian Allison Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

Lancashire Constabulary’s Chief Constable Andy Rhodes said: “The intake is the first ever degree apprenticeship group so I took the opportunity to talk to many of the officers and their relatives after the attestation ceremony.

“The energy and commitment of our new colleagues is matched only by their obvious quality with many of them having spent several years trying to join Lancashire Constabulary.

“Our recruitment plan will hopefully see many more recruits joining us over the next 18 months.”