A comparative study of prior learning for serving police officers in Canada and England and Wales, UK: Bridging the academic gap

Abstract

The professionalisation of the police in Canada, and England and Wales has highlighted a gap in the education levels of new recruits and current serving police officers, motivating many of these officers to complete a university degree. The prior experience and training of these officers can be utilised as academic and operational credit against the learning outcomes of undergraduate programs and both countries use a system to recognise and dispense this award. In Canada this is called Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) and in England and Wales, Accredited Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). The College of Policing also offers a system of Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) which tailors support to officers in accessing higher education programs. This paper examines how the two countries methods support the bridging of the academic gap between new recruit and long-serving officers, supporting the professionalisation transition of the police force to produce effective 21st century officers. Formalized partnerships between academic institutions and police services are rare, but the need for academic institutions to develop pathways for officers to complete higher level education is a positive step forward in the process. This review highlights how Canada has yet to engage with academia in the professionalisation process in the same way as England and Wales.