Case Study: Staffordshire Police - Competitive Advantage

The Business School’s partnership with Staffordshire Police began in 2002, when a need for Leadership Development in the force was identified.

We developed bespoke, flexible programmes that lasted between 12 and 18 months with a delivery pattern of three days at 10 weekly intervals to fit in with the police shift cycle. These continued to evolve year by year and now include one-day events, guest speakers, coaching and master classes for staff who cannot commit to the whole programme.

The training programme leads to the Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management and membership of the Chartered Institute of Management. And so far, over 630 members of the force, both officers and civilian, have taken part.

Staffordshire Police have measured the benefits of the training programme to the Force itself, as well as to the individual participants and the general public.

Of 159 work-projects completed to date (as a requirement of the GCLM course), one project raised £54,000 of partnership funds to provide additional policing for a hospital complex. Another, which tackles mobile telephone forensics, has projected savings of £119,000 over a five-year period.

All participants on the course report acquiring new skills in a range of areas that are relevant to the organisation’s needs.

In February 2008, Staffordshire Police were named by the Audit Commission as the top performing force in the country for police use of resources.

And in October 2008 Staffordshire Police won the National Training Awards National Award for Partnership Approach to Training.