- Strategic and Professional Context of Policing - Evolution of policing as a profession; Drivers for professionalisation and modernisation; Strategic priorities and organisational objectives
- Theories and Concepts of Ethical and Professional Approaches -, Ethical frameworks and policing values; Recording and reporting police incidents: transparency and accountability; Professional judgement and integrity in practice
- Police Governance, Accountability and Professional Standards - Oversight bodies and regulatory frameworks (e.g., College of Policing, IOPC); Codes of Ethics and standards of conduct; Mechanisms for accountability and public trust
- Discretion and Decision-Making Strategies - The National Decision Model (NDM): principles and application; Risk assessment and proportionality in policing decisions; Balancing discretion with policy and law
- Individual and Organisational Influences - Police culture and its impact on behaviour; Misconduct: causes, consequences, and prevention; Internal and external pressures shaping policing practice
- Bias, Discrimination and Equality - Understanding bias and its implications for policing; Strategies to challenge discrimination and promote fairness; Diversity and inclusion in policing
- Theories of Justice - Procedural justice and its role in legitimacy; Organisational justice and workforce morale; Community justice and engagement
- Community Policing and Engagement - Value of community policing in fostering trust; the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee; Impact of local and high-profile cases on cohesion; Building partnerships with diverse communities
- Politics, Accountability and Governance - Political influences on policing priorities; Public expectations and media scrutiny; Maintaining legitimacy in a changing social landscape

1. You will undertake a simulation where you will adopt the role of a police officer. You will be faced with a situation involving members of the public and will have to react to what is presented and develops in the scenario. You will need to use verbal and non-verbal communication skills and use knowledge of professional approaches to inform your decision making.

2. You are presented with a scenario reflecting topics included in the module. You are to respond to the situation presented at the time and reflect afterwards, detailing and displaying how you would respond in the moment to such behaviours displayed. After the scenario, you are to reflect on the situation and the impact of the behaviours experienced both internally and externally to the organisation incorporating academic literature to support their points. You should reflect on your own actions at the time and what the consequences of these might be. You can produce a written reflection or video.

The content on this module will be taught through a range of sessions, including lectures, tutorials, workshops and practical sessions. The module utilises case studies, role play and an applied learning approach to support your learning. Assessment support workshops are built into the timetabled sessions on the module. You will take part in similar formative simulation prior to the summative assessment to become comfortable in such situation, receive feedback during debriefs and reflect on areas for development. You will also have the opportunity to submit segments of your reflection for feedback prior to the submission deadline.

1. Apply professional approaches to policing, demonstrating fairness, ethics and integrity.

Application & problem-solving;

2. Appraise the role of professional standards, roles and expectations on building a fair police force.

Knowledge &and understanding;

3. Critically reflect on how police culture informs and effects police-public interactions.

Critical reasoning & collaboration

4. Use professional judgement and discretion to navigate obstacles and make effective, evidence‑based decisions.

Professional development & entrepreneurship
Application & problem solving

Simulation suite.
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Padlet

Charman, S. (2017). Police Socialisation, Identity and Culture. Becoming Blue. Basingstoke, Palgrave MacMillian

College of Policing (2025) Leadership, Standards. Performance. Available at: https://www.college.police.uk/

Sheldon, B. and Williams, P. (2022) Understanding policing and professional practice. St Albans: Critical Publishing. Available at: https://www.vlebooks.com/vleweb/product/openreader?id=StaffsUni&isbn=9781914171963.

Waddington, P.A.J., Kleinig, J. and Wright, M. (eds) (2013) Professional police practice : scenarios and dilemmas . First edition. Oxford, England : Oxford University Press.

What does it take to build a police service that is trusted, accountable, and truly professional? This module explores the strategic and professional context of policing, examining how individual and organisational factors shape police practice both internally and externally. You will delve into the theories and concepts that underpin ethical and professional approaches, including the importance of accurate incident recording and transparent decision-making and considers how discretion, bias, and discrimination impact policing outcomes—and how these can be effectively challenged to improve fairness and legitimacy.