May 1999 Volume 80 Number 6
"serving the protectors"
| May 1999 Volume 80 Number 6 "serving the protectors" |
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| Industrial Front | |
| By Mark
Carroll markcarroll@pasa.asn.au
Assistant Secretary |
Police Competencies Project
The establishment of National Core Competency Standards is part of the national training reform agenda and is to reform police training throughout Australia. The training reform agenda is a Federal Government initiative supported by States and Territories and was commenced in 1994 for police and operatives in other industries also.
The effect of national competencies will mean that police will have recognised and portable qualifications. This is currently not the case. The result of portability of qualification will mean that members will be able to move from one police service to another and have qualifications recognised, as well as having those same police qualifications recognised in other industries.
The Australian Police Education Standards Council (APESC) has formulated a set of competency standards. These competency standards relate to operational, supervisory, managerial and the senior executive service. Competencies have also been developed for some specialist police functions.
These competencies have been developed as part of a broader package, i.e. the Public Safety Training Package. The other areas included with police in the Public Safety Training Package are Fire Services and SES. Some of the competencies within the Public Safety Training Package are applicable to the three areas, e.g. "Managing injuries in an emergency incident".
The competency standards - including the police specific standards - are contained in a lengthy document, which is available for viewing on PASA Web. The Website is at http:\\www.pasa.asn.au. It is also envisaged that SAPOL will provide the package on the Intranet for members to view. When viewing the standards, do not be discouraged by the length of the document. You will need to focus on the police competencies relevant to you.
The project is currently going through a validation stage in which the actual competency standards are being examined to test whether they are accurate and applicable. When the validation process is completed, the negotiations for the implementation of the package to each individual police jurisdiction will take place.
The implementation phase of the project will be crucial for members. Although this is a national agenda, the individual police associations are likely to be negotiating with their respective jurisdictions on important issues such as:
- The recognition of current members' skills and knowledge, and prior learning.
- Method of assessment to ensure fairness and appeal rights where members are aggrieved.
- Making sure the competency standards are not used for inappropriate purposes such as discipline.
- Fair and reasonable access to training.
- How the new qualifications and competencies interact with existing training and promotional qualifications.
In the long term, this project has benefits for the police profession. These issues will be discussed at future Police Association branch meetings. Meanwhile, please direct enquiries to PASA secretary, Andy Dunn, or myself.
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