The Implementing Transformation of Police Learning and Development (ITPLD) Project was intended from its outset to produce academically rigorous research, however the wider ambition was always to translate that research into practical products and resources to support policing to engage the challenge of Vision 2025 and beyond. Set out below are the outputs from the project to fulfil these ambitions.
The Strategic Narrative sets out a theory of change for police Learning and Development which has been developed as a result of the research carried out over the course of the project. In doing so it draws on the learning that has been co-produced between the academic research team and policing practitioners in their joint exploration of the police L&D landscape. This synthesis of academic and practitioner knowledge and learning creates a strong empirical basis for the position it sets out.
Four videos to introduce and explain the project: watch the series of short films outlining the project.
Survey of all forces across England and Wales to establish their current views on preparedness for changes to meet Policing Vision 2025:
As well as a review of Forces financing of L&D functions:
As a follow up to the initial survey a second survey was conducted some 12 months later. It repeated the questions asked in the original survey and posed new questions aligned to the development of the Destination Map. This survey provides robust empirical evidence of the changes in preparedness of Police L&D functions across the police services of England and Wales across the timescale of the project.
Details of this endline survey can now be seen in the report:
An important element of the research was understanding how other professions, notably paramedics and nursing, had been on institutional journeys towards ‘professionalisation’. Set out below is the outcome of this research based on interviews with practitioners and a literature review on the professionalisation journeys of other professions:
In order to understand the state of L&D functions, as well as the experiences and views of the L&D professionals in policing a number of action research based in-depth case studies were undertaken. These collaborative deep dives (CDDs) were undertaken in partnership with the host forces and utilised co-researchers from other police services to ensure the results were co-produced between academic and practitioner participants. For reasons of confidentiality individual reports are not publicly available, however for more information on the outcomes of this element of the project see below:
Details of the Destination Map and the Tools Techniques and Resources (TTR) For Learning and Development In Policing can be found here.
In addition, specific toolkits can be found on the links below:
One of the aims of the project was to initiate and establish a National Learning Network for police L&D professionals that would provide a forum for them to:
The project hosted four National Learning Events and outputs from these can be found below.
City Hall, London November 2018 - programme and blog from an attendee on their experience of the day's events
Sedgley Park Centre, Manchester May 2019 - programme
University of Newcastle (hosted by the Police Foundation), June 2019
City Hall, London September 2019 - programme
Presentation slide decks from the speakers on the day and video footage of their presentations:
The Open University’s OpenLearn resource provides a wide range of learning resources, a number of which are free to access. A curated selection of the free courses which L&D professionals may find helpful, for both their own and others personal and professional development can be found here
The Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL) is proud to launch our 2024 Annual Report, marking a decade of collaboration with policing that’s driven meaningful change and supported professional learning across the sector.
Thursday, June 19, 2025
The Open University, Milton Keynes