Participants opportunities Brochure 2025

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How to navigate this brochure

The Application Process

Contact Us

Timeline

The Police Now Academy

Key Aims

Overview

Why should you apply?

Our partner organisations

External Secondment Opportunities

Contents

Overview

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Police Now’s mission is to transform communities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and increase the public’s confidence in the police service by recruiting, developing and inspiring outstanding and diverse individuals to be leaders in society and on the policing frontline.

Police Now Mission

“The secondment helped me understand the wider picture with regards to policing. I was also able to provide genuine frontline insight to those writing policy on neighbourhood policing - it felt like I had a real impact.”Police Now Participant • Surrey Police • Cohort 6

During the second year of the National Graduate Leadership Programme, you have an exciting opportunity to undertake an external secondment with a Police Now partner organisation and/or an internal attachment with specialist units and departments within your police force.   External secondments are a fantastic way to gain insight into other sectors. They offer a unique experience that many constables do not have the opportunity to take.

Overview

Key Aims

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Key Aims

Greater understanding and a closer working relationship with other sectors will lead to better collaboration, increased confidence in the police and ultimately, more effective policing. The Participant Secondment Programme exists to:

Support external organisations to increase their understanding of policing.

Reenergise you to deliver outstanding policing in your community.

Expand participant skills and experience.

Timeline

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Timeline

External secondment opportunities will be advertised to Police Now participants in December 2024. The timeline below details the process. Secondments can take place any time between April 2025 to July 2025 for a period of four weeks. Please check the job description for specific time periods.

The Application Process

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criteria.

eligibility

OVERVIEW – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Applying for an external secondment is a competitive process that requires you to read the following brochure and decide which sector you would like to apply for. The choices are: Policy & Research, Government, Consultancy, Security and Investigations, Law Enforcement.When you submit your application (via the MS Forms link in the email), you must state your first choice of sector. We recommend you take the opportunity on the form to identify a preferred organisation within that sector if you have one, and also a second choice of sector, should you not be offered your first choice. How to do this is clearly marked on the form. Once you have submitted your application, it will be marked anonymously by PNHQ staff. Before submitting, you will be asked to confirm that you have read and understood theWe recommend writing your application in a saved document, before then copying your answers into the MS Forms. eligibility criteria.

APPLICATION QUESTION 1

What attracted you to this particular opportunity? (Max 4000 characters) What are we looking for here?

• Your commitment to and interest in the particular secondment sector
• Your Police Now mission alignment (as a reminder, Police Now's mission is to transform communities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and increase the public’s confidence in the police service by recruiting, developing and inspiring outstanding and diverse individuals to be leaders in society and on the policing frontline.

Consider:

1. Your interests before/outside of policing,
2. What you have experienced in policing,
3. How you think completing the secondment will positively impact the Police Now mission.

APPLICATION QUESTION 2

What do you hope to get out of the experience? (Max 4000 characters) What are we looking for here?

• How this particular opportunity will support your personal development
• Your motivation to bring learning back to force

Consider:

1. Your strengths and areas of development
2. What you hope to bring back to your team/community after the secondment

1. Wednesday 11 December 2024.
2. Monday 16 December 2024.
3. Friday 20 December 2024.
4. Monday 6 January 2025.

External Secondment webinars

Participant Information Guide

SUPPORT & TOP TIPS

• Make your application personal. We’re interested in why you want to take this opportunity and how it will support you, your team and your community.
• Attend one of the four External Secondment webinars that we’re running on Lima on the following days:

• Contact your PDC to discuss your application, or if you have any questions that aren’t addressed in this brochure or the please email businessparterships@policenow.org.uk

Our partner organisations

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Click on each icon to access the dedicated page for each partner!

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Why should you apply?

Why should you apply for a secondment?

External secondments support your professional development and present valuable opportunities for knowledge and skills exchange. Undertaking an external secondment is a fantastic opportunity to push yourself out of your comfort zone, get involved in exciting projects and initiatives, and contribute to our objective of bringing policing and society closer together. Our data shows that secondments have the potential to strengthen the core skills that underpin the success of neighbourhood policing: problem solving, community engagement and partnership working. Feedback from previous secondees also suggests they can have a positive impact on your wider leadership skills too. Don’t just take our word for it. Read what our participants and partners have to say…

“Her insights as a frontline officer were invaluable during preparations for the Federation conference. Having a perspective of a police officer to draw on as we prepared Home Office Ministers for the event addressing thousands of police officers could not have been more ideal.”

“The quality of officer submitted for the secondment scheme was extremely high, they were very motivated and keen to make the most of their opportunity.”

“Secondments are excellent in terms of allowing colleagues to understand and appreciate different areas of work. Secondees can appreciate both the challenges and opportunities so when they return to their original place of work, they have a revised outlook and often new ideas”

What do our partners say?

Click on each icon to find out more about our officers' experiences!

AbbieCohort 6

PhilCohort 6

AmberCohort 5

Durr-e-Cohort 7

What do our officers say?

External SecondmentOpportunities

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Consultancy

Crest Advisory

Home Office

Counter Terrorism Policing

Accenture

The Police Foundation

Principle One

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

Ogilvy Consulting

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

Unite Students

Policy and Research

Government

Security and Investigations

Law Enforcement

Host Organisations

Policy and Research

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Crest Advisory

• Start date: April – July 2025, specific dates will be agreed with you upon successful application
• Location: London (Old Street), with possibility of some remote/home working
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: Four

Role overview: Our projects address some of the most important and pressing issues affecting society and criminal justice today. You will be working on a policy-based project aimed at shaping national policy making, promoting local best practice, and engaging with local partners. This is a great opportunity to develop the following skills: policy and data analysis, communications, stakeholder engagement, seeing the bigger picture.

Crest Advisory

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Organisation description: We are a small and friendly team of experts, who have worked across some of the biggest and most serious issues in the criminal justice and home affairs arena. Crest works with central government, national policing bodies, police and crime commissioners, universities, NGOs and private companies, enabling them to achieve greater impact by marrying policy and technical insight with expertise in data, governance and communications, all within the criminal justice and home affairs arena. Click here to find out more. Diversity and Inclusion: Crest is aligned with the Police Now Diversity and Inclusion statement. Crest is committed to creating an inclusive working environment to maximise the potential of all staff by providing equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and avoiding unlawful discrimination. Crest will not tolerate the discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation of employees or of third parties working on behalf of Crest. Crest aims to ensure that no individual or group working within or on its behalf is discriminated against on grounds of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, home responsibility, health, culture, trade union activity or social background. All Police Now secondees will be assigned a buddy as a well as a line manager to ensure they are fully supported during the secondment.

Crest Advisory

Description of the role and project (1): At Crest, no day is the same. The issues we deal with typically sit across 5 key business subject areas: justice devolution, service performance and demand, social integration, public inquests and technology.   On each project there is an opportunity to conduct scoping and planning, lead evidence gathering and produce reports / presentations summarising recommendations to clients, policy makers and local partners. We place a strong emphasis on gathering intelligence from the frontline, working with local partners to ask simple questions, find out where issues lie and form sharp messages to deliver to those with the power to unblock issues.   Last year Crest hosted two secondments, during which Police Now participants worked on a range of projects including investigating demand on police from domestic abuse incidents, and researching the work of violence reduction units across England.

Crest Advisory

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Description of the role and project (2): Successful applicants this year will be assigned to work on one project for the majority of the four-week secondment but will have the opportunity to contribute to other projects if there are specific areas of interest for the secondee not covered by the assigned project.  Project options will be discussed once a start date has been set as Crest’s projects are generally shorter term so it is not possible to say at this stage which projects will be running. Participants will be able to express interest in specific projects they’d like to be involved in. You can read about our current projects here, see our research which has made headlines here, and see a video about why staff enjoy working at Crest here. Successful applicants will be offered the opportunity to meet with colleagues at Crest in advance of the secondment to ensure you are set up to maximise the experience. You’ll receive training and induction at the beginning of your secondment and regular check ins with a line manager. You’ll be a fully integrated team member for the duration of the secondment with plenty of opportunities to engaged in company-wide discussions and networking.

Crest Advisory

Desirable skills:

• An interest in crime and justice policy development such as policing, prisons, or probation, or in social justice – for example homelessness, mental health or other issues closely linked to criminal justice.
• An interest in developing analytical and communication skills within a growing company and in making a difference by helping to create safer and stronger communities.
• Basic data analysis skills (comfortable using excel and pivot tables).

Expenses:There may be some requirement for the secondee to travel within the UK to conduct field or client visits. Business travel costs made as part of a specific project would be funded by Crest Advisory. Crest is unable to cover the costs of transport to and from the office for day to day work, though this can be considered on a case by case basis depending on where the secondee is travelling from, or remote working supported.

The Police Foundation

• Start date: Dates to be agreed upon successful application, likely April - July 2025.
• Location: Remote, home working with some in person meetings/events (London)
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: 2 - 3

Role overview: an opportunity to get involved in major, high-profile projects seeking to identify the future challenges facing policing in England and Wales and help ensure the police are equipped to face them.

Society of Evidence Based Policing

Lodge Policing Conference

Cumberland

John Harris Memorial Lecture

serious and organised crime

young people experience the police

online fraud

Strategic Review of Policing in England and Wales

The Police Foundation

Organisation description: The Police Foundation is the only independent think tank focused exclusively on improving policing and developing knowledge and understanding of policing and crime reduction. Our mission is to generate evidence and develop ideas which deliver better policing and a safer society. We do this by producing trusted, impartial research and by working with the police and their partners to create change. Our current/recent research work includes:

• Our wide-ranging Strategic Review of Policing in England and Wales published in March 2022
• Ongoing work alongside Crest Advisory, University College London and Perpetuity Research to help improve our understanding of online fraud and inform future policymaking.
• A programme of work seeking to understand the different ways young people experience the police and create new ways of policing that recognise their distinct needs
• How the police can best disrupt serious and organised crime

We also host a full events programme including our annual John Harris Memorial Lecture and the Cumberland Lodge Policing Conference, and seek to encourage debate and discussion of current and contentious policing issues through running seminars and roundtable events. Through our Senior Associate and Practitioner Fellow’s programmes and our partnership with the Society of Evidence Based Policing we are connected with the experts and innovators who are shaping the future of policing. As a small team of researchers, policy experts and support staff (now working remotely) we seek to support each other in studying, discussing, thinking through, and writing about the key issues facing policing and society today.

The Police Foundation

Diversity and Inclusion: The Police Foundation recognises the value of diversity and, as an equal opportunity employer, it is committed to its promotion. The Police Foundation believes strongly that no individual or group should face discrimination, bullying, victimisation or harassment on any of the following grounds: Colour, Sexual orientation, Marital status, Disability, Religious belief, Responsibility for dependents, Age, Ethnicity, Gender, and any other unjustified act of discrimination. Our equal opportunities policy seeks to ensure that no individual or group receives less favourable treatment, directly or indirectly, due to any of the grounds listed above, by confirming in writing our commitment actively to promoting equal opportunities in everything we do. The Police Foundation commits to treating all applicants and employees fairly and with respect by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and setting systems in place to provide the greatest possible access for all.

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The Police Foundation

Description of the role and project: In March 2022 the Police Foundation published the Strategic Review of Policing in England and Wales, the first of its kind in many years. Chaired by Sir Michael Barber and supported by an eminent Advisory Board including senior former police leaders, politicians, academics and others, the Review has set a long-term strategic direction for the police service in the context of a world transformed by technology and social change. Click here for more information. During 2025 the Police Foundation will be building on the findings of the Review through launching new research projects designing a model for preventative policing and exploring how police can best be structured not only to meet today’s demand profile but to help the service develop the capabilities it will need tomorrow. The secondment will involve providing research support for this work. This may include reading and summarising reports, sourcing and analysing data and organising, summarising, and coding interview transcripts and written submissions. During your time with us we will also involve you in ongoing discussions and deliberations on the future direction of policing and there may be opportunities to get involved with the Police Foundation’s other ongoing project work.

Desirable skills:We are looking for people who can digest information, write clean and concise prose and handle data, but above all we want people who are interested in engaging with the big strategic policy questions facing the police service today. Expenses:We don’t envisage you incurring any expenses during your secondment; however, any reasonable business expenses would be reimbursed in accordance with our existing policies.

The Police Foundation

Unite Students

• Start date: April to July 2025. Exact dates will be communicated and agreed on successful application.
• Location: Central London, Manchester or Birmingham, with a possible hybrid working arrangement
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: Four

Role overview: Get involved in a project to research and assess the level to which local communities impact the safety and security of the purpose built student accommodation sector and visa versa. This will include evaluating how wider societal issues influence the operating environment of student accommodation providers.

Unite Students

Organisation description: Unite Students was founded in 1991 and is the largest provider of purpose built student accommodation in the UK. We provide a home for 70,000 students across 162 properties in 23 leading university towns and cities.Our 1,900 staff are driven by a common purpose: to provide the students who live with us a Home for Success and to be the most trusted brand in the sector. We do this through great service, great people and great properties, all designed on the basis of an unrivalled insight into students' needs and preferences. We strive to have a positive impact on the communities in which we operate, whether businesses or residential. We recognise that fostering and maintaining healthy relationships with local key stakeholder groups is essential to allow both them and our students to flourish. Unite Group is an award-winning Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), listed on the London Stock Exchange and a member of the FTSE 250 Index. Diversity and Inclusion: Unite Students aspires to build a mindful culture where wellbeing is a priority and being different is valued. Changing mindsets through the lens of inclusion helps us to transform communities and creates room for everyone. Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and wellbeing is an essential component of our dedication to providing a Home for Success. Our strategic ambition provides the foundation on which we can build our success.

Unite Students

Description of the role and project: We would like to invite secondees from Police Now to join us in developing innovative ideas to support the challenges you face in frontline community policing. The placement will start with a briefing at our Central London office on the purpose and values of Unite Students, together with an operational overview of the organisation. This will include the challenges faced by the business whilst operating in a range of diverse communities across the UK. You will then be briefed on the specific cities in which you will carry out the research for your project. You will then spend time with our teams in any of our locations and conduct in depth research into the relationship between Unite Students and the local community. This will include the impact both have on each other, the causes of any tension, whether purpose built student accommodation (Unite Students in particular) are deliberately targeted for crime and anti-social behaviour and identifying any inherent safety and security risks. You will then analyse the data collected and make various recommendations for resolving any issues identified and also make recommendations for improving relationships and mitigating risks. At the end of the secondment, you will present your work internally and potentially to senior stakeholders in policing and other relevant organisations. We will also invite your Performance and Development Coach and senior officers from your force who may wish to see the type of work you have been engaged in. Please note, specific details will be confirmed in advance of joining.

Unite Students

Desirable skills:The opportunity is open to those from all degree disciplines. Those with a social sciences background or a strong interest in research and analysis may find the secondment most useful.  Expenses:Unite Students can cover the costs of transport within cities for day to day work and contribute to other expenses such as lunch. Exact details will be agreed when the secondment is finalised.

Security and Investigation

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HMICFRS

• Start date: Between April and July 2025. Specific start dates will be agreed with you on successful application.
• Location: National
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: 6 - 8

Role overview: Make a real difference to the quality of local policing and the lives of the public. You will be inspecting other police forces, contributing to HMICFRS public reports, gaining a wider picture of policing in England and Wales and seeing how other forces meet challenges and identify best practice.

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HMICFRS

Organisation description: His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses police forces and policing across activity from neighbourhood teams to serious crime and the fight against terrorism in the public interest. Click   for more information.  Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to creating and maintaining a working environment that is positive about, and supportive of, all equality and diversity issues. We believe that difference and diversity within our workforce strengthens the work we do and the influence we have.

HMICFRS

Description of the role and project (1): Working in HMICFRS as a Police Now secondee will put you at the heart of our inspection activity. You will be involved in developing inspection plans, working with a team of inspectors in forces and you will contribute to HMICFRS reports for the public.     You will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of inspection doctrine and through your work you will gain a wider picture of policing in England and Wales by seeing how other forces meet challenges and identifying best practice. As a secondee you are likely to meet senior leaders in the inspected forces providing excellent networking opportunities and personal exposure.  You will gain an insight into the strategic issues faced by policing in England and Wales, develop your communication skills and further your evidence-based decision making abilities.    Whilst the primary focus of your inspection work with us will be around neighbourhood policing, your recent frontline experience will put you in a strong position to critically examine how forces address vulnerability as a whole, across all their departments and roles. This role involves being part of a team of regional inspectors conducting inspection activity, led by a HM Inspector. You will receive a mandatory half-day remote learning package to prepare you for the role, and then will be assigned to an experienced HMICFRS mentor. Some of our inspection activity is completed remotely using conferencing platforms and linking into force IT systems, but there will be exciting opportunities to visit forces to undertake interviews and other inspection activity for a duration of several days. This will involve staying away from home during weekday nights. Travel, accommodation and meals are paid for by HMICFRS.

HMICFRS

Description of the role and project (2): You will be working in a supportive environment with other staff who are all committed to improving policing and will be assigned a dedicated mentor for the duration of the secondment. Regional teams will host you depending on your home location. A small number of secondees may be based within our Portfolio Team who work to coordinate the inspection topic as a whole and provide subject matter expertise.   In line with rules in place for all our staff, you will not be undertaking inspection work in your home force, or any force where you have strong professional or family connections.

HMICFRS

Desirable skills:

• Self-assured approach in dealing with new people and a team player willing to help others  

• Good listener with ability to retain information and record later/contemporaneously with an ability to process and draw conclusions from various information sources 

• The ability to step back and take an informed view on the effectiveness of different policing practices to improve public safety

Expenses:Expenses incurred during any inspection fieldwork, or travel to HMICFRS office locations, will be paid for in line with Home Office guidelines i.e., full compensation for travel and a daily upper limit of £33 for food and refreshments.  If required to stay away from home during field work, accommodation costs will be covered by HMICFRS.  IT Equipment:Police Now secondees will require a laptop (not a tablet) from their force to be able to undertake a secondment with HMICFRS. This is to ensure that details of interviews and focus groups can be recorded accurately, and documents and messages can be safely shared within an inspection team. In the past, participants without an existing force issued laptop have been able to loan a laptop from their Force IT Department for the duration of their secondment, or alternatively they can be provided by Police Now. This will be discussed upon successful selection.

Consultancy

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Accenture

• Start date: Dates will be agreed with you on successful application. Provisionally during May – July 2025.
• Location: Accenture offices in London with potential travel to a client site elsewhere in the UK.
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: Four

Role overview: Gain experience with a leading global professional services company and learn more about a private sector perspective on addressing policing challenges through technology. This is an excellent opportunity to work alongside subject matter experts to explore innovative solutions to issues that police, government, and healthcare clients are currently facing; an an opportunity to gain insight into the impact of technology and consulting throughout policing and the wider public sector.

Accenture

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Organisation description: Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialised skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 710,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Click here to find out more.

Accenture

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Diversity and Inclusion:Accenture’s commitment to our people and to accelerating equality for all has never been more relevant than it is today. It creates an environment that unleashes innovation, allows our people to perform at their very best and underpins a culture in which everyone feels they have an equal opportunity to belong and build a career. Our belief that “together, we are greater than ever” means that Accenture celebrates the diversity of each one of its employees and recognizes the value that this brings to our network and our clients. Our areas of focus include gender, ethnicity, LGBTI, religion, persons with disabilities and cross-cultural diversity. Accenture has strong commitments to equality, including our 2025 commitments to have a gender balanced workforce and to double the number of black managing directors. Accenture encourages inclusivity throughout its workforce through ally programs; it has an LGBTI ally program with over 120,000 members, 36,000 persons with disabilities champions and a trained network of 8,900 mental health allies. Accenture are also pioneers in accessibility, and their accessibility center of excellence creates new ways of promoting inclusivity for their clients and their products. Click here to read more on our commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Accenture

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Description of the role and project: Your role will be predominantly based either on a client project within our Health & Public Service department or supporting the work of our Global Industry Practice through developing Accenture’s points of view and go to market materials on new and emerging technologies. Client projects can vary from delivering a new technology for a client, to improving efficiency and back-office processes at a central government department, to working with a healthcare client to improve their use of data and implement new analytics, further examples can be found here . Please note, secondment projects are subject to change and as such, specific details will be confirmed in advance of joining. Participants will also lead a mini research or business design project, using their own experience, working alongside consultants and subject matter experts to explore innovative solutions to issues that police or justice clients are currently facing. Previous projects have included using AI to predict crime, the potential for using VR in training, as well as developing apps that enable officers to connect with their neighbourhood community online. Throughout your secondment, you will also be taken through client case studies of current and previous projects carried out by Accenture, gaining an insight into our work in strategy, technology delivery, applied intelligence, and talent & organisation, across a range of sectors. In previous years we have also organised trips to our London Innovation Centre, designed thinking workshops and sessions with our global public safety industry experts.

Accenture

Desirable skills:We look for outstanding performers, with an open and collaborative mindset. You will need well-rounded capabilities with a proactive, driven, and self-empowering approach. A dedicated teammate, strong communication, project management and problem-solving skills, and high learning ability. Above all, you will need to be naturally curious about technology and how to use it to solve client business problems. Expenses:Expenses will be covered if travel is required for client visits.

Principle One

• Start date: Late April / early May 2025. Exact dates will be communicated and agreed on successful application
• Location: Central London, some hybrid working is possible

• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: Three

Role overview: Get involved in driving innovation across law enforcement and national security by working closely with experienced consultants to develop new ideas and approaches in digital policing. A fantastic opportunity to learn from law enforcement domain experts and develop consulting skills.

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Principle One

Organisation description:Principle One works in partnership with UK law enforcement, national security and other government clients to address the challenges of an increasingly diverse threat environment. We apply innovative thinking, new approaches and emerging technologies to challenge established ways of working and support our clients in keeping pace with their complex core missions. Our business launched in 2018 and we now have a team of over 80 staff and associates who provide a variety of services to our customers, including solution architecture, software engineering and business consulting. We work extensively with the Home Office and other central government departments as well as the NCA and local police forces. We have partnerships with a number of organisations that share our values, including Police Care, Coding Black Females and TRAFFIC. Click here to find out more.

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Principle One

Organisation description:Principle One works in partnership with UK law enforcement, national security and other government clients to address the challenges of an increasingly diverse threat environment. We apply innovative thinking, new approaches and emerging technologies to challenge established ways of working and support our clients in keeping pace with their complex core missions. Our business launched in 2018 and we now have a team of over 80 staff and associates who provide a variety of services to our customers, including solution architecture, software engineering and business consulting. We work extensively with the Home Office and other central government departments as well as the NCA and local police forces. We have partnerships with a number of organisations that share our values, including Police Care, Coding Black Females and TRAFFIC. Click here to find out more. Diversity and Inclusion:Principle One is an Equal Opportunity employer. We will ensure that there is no discrimination against anyone for reasons of sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, race, religion, or disability. We value different perspectives and ways of thinking in the workplace and seek to create a culture where collaborative working can deliver a better outcome for our customers.

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Principle One

Description of the role and project: We would like to invite secondees from Police Now to support us in developing innovative ideas to support the challenges you face in frontline policing.  As we are a small company, you will be working closely with staff at all levels and will get direct mentoring and coaching to develop both technical and business analysis skills.  The placement will begin with training on Business Analysis, Agile working methods, Data Analysis and an insight into Systems Engineering, designed to equip you with the knowledge and techniques required to explore how front-line officers can use technology more effectively. During the secondment, you will work with staff across the wider Principle One team to explore the problem and investigate how technology could be used as an enabler for change. Typically, this will relate to gaining a frontline perspective on wider cross-cutting themes that we are working on with our customers, with previous secondments having tackled issues such as the use of Protective orders to safeguard vulnerable women and streamlining the process of using Out of Court Resolutions as an alternative to charge. At the end of the secondment, you will present your work internally and to senior stakeholders in policing and other relevant organisations. We also invite your representatives from Police Now and from force who will want to see what you’ve been up to! Click here to find out more about what our 2025 secondees worked on.

Principle One

Desirable skills:The opportunity is open to those from all degree disciplines, although those with a STEM background or a strong interest in technology or data science may find the secondment most useful.  Please note, specific details will be confirmed in advance of joining and we will hold a briefing call with secondees to ensure that there is a good expectation of what will be achieved during the secondment. Expenses:Principle One can cover the costs of transport within London for day-to-day work and contribute to other expenses such as lunch.  Exact details will be agreed when the secondment is finalised.

Ogilvy Consulting

• Start date: Dates will be agreed with you on successful application, likely April - July 2025.
• Location: Central London, with possibility of remote/home working
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: Four

Role overview: You will gain an insight into how a small, private sector consulting team applies behavioural science to educate, design projects, conduct research, create ideas, design solutions, and evaluate impact. This is a great opportunity to learn tools, techniques, and interventions that change behaviour and can generate measurable impact.

Ogilvy Consulting

Organisation description (1):Founded by Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy Consulting’s Behavioural Science Practice is a team of 15 behavioural scientists. We are nestled in the heart of a world-leading creative agency and differentiate ourselves from traditional consultancies partly by bridging strategy and execution. We’re also organised differently, with a flat hierarchy designed to provide opportunities for big contributions by team members of all levels. Within our Behavioural Science practice, we research and apply the latest thinking in cognitive psychology, social psychology, and behavioural economics – bringing together behavioural science and creativity to solve some of the world's most interesting and important challenges with the world's most influential organisations. We believe in the power of thinking counterintuitively, daring to be trivial, that the opposite of a good idea can be another good idea, and the many gospels preached by the founder of our Behavioural Science practice. Whether tasked with improving the security of Europe's busiest airports, changing how people interact with the most popular social media or leading sustainability projects across the globe, we create effective interventions, communications, and experiences for public, private, and third sector clients.

2024

2023

Have a Word

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Ogilvy Consulting

Organisation description (2):We work across all sectors and categories including healthcare, technology, financial services, manufacturing, automotive, retail. Our clients include Unilever, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, Pfizer, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Odeon, Lloyds Banking Group, Sainsburys, Jaguar Land Rover and many more. We’re well known for our work in anti-social behaviour - for example, painting local babies faces on shop shutters in Greenwich and Ealing, which reduced anti-social behaviour by 23% over four years. Click here to read the case study. We’re also proud of our award-winning and socially impactful work with the Mayor of London to tackle violence against women and girls. See our Have a Word campaign and learn more about the strategy behind it, along with our other work in our annual publications from 2024 and 2023. As the curators of the world’s largest festival of behavioural science and creativity, now in its 12th year, we are at the forefront of the ever-evolving landscape of Behavioural Science in the industry.

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Ogilvy Consulting

Diversity and Inclusion:We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal. Click here to read more about Diversity & Inclusion at Ogilvy and click here  to see the explicit commitments our U.S. leadership made in 2020 to anti-racism

Ogilvy Consulting

Description of the role and project (1): Our team have behavioural expertise in developing effective behaviour change strategies. You would join our team as a secondee; this means getting exposure to vast and varied work, and projects of all shapes and sizes. You would learn from expert members of the teams in presentations, workshops and be set discrete tasks to conduct research into societal issues, psychology, and ideation methods.There are three core capabilities that are key to how we operate:

1. Foundation in behavioural science: Fundamental to our way of working are our in-house expert team of psychologists, agent-based modelers and behavioural researchers. All of our work is rooted in behavioural thinking and rigorous behavioural research techniques.
2. Creative problem-solving: Our strong creative culture means that our interventions are bespoke, practical, and suitable for any context.
3. Real world iteration: Crucial to the way we work is our dedication to real-world application, iteration, and optimisation.

Ogilvy Consulting

Description of the role and project (2): As a secondee, you will learn, immerse yourself in and ideate with Behavioural Science, unlock ’the real why’ of behavioural challenges, understand our tools and techniques and interventions that change behaviour and can generate measurable impact within your behavioural context. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to workstreams and projects where you have a specific area of interest. You would leave with a perspective on a ‘sticky’ challenge – ones that traditional methods haven’t solved which you can carry forward and apply to challenges faced within your neighbourhood role. You will gain skills to be more creative with the psychological power available to us all.

Ogilvy Consulting

Desirable skills:

• To make the most of the placement, we require you have studied one of the following subjects: Psychology, Behavioural Economics, Criminology, Sociology, Geography, History, Anthropology, Evolution, Environmental Studies

• Prior to starting with us, it is ideal to have familiarity with the following topics and concepts: Nudging, System 1 and 2 thinking, Behaviour Change Frameworks: Mindspace & COM-B.

Expenses:If required, reasonable business expenses are covered in line with Ogilvy’s staff expenses policy.

Government

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Home Office

• Start date: Between April and July 2025. Specific start dates will be agreed with you on successful application.
• Location: National
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: 6 - 8

Role overview: This is an excellent opportunity to be involved in and to deliver influential work at the heart of the Home Office.  There are secondments available across multiple units within the Home Office, your role will depend on which unit in the organisation you join.

Home Office

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Organisation description: The first duty of the government is to keep citizens safe and the country secure. The Home Office plays a fundamental role in the security and economic prosperity of the UK. The Home Office is the lead government department for immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime, fire, counter-terrorism and police. Click here to find out more.  Diversity and Inclusion: We incorporate equality into our core objectives, making every effort to eliminate discrimination, create equal opportunities and develop good working relationships between different people.

Home Office

Description of the role and project (1): A placement will give you the opportunity not just to see, but to work in a ministerial department with a £12 billion portfolio that affects the lives of hundreds of millions of people at home and abroad. The Home Office has successfully hosted more than 80 Police Now officers from Cohorts 1-8. Officers on previous secondments have made significant contributions to work on Ministerial priorities.  Some previous secondment departments:

• Public Safety Group

• Homeland Security Group

• Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s office

• Policing Minister’s office

Home Office

Description of the role and project (2): There are multiple exciting roles across the directorates available. Your host unit will challenge you and make sure that you get the most out of your time. You may be involved in a range of work which could include original research to inform policy development and delivery, project management, or writing and contributing to ministerial advice.  You may have the opportunity to engage with ministers, key stakeholders, senior civil servants and police officers, social researchers, economists, operational researchers, and statisticians. We will facilitate networking opportunities and cross-departmental working where possible alongside fellow Police Now secondees.    Further details on host units and projects are available upon request. Please also note that CTC security clearance is required and this may need to be undertaken separately by the Home Office. This can take around 37 days and will be explained once selection has been undertaken.

Home Office

Desirable skills:The Home Office wants to receive applications from officers of all backgrounds who are self-motivated, open-minded, and able to take a creative approach to problem solving.   Successful applicants will need to challenge established ways of working constructively, employing tact and sensitivity, including in discussion with senior officials. Applicants should also be able to express complex ideas clearly and be comfortable dealing with large volumes of information and making decisions when relevant information is scarce.   Expenses:The Home Office is unable to reimburse expenses for the duration of the secondment. Please refer to the FAQs in the Information Guide to understand what support Police Now might be able to offer you.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

• Start date: Likely April - July 2025, to be agreed with you on successful application.
• Location: Westminster, London (hybrid)
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: One

Role overview: This is an exciting opportunity to engage in the policy sector by working for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) at the heart of Westminster in our busy policy and strategy team.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

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Organisation description: The APCC is the national membership organisation representing Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), deputy mayors and other local policing bodies. We support PCCs in their role and enable them to provide national leadership and drive strategic change in policing, criminal justice, and community safety. The APCC delivers for its members through portfolios across our Policy and Strategy, and Governance and Business teams. More information on the groups can be found on our website here .  Diversity and Inclusion: The APCC operates a policy of equality opportunity and fair treatment. As part of our recruitment process, we require all applicants to complete an Equal Opportunities questionnaire.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

Description of the role and project (1): This opportunity is to join us for four weeks. You would support and work across the organisation providing administrative and policy support. This would include arranging meetings and events, preparing briefings and agendas, and supporting the Group’s policy work. There will be a range of excellent opportunities to develop your policy, communication, and logistical skills.  To contribute to key areas of the APCC’s policy work, for example: 

• Undertaking research and analysis. 

• Providing logistical support for meetings, events, etc. 

• Drafting and producing written materials – e.g. agendas, briefings, and minutes. 

• Liaising with the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Local Government Authorities and third sector organisations. 

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

Description of the role and project (2): During the secondment, you will:

• Quickly develop a good understanding of key policy topics and their impact. 

• Produce effective and accessible policy products. 

• Deliver promptly, paying attention to detail. 

• Demonstrate political sensitivity and awareness. 

• Respect confidentiality and manage information sensitively. 

• Engage effectively with our members, partners and other stakeholders.   

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners

Desirable skills:We are looking for a secondee with a ‘can do’ attitude, good communication skills and excellent attention to detail. While a specific degree is not required, we value candidates with a demonstrated interest in policy or a keen desire to learn more about it.   Expenses:Please note that expenses will not be covered by the APCC.

Law Enforcement

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Counter Terrorism Policing

• Start date: Very likely to be July, but specific dates will be agreed with you on successful application.
• Location: National
• Duration: Four weeks
• Number of places: Ten

Role overview: An excellent opportunity for highly motivated individuals looking to expand their experience within the Counter Terrorism environment and support the Prevent strand of the counter terrorism strategy by connecting counter terrorism policing, neighbourhood policing, and communities.

Counter Terrorism Policing

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Organisation description: Counter Terrorism Policing is a collaboration of UK police forces working with the UK intelligence community to help protect the public and our national security by preventing, deterring, and investigating terrorist activity. Around the UK there are eleven regional counter terrorism units (CTUs) and intelligence units (CTIUs). These units collaborate daily to confront the threat from terrorism. At the centre of the network sits the Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters (CTPHQ), which devises policy and strategy, coordinates national projects and programmes, and provides a single national Counter Terrorism Policing voice for key stakeholders including government, intelligence agencies and other partners. Click here to find out more.  Diversity and Inclusion: Equality, diversity, and inclusion is at the front and centre of our approach to make the composition of Counter Terrorism Policing more representative of the communities we serve. As Counter Terrorism is routed in Local Policing, to tackle today’s complex policing challenges, applications from across all communities are therefore essential and encouraged.

Counter Terrorism Policing

Description of the role and project: Secondees will gain an understanding of the complexities of working within Counter Terrorism Policing whilst sharing knowledge and insights from the frontline. You will undertake a bespoke problem-solving project helping shape, develop, and influence key CT strategies in support of bringing Counter Terrorism Policing and the role of Neighbourhood Policing together in countering those who seek to undertake terrorist attacks against the UK, our citizens, and communities. Due to the ever-changing landscape in CT Policing, organisational needs at the time of assignment will dictate topics of projects covered. Project options will be agreed with you upon successful applications. Opportunities will be available in units across Counter Terrorism Policing. Specific units to be confirmed on successful application.

Counter Terrorism Policing

Desirable skills:This secondment will appeal to someone who is eager to expand their experience within the Counter Terrorism environment. Expenses:No additional expenses covered by CTP outside of the Police Now expenses policy. The nature of the work conducted by the Unit means that information of a sensitive nature is dealt with by the team, and as such all staff within the unit are expected to be diligent in their handling of information, and the suitable candidate must successfully undertake vetting to at least SC/MV level before joining. Police Now will cover the cost of vetting uplifting.

Contact Us

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Access our dedicated area on LimaIf you would like further information about Police Now and our Participant Secondment Programme, please do not hesitate to get in touch: businessparterships@policenow.org.uk

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