New phase of neighbourhood policing training launched

We are releasing the next phase of our neighbourhood policing programme (NPP) career pathway, equipping officers across England and Wales with advanced skills to work in partnership, protect communities from serious and organised crime, and manage offenders effectively.

From serious organised crime affecting local communities to the evolving nature of anti-social behaviour, neighbourhood teams face increasingly complex challenges. This training ensures frontline officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) have the knowledge and capabilities to respond effectively, now and in the future.

The government's plans for police reform are clear, and restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime are at the heart of policing's future. The Safer Streets mission and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee place high-quality neighbourhood policing at the centre of how we rebuild public trust and keep communities safe.

New online training

The latest phase delivers three new online training modules that build on these strong foundations. Having equipped officers with core skills in community engagement, problem-solving and tackling anti-social behaviour, we're now expanding their capabilities into critical areas that affect every neighbourhood. 

Working in partnership to prevent and reduce crime

This module recognises that effective neighbourhood policing cannot happen in isolation. Officers learn how to build productive relationships with: 

• local authorities
• health services
• housing providers
• schools
• community organisations

This collaborative approach ensures neighbourhood teams can draw on the right expertise and resources to solve complex local problems and enhance the leadership capabilities that sit at the heart of our mission.

Protecting communities from serious and organised crime

This module gives neighbourhood officers the knowledge to recognise the signs of serious and organised crime in their areas and work effectively with specialist teams to disrupt criminal networks and protect those at risk. By setting clear standards for how officers identify and respond to these threats, we're ensuring consistent, high-quality practice across all forces. 

Offender management: breaking the cycle of crime

This module provides evidence-based approaches to managing offenders in the community. By understanding what works to reduce reoffending, neighbourhood officers can play a vital role in breaking the cycle of crime and keeping communities safe, directly elevating performance in one of policing's most challenging areas. 

Building on proven success

The evidence shows our investment in specialist training is making a real difference. We piloted the programme with over 1,000 officers across 11 forces and have published our evaluation, which shows clear success in improving officer skills, knowledge and confidence. 

Since the national rollout began in June 2025, the results have been even more impressive. So far, 18,000 officers and PCSOs have completed all 20 online training modules on community engagement, problem-solving and tackling anti-social behaviour, with more than 400,000 modules completed.

Assessment data shows officers achieving a 62% improvement in scores after completing the training. This demonstrates that this programme is building the specialist capabilities neighbourhood teams need to keep communities safe. 

Looking ahead

The next release of NPP training will be dedicated to sergeants and inspectors who lead frontline neighbourhood teams. This specialist leadership training is due to launch during Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action in June.

These modules represent a significant step forward in establishing neighbourhood policing as a recognised specialism. Officers completing this training will have a comprehensive skill set that goes well beyond traditional expectations of the neighbourhood role, positioning them as genuine specialists in community safety. 

Through this programme, we're delivering on our vision of trusted and effective policing that cuts crime and keeps people safe. Every officer trained, every skill developed, and every community relationship strengthened contributes to safer streets and rebuilds the public trust that neighbourhood policing depends upon.

Go to new neighbourhood training

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