A valid police(education). Academic density and practical skills

The international trend for police education (PE) in recent decades has been towards academisation in the form of a bachelor´s degree. Yet, the Swedish police remains a pre-profession, characterised by a two-year vocational program.

Nevertheless, the transfer of PE to HEI in 2000 triggered a process of academic densification in form and content of the education, led by the academic institutions.

The relationship between academic densification and the police profession is unexplored and stakeholders (police, PE, police officers and the Police Federation) have different views on how future police education should be organised.

The aim of the project is to identify and analyse how the academic densification of Swedish police training has taken shape and how it has been received and used by police stakeholders.

The research questions are: i) What are the advantages and disadvantages of full academisation of Swedish police training as perceived by stakeholders in the implementation of future police training? ii) What is the significance of academic experience in police work as a career-enhancing qualification within the police authority?

Over a period of three years, this will be explored through documents and interviews with key personnel and police officers with higher education.

The findings will provide guidance on how to organise future police training with an academic focus while maintaining practical skills, and develop the concept of academic density for wider application.