Concerns have been raised about the parachuting of civvies into top jobs within Cumbria Police.

Members of the Police and Crime Panel yesterday (January 21) responded to claims that that candidates were being brought in “off the street” and placed in high-ranking positions, including direct entry inspectors and superintendents.

Panel members said they were concerned that fast-tracked officers might struggle in the role and to adjust to the culture change without experience of rank and file policing.

But police chiefs insisted that all candidates would receive “rigorous” training and support to help them acclimatise to the role from serving officers.

Peter McCall, Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, added:  “It is worth stressing that before these entry level inspectors are allowed anywhere near commanding a shift they spend time on the ground with a bobby in the same way that any police officer would – and if they don’t get the right kind of reports and assessments, they do not make it. "

The comments came as it emerged the Cumbrian force now has a direct entry inspector on the books, though no direct entry superintendents as yet.

Helen Fearon, vice chairman of the panel, said she wasn’t opposed to the idea but had “slight concerns” over the roll-out of the initiative.

She said: “If they have transferable skills, why shouldn’t the force benefit from that? But the slight concern for me, and probably for everybody else, is that if you’re coming in, no matter how good your skills, your degree, your experience, whatever, this is a completely different life to what you have come from before.

“You need to understand that life and to understand your officers, and to understand how the public and the officers work together.”

Councillor John Lynch also criticised the emphasis placed on degrees for candidates following the introduction of a new national standard.

“It’s not the be all and end all. It’s a start, and experience of life counts for more,” he said.

Responding to concerns, Michelle Skeer, Chief Constable in Cumbria, assured members that there was “an extensive training” package with mentoring provided by PCs and sergeants.

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner agreed with members that the concept had “not been terribly well-sold either to the public or to the police”.

He added: “Fast-tracking has never been terribly popular within the ranks. But we are talking about one inspector who has gone through an extremely rigorous selection process. It is far higher in terms than it would be if he or she was joining as a Police Constable, because we are likely to invest greater responsibility in them at an earlier stage.

“You just need to follow any social media streams to see that there is a great deal of resentment about this. But it is about balancing the workforce, and there is always going to a place for the common sense bobby on the beat – and for those ex forces types who come in with experience of life. But there’s also a place for the bright-eyed cyber experts. We have to be agile as a force.”