NCJ Number
147162
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1993) Pages: 129-137
Date Published
1993
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article describes the role of the Specialist Support Unit (SSU).
Abstract
Since the 1940s, the population of Great Britain has become multicultural and multiracial. This has brought new challenges to the police force and as a result, changes in police training have been necessary. A 5-year SSU contract was awarded by the Home Office in 1989 to train specialists in community and race relations training and to advise and assist police departments in incorporating community and race relations training at the local, regional and national level. The supportive policy context in which this Unit was developed and reasons why an earlier effort failed are reviewed. Staffing of the SSU includes six civilians and two police officers. Strategy of the SSU is composed of three components each of which is discussed. These components include providing a 6-week trainers course to produce a team of specialists nationally, designing a four-phase training program to be presented locally and regionally by the specialists, and assisting police forces and others to undertake strategic planning to ensure that race and community relations training is integrated into their training curriculums. These components are supported by a resource bank of training materials and a quarterly newsletter. The future direction of the SSU is discussed. Working with the establishments that provide training at the national level is believed to be the SSU's most important role, so in its final 2 years, it is focusing in that area.