Understanding the real demands of Policing: a nationwide research invitation

Psychological Consultancy Ltd is conducting a UK-wide research study to better understand those realities and are inviting serving police officers to contribute.

Police work is complex, high-stakes, and often misunderstood outside of the service. From making rapid decisions under pressure to balancing public safety with legal accountability, the day-to-day realities of policing are unlike many other professions.

Psychological Consultancy Ltd is a UK business psychology consultancy founded in 1992. it says: “We specialise in the research and practical application of psychometrics in the workplace, supporting fair and evidence-based approaches to recruitment, development, and workforce decision-making. A core principle of our work is that assessment tools should reflect the real demands of roles – not assumptions about them – and we are seeking the input of people who know these roles best.

“To achieve this, the survey focuses on the behavioural and personality-related demands of the role. Rather than asking about formal competencies, it explores the kinds of working styles and judgement patterns that policing requires – for example, balancing procedure with discretion, remaining calm under pressure, managing conflict, or exercising authority appropriately. The questions are grounded in established psychological research and ask officers to indicate which behavioural tendencies are most essential for effective performance in their role. In simple terms, we are not asking what makes someone a “good person”, but what the job itself consistently demands from the people who do it. The aim is to identify the underlying psychological characteristics that policing activates in day-to-day practice.”

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete using any internet-enabled device. Each participant is automatically emailed a free personalised feedback report summarising their responses. After the report has been issued, all individual data is fully anonymised, the company says. No identifiable data will be retained, and participants will not be contacted for any purpose after receiving their report.

The findings will be analysed at profession level only. In return for Police Oracle readers’ participation, it will provide a bespoke summary of the policing results, showing how the demands of police officer roles compare with other professions included in the research.

Police Oracle will then publish these findings to share them with its readership.

If you would like to contribute to a clearer, evidence-based understanding of modern policing, we invite you to take part. Simply click the link below, register your details, and complete the survey!

Take part here: [www.psy-key.com/default?accesscode=PMCTq36vsS4

Category: Data and StatisticsResearch