Helping with Police Enquiries: Fast Tracking Guards to Accredited Persons

TFS and its qualifications partner Edexcel are delighted to announce a new streamlined pathway which provides a cost effective fast track for Guards qualified with the Level 2 licence to practice qualification to become qualified Accredited Persons. Building on the success of its ground-breaking blended learning programme for Accredited Persons, TFS has worked closely with Edexcel to devise a system of Accredited Prior Learning whereby approximately 50% of the existing Level 2 Guarding qualification can be mapped across to the BTEC Accredited Persons qualification. In order to attain this new qualification, qualified guards will need to complete a short Professional Development Portfolio, study two of the four blended learning units developed by TFS and pass a multiple choice examination. Level 2 Guards are also exempt from completing the conflict resolution phase thus providing the option of achieving the qualification without any abstractions from the workplace.

The Accredited Persons qualification was established as part of the Association of Chief Police Officers Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. It is seen as the next generation qualification for individuals and organisations in tackling anti-social behaviour and helping to build safer communities. The scheme allows local chief officers to bestow powers on qualified Accredited Persons to, for example, issue fixed penalty for certain low level crimes and anti social behaviour, to direct traffic and to seize and dispose of alcohol in designated areas.

TFS Managing Director, Ian Kirke, said “This is the latest innovation from TFS in providing cost effective qualifications for those involved in supporting the wider policing family. We have reduced the cost to Guards and Guarding companies of achieving this qualification and our blended learning solution provides further savings by significantly reducing workplace abstractions.”

Sallyann Baldry, National Business Development Manager who leads Edexcel's security qualification provision said: "TFS has applied the best of blended learning practice to provide a focussed approach to the training of accredited persons. It is this focus on the learner, together with a thorough understanding of their prior experience and current employment along with careful attention to detail in the learning materials supplied to the potential accredited person, that has enabled the system of Accredited Prior Learning to be put in place."