We are working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the British Computer Society (BCS) – The Chartered Institute for IT – to offer membership places to UK policing and PDS colleagues.
The partnership agreement allows for policing to benefit from the range of skills and development opportunities that are provided via the BCS and be part of its expert community of 74,000 members in 150 countries.
As part of this agreement, policing will have access to 470 membership places, split across all territorial forces (10 places per force) plus PDS members Police Service Northern Ireland, British Transport Police, College of Policing and National Crime Agency. Through the partnership agreement, police forces will have access to a range of resources and services for their continuing professional development.
How it works
The partnership enables policing to benefit from the high professional standards and recognised registrations offered through BCS, which has a royal charter. These include pathways such as MBCS, RITTech and CITP, which demonstrate a clear commitment to ethical and high-quality IT practice.
Members will also have access to workforce planning and digital skills development tools built around established frameworks, including SFIAplus and the Government Digital and Data framework (formerly DDaT). These resources support role design, skills assessments and effective digital career planning, helping PDS and policing teams shape the digital workforce of the future.
By strengthening both professional capability and ethical digital practice, the partnership also underpins public confidence in how technology and data are used to keep people safe.
The collaboration reflects PDS’ commitment to delivering the ambitions of the National Policing Digital Strategy 2025–2030, which focuses on modernising technology, improving data-driven decision-making, and ensuring public safety in an increasingly digital world.
Watch this Wednesday Webinar episode on our YouTube channel to learn more about this strategic partnership.
Benefits
- Professional standards and recognition;
- Skills development and workforce planning;
- Continuous learning;
- Collaboration and community;
- Public confidence.
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Learn more about member benefits on our dedicated Members page.
