The development of this gateway follows on from the leavers survey and launch of our initial Leavers Hub in March last year.
We have funded the next phase of this work so we can continue to build on the support we provide to those who are leaving or who have left policing – as a key pillar of the Police Covenant.
The Police Leavers Gateway offers both emotional and practical support to those leaving policing. The digital platform provides resources, tools, and AI-powered functionality to help people navigate their transition with confidence and purpose.
Currently in pilot phase - until the 31st March 2025 - we’re inviting officers and staff to visit the gateway and its digital resources and tell us what they think.
Whilst the resources are specifically aimed at those approaching retirement or within the last 18 months of service through retirement or voluntary leaving, it is open to anyone working in policing.
When you first access the gateway, you'll be asked to complete a short survey. Then once you have used the resource, you'll be asked to complete a follow up set of questions so we can get your feedback which will inform future planning of support services for police leavers.
More information
What is the Police Leavers Partnership?
The Police Leavers Partnership, founded by Stuart Noble, a former Chief Superintendent, and Dr. Ceri Jones, a Chartered Psychologist, specialises in supporting police officers and staff transitioning from service. Applying their experience and expertise, the partnership currently delivers the Successful Transition and Retirement (STAR) programme and worked with us to develop other national resources such as the Police Leavers Toolkit and police leavers survey.
Building on insights from the police leavers survey, completed by both officers and staff, as well as feedback from course participants, the Police Leavers Gateway has been developed to help officers and staff prepare for leaving an organisation that has been an integral part of their lives for many years.
Background to the leavers work and development of the Gateway.
Policing has seen an increase in officers and staff leaving the service voluntarily. In the year ending March 2024, 9,080 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers left the 43 forces, accounting for 6.2% of the police population at the beginning of the year. Of these, 3,240 retired at the end of their service, and 5,058 voluntarily resigned (Home Office, 2024).
There is currently little structured support or guidance for police officers and staff transitioning out of policing and into further employment or alternative careers. Police leavers are instead reliant on a self-directed and piecemeal approach. This was reflected in the survey responses, where 34% reported they did not receive time to plan their departure, and 76% did not receive any support when leaving. In contrast, 96% thought structured support should be available to police leavers, and 84% suggested this support should continue to be available after leaving the service.
Significant investment has been made in developing the unique and diverse skill sets that exists in policing. However, there is little, if any, focus on optimising this "asset" to ensure both economic and societal benefits going forward. Whilst many officers and staff do find employment after policing, 66% say this is not in the role or industry they aspired to, and 34% have held multiple roles since leaving. This suggests a lack of confidence in seeking future opportunities or finding roles that align with their skills, self-identity, and sense of belonging developed over many years in policing.
The majority of police leavers indicated they wanted a comprehensive programme of support at least 12 months before leaving, including CV writing support, assistance with the emotional aspects of transition, time to plan and prepare, job search support, coaching, peer support, interview skills, and training.
The pilot
To address these challenges, the Police Leavers Gateway applies cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), offering tailored career transition support through e-learning, CV-building tools, and personalised skill translation. The integrated Police Leavers Assistant (PLA) uses AI to generate personalised career profiles, supporting them with CV writing, job applications, covering letters and applications helping users align their policing skills and experience with external job roles in a wide range of industries. Designed specifically for police leavers, this platform ensures a seamless transition into new career opportunities.
In addition to career-focused support, the platform also helps individuals on a personal level, offering modules on emotional resilience, self-awareness, identity, and purpose, key issues commonly experienced by all police leavers.
We’re working with key staff networks such as the Police Federation, Unison, the Police Superintendents Association and CPOSA to make the platform accessible to all officers and staff who are considering and/or are approaching leaving through retirement and other means.
What next?
Following the pilot, the Police Leavers Partnership will provide the National Police Wellbeing Service with a report which will make recommendations around the potential mobilisation and scaling of this resource.