The College of Policing was established in 2012 as the professional body for everyone who works for the police service in England and Wales. The purpose of the College is to provide those working in policing with the skills and knowledge necessary to prevent crime, protect the public, and secure public trust.

They have three complementary functions:

Knowledge – they develop the research and infrastructure for improving evidence of 'what works'. Over time, this will ensure that policing practice and standards are based on knowledge, rather than custom and convention.

Education – they support the development of individual members of the profession. They set educational requirements to assure the public of the quality and consistency of policing skills and they facilitate the academic accreditation and recognition of their members' expertise.

Standards – they draw on the best available evidence of 'what works' to set standards in policing for forces and individuals. Examples include their Authorised Professional Practice (APP) and peer reviews.

They intend to be a not-for-profit membership organisation, and will aim to achieve chartered status. Members will be fully involved in all aspects of College work.

They will have a mandate to set standards in professional development, including codes of practice and regulations, to ensure consistency across the 43 forces in England and Wales. They also have a remit to set standards for the police service on training, development, skills and qualifications, and they will provide maximum support to help the service implement these standards.

A fundamental development within the College is the use of knowledge and research to develop an evidence-based approach to policing. They are hosting the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction, which involves collaboration with academics and a university consortium. They will also take a coordinating role across the country, commissioning research and setting up regional networks, so that universities, further education colleges and police forces can work together to learn from best practice.

The British model of policing by consent is admired right across the world. They will help to create the best conditions to sustain and enhance that model.

College of Policing Limited is a company registered in England and Wales, with registered number 8235199 and VAT registered number 152023949.

Their registered office is at College of Policing Limited, Leamington Road, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3EN.