Within the framework of the ERASMUS+ Programme in 2014 and under the key action 1 “Learning Mobility of Individuals / Mobility project for VET learners and staff”, the Berlin Police will propose a project with the title, „The Future Guaranteed: Exchange of Experience to Optimise Recruitment in the Berlin Police“. The main activities of the project will be 7 working/study visits of 5 staff members of the Berlin Police for a duration of 4 days, with European partner institutions (Stockholm County Police, Greater Manchester Police, Spanish National Police, Helsinki Police Dept., National Police Training College in France, North Prefecture of Estonian Police and Border Guard Tallinn, National Police of the Netherlands). The staff members are experienced, long-serving members of the Central Services Division (ZSE) of the Berlin Police, who are attached to the Units ZSE IV (Police Academy – Basic Training), ZSE I (HR Management, Recruitment and Appointment) and the Chief of Staff Office PPr St 3 (HR Planning/Professional Development). Background Information: By the year 2022, approximately 38% of the current law enforcement staff of the Berlin Police will have retired. For this reason, a continual increase in recruitment of suitable and qualified applicants for police duties is necessary. The current problematic recruitment situation has arisen due to the following factors: - declining numbers of school-leavers - poor qualifications of applicants (failure to meet minimum standards of literacy, lack of motivation, withdrawal of applicants, failure rate in the final exam) - the lack competitiveness of the Berlin Police (Berlin has the lowest salary in comparison with other German police forces) - lack of opportunity to equip police training to meet changing needs of society - the unique situation of Berlin as a major city places enormous demands on police officers. Goal: The specific aims of the project include: - optimising recruitment in order to increase the numbers of applicants, including applicants who reflect the diversity of Berlin. - a review of the content and structure of police training in Berlin, to identify possibilities of change and lead to more appeal amongst the targeted applicants. By exchange of experience, the Berlin Police hopes to gain knowledge of the approach of other European police forces faced with similar recruitment situations, to examine whether these can be applied in Berlin and, ultimately, to deploy this approach adapted to the specific needs of Berlin. Project Plan: Working/Study visits of 4 days duration. These will take place at comparable units at the partner institutions. The visits will be carried out according to a pre-arranged plan and addressing the following areas in lectures, discussions and practical work. The results will be developed into a “Good Practice” catalogue, which will be examined with a view to deployment within the Berlin Police: - Recruitment, qualifications, the selection process including selection criteria and basic training (structure, modernisation, experience). - Targeted recruitment / current measures and concepts - Concept to increase the number of women, percentage of immigrants - Measures for the welfare of employees (including compatibility of family and profession) - Content of the basic training and of further professional development (internal / external) - Customising curricula and practical training, reflecting the changing requirements - Qualification of teaching personnel. The project partners will not only be required to provide logistics, content and organisation of the working visits, but will also be tasked with providing as much information as possible. The partners will also be expected to be available for questions after the visits have taken place. Results / Evaluation The Berlin Police expects to gain insight into many concepts and ideas at the partner institutions. This should, in turn, lead to a review of the topics listed above and to achieve the goals in the area of recruitment, appointment and training. The results will be made available in-house for the Berlin Police, and in external publications. The results will also be made known in further dialogue in projects and in working groups. Longer-Term Effects: The aims of the Berlin Police are tri-fold: - to increase the number of qualified applicants by becoming a more attractive and competitive employer - to provide modern and effective training - to maintain and strengthen the function of an open, modern city police-force in a European metropolitan area.