Training is always high on the agenda for 21st century police officers.

Whether you're welcoming new constables or upskilling your inspectors – officers at all levels undergo rigorous training. It directly underpins performance, so it's important that forces invest in the right tools and initiatives to get the best returns from their training programmes.

Maximising ROI from training isn't easy, but it will pay dividends – you'll save money, reduce risks, increase quality, and encourage your staff to progress more in the future.

Here are 5 ways to improve ROI from your police training:

Evaluation

If you're looking to improve your training delivery, looking back is the way forward. Evaluate what you do now, and use this data to improve your training in the future. Get managers to look at the performance of their teams and themselves as individuals – they can then set targets to stretch and challenge officers in the future.

Eportfolio

Using an eportfolio to manage training is a surefire way to increase ROI. With an eportfolio, officers don't have to waste time at the station writing up notes. Instead, they can record evidence on the job using any device and sync it to their online portfolio. Leaders can use the same system to manage, track and report on training – it's efficient, transparent and easy to use.

Like with any technology, you'll need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the system is going to deliver ROI and work for your force. Find out the benefits of using OneFile's eportfolio for police training here.

Standardisation

Standardising delivery across your force will make training easier to manage as everyone's on the same page. Officers and tutors will know exactly what's expected of them as training is delivered, tracked and managed in the same way – saving time and money at every stage of the process. Standardisation may sound dull, but it's crucial for maximising ROI.

Using a learning software is an easy way to standardise training across all qualifications in your force. You can create online templates and reports to standardise quality across the board and save time, money and admin hours.

Many organisations – such as OneFile – bring different forces together to share best practice and pool resources, so look to partner with organisations like this.

Engagement

You can't maximise your training without buy-in from your staff, so you'll need to find a way to keep your team engaged. Staff are more motivated if they can see exactly what tasks they have to do and track their progress throughout the programme.

Officers also stay more engaged with their programme if they can complete learning online, rather than in a classroom. Find a software with a built-in virtual learning environment so you can set quizzes, activities and reading online and officers can complete them wherever they are.

Increased engagement means reduced completion times and reduced costs, which are both great for ROI.

OneFile

OneFile's learning software helps you get more from your training budget. It has an integrated eportfolio, virtual learning environment, CPD tracker and reporting suite – so you can manage the whole training journey using one system. OneFile is also proven to increase learner engagement by 35%, increase achievement rates by 10%, and deliver 80% savings on paper and printing costs. That's why it’s already used by police forces across the country.

To find out exactly how OneFile can be used to maximise ROI from police training, download our free guide. It explains exactly how OneFile works, how it's used in the police, and the benefits it brings to other forces.