The College will be an inclusive organisation and its membership will include all police officers, staff, specials and volunteers.

Its work will be based on a strong and rigorous evidence base of "what works", which will be embedded in the professional development of all officers, staff, specials and volunteers at all stages of their careers.

Chief Constable Alex Marshall, formerly of Hampshire Constabulary, who officially begins work today as the new chief executive of the College, said:

"On behalf of the public and the profession we will set and maintain the highest professional standards. The police hold intrusive powers to allow them to protect the public. The public expect such powers to be used wisely and proportionately by people who are skilled professionals with high levels of integrity.

"Our mission is to ensure that everything we do equips everyone in policing with the right tools, skills and knowledge to reduce crime and protect the public.

"We will work closely with police forces and universities to ensure that all forces and Police and Crime Commissioners have access to the best evidence available for effective interventions, and that we remove unnecessary bureaucracy. We will work to find the best ways to deliver policing in an age of austerity and support the development of an evidence-based profession.

"Today is just the start of the journey for the College. We are now starting a transformation programme which will be driven by our members to ensure that our work can best serve the needs of the public and all in the policing service."

Welcoming the launch, Policing Minister Damian Green said:

"The College of Policing will help forge a force fit for the 21^st century, setting and maintaining new standards that will build on the professionalism of police officers, ensuring they remain among the best in the world.

"Under the strong leadership of Alex Marshall, it will promote the highest standards of integrity and ethics so important to public trust.

"Crucially it will be independent of government, with officers from all ranks having a direct say in their training and development."

In a joint statement, ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde, Irene Curtis, President Elect of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales, Julia Lawrence, Police Federation nominee for the College of Policing Board, Ben Priestley, UNISON national officer for police staff, and Debi Potter, chair of the Association of Special Constabulary Chief Officers, welcomed the key role the College will play in the future of the profession.

They said:

"The College provides an outstanding opportunity to recognise and further develop professionalism within the police service at every level, one that is shaped by its members and underpinned by a strong evidence base of what works.

"On the journey ahead, the service will work together to ensure we continue to drive up standards in policing."

Emeritus Professor Sir Anthony Bottoms, of the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, added his support to the creation of the College of Policing.

He said:

"As someone who has worked actively for 15 years to promote collaborative links between universities and senior police officers, I wholeheartedly welcome the foundation of the College of Policing. I am particularly excited by its commitment to develop a sound evidence base on 'what works in policing', and to disseminate such evidence in a way that will make a real difference 'on the ground'".