The CVF: A Shared Language for Behaviour in Policing
The Competency and Values Framework, almost always shortened to the CVF, is published by the College of Policing, the professional body for policing in England and Wales. The College describes the CVF as providing clear expectations for everyone working in policing, setting out the behaviours required of officers and staff to be effective in their roles and to uphold the Code of Ethics. In short, it is the shared language a force uses to describe what good behaviour looks like.
The framework is not a document that sits on a shelf. The College states that the CVF plays a significant role in the recruitment, assessment and development of officers and staff at every level. It shapes job profiles, selection criteria, interview questions, appraisal, promotion and leadership development. If you are preparing for a policing role or a promotion process, the CVF is very likely the standard you are being measured against.
The Structure: Competencies and Values
The CVF has two halves that work together. The competencies are the behaviours that describe how the work is done well. The values are the principles that apply to everyone, all the time, regardless of role or rank. The two are assessed differently. Competencies are written at different levels of seniority, because what good leadership behaviour looks like for a sergeant is not identical to what it looks like for a chief officer. Values are not levelled at all, because the College is explicit that everyone in policing is expected to demonstrate the same values regardless of their role or seniority.
The Six CVF Competencies
The College of Policing CVF sets out six competencies. They describe the behaviours that make officers and staff effective, and each has its own page on the College's website with the full, current wording. The six cover a recognisable spread of professional behaviour:
- Being emotionally aware, the College's competency described as "We are emotionally aware", about understanding the impact of one's own and others' emotions.
- Taking ownership, the College's "We take ownership" competency, about being accountable for decisions and actions.
- Analysing critically, the College's "We analyse critically" competency, about using diverse information and the best available evidence to make decisions.
- Being innovative and open-minded, about being open to new ideas and ways of working.
- Collaborating, about working effectively with colleagues, partners and communities.
- Delivering, supporting and inspiring others, about getting results while developing and motivating people.
Two points of accuracy matter here. First, the precise wording of each competency is set by the College of Policing and is best read in full on its own page, which is why the links above go directly to the College's site. Second, each competency is written at three levels, which the College says can be used flexibly to fit frontline and non-frontline roles at different levels of seniority, broadly running from practitioner through supervisor and middle-manager to senior manager and executive. The same competency describes different behaviour depending on the role it applies to.
The Four CVF Values
Underpinning the competencies are the CVF's values, the part of the framework that does not change with role or rank. The College sets out four values that apply to everyone in policing:
- Impartiality, treating everyone fairly and without bias or favour.
- Integrity, acting professionally and in line with ethical standards at all times.
- Public service, acting in the public interest and with respect for all communities.
- Transparency, building trust by being open and honest in interactions and decision-making.
The values sit at the centre of the framework and are not split into levels, because every officer and member of staff is expected to display the same values regardless of seniority. This is why, in a values-based interview, candidates for a junior and a senior role can be asked to evidence the same value: the expectation is identical, even where the competencies differ.
How the CVF Is Used in Practice
The CVF is most visible at the points where a force makes a decision about a person. Three uses recur.
Recruitment and selection. Job profiles are written against CVF competencies and values, and applications, interviews and assessment exercises are designed to surface them. If a recruitment pack lists "competencies", they are almost always CVF competencies, and values-based questions test the four values directly.
Assessment and appraisal. The CVF gives appraisal a common standard, so feedback is anchored in described behaviour rather than personal impression. It is also the standard used in promotion, where candidates are assessed against the competencies at the level of the role they are applying for.
Development and leadership programmes. The CVF describes the behaviours that development is meant to build, which makes it the natural backbone for leadership development. The College's own leadership programmes, including the development centres they use to assess potential, draw on the framework. If you are preparing for a development centre or a structured leadership selection process, the competencies and values are the standard your behaviour will be read against.
The 2024 Update and the Code of Ethics
The CVF is not static. The College of Policing introduced an updated version in 2024, primarily to align it with the refreshed Code of Ethics and to make it simpler to use. The competency clusters that grouped the competencies in the earlier 2016 framework were removed for simplicity, while the six competencies, their three levels and the underpinning values continued to describe the behaviours expected across policing.
The two documents are distinct but complementary. The Code of Ethics sets out the principles and standards of professional behaviour expected in policing; the CVF translates those expectations into observable competencies and values that can be recruited for, assessed against and developed. The Code says what is expected; the CVF makes it measurable. Because the College revises the framework, the definitive competency wording, level descriptors and value definitions should always be taken from the College of Policing's own pages rather than from older copies still in circulation.
Where Sidestream Fits
This guide is the definitional reference: what the CVF is, how it is structured, and how it is used. When the question moves from understanding the framework to demonstrating the behaviours it describes, in a real selection process or a real leadership role, that is the work Sidestream does.
Some things cannot be taught, they have to be felt. A framework can describe "we take ownership" or "we are emotionally aware", but a candidate only proves it in the moment a scenario puts them under pressure. That is why our preparation work, including our support for candidates on the College of Policing Executive Leaders Programme, uses immersive rehearsal with professional actors rather than slides, paired with the deep policing experience behind our work with the Metropolitan Police. Get in touch today. We are Sidestream.
Related Sidestream Guides
- College of Policing ELP Preparation, our support for candidates preparing for the Executive Leaders Programme
- Development Centre Preparation, how to prepare for a development centre assessed against a framework
- Police Leadership Training, our behaviour-change work with UK forces
- Glossary: 100 Behaviour Change Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the College of Policing CVF?
The College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework, describing the behaviours and values expected of everyone in policing in England and Wales. It supports the Code of Ethics and is used in recruitment, assessment and development at every level.
What are the six CVF competencies?
Six competencies covering emotional awareness, ownership, critical analysis, innovation, collaboration and delivering, supporting and inspiring others. Each is written at three levels, and the College's website holds the definitive current wording.
What are the CVF values?
Four values that apply to everyone regardless of role: impartiality, integrity, public service and transparency. Unlike the competencies, they are not split into levels.
How is the CVF used in policing?
The College states it plays a significant role in recruitment, assessment and development at every level, shaping job profiles, selection, appraisal, promotion and leadership development, including the development centres used on its leadership programmes.
What changed in the 2024 CVF?
The College updated the CVF in 2024 to align it with the refreshed Code of Ethics and simplify it, removing the earlier 2016 competency clusters while keeping the six competencies, their three levels and the values. Always check the College's website for the current version.
What is the College of Policing CVF? In summary
The College of Policing CVF, or Competency and Values Framework, is the shared standard describing the behaviours and values expected of everyone in policing in England and Wales. It sets out six competencies written at three levels and four values that apply to all roles, it underpins the Code of Ethics, and the College states it plays a significant role in recruitment, assessment and development at every level.
- The six competencies cover emotional awareness, ownership, critical analysis, innovation, collaboration and delivering, supporting and inspiring others; each is written at three levels.
- The four values, impartiality, integrity, public service and transparency, apply to everyone and are not split into levels.
- The CVF was updated in 2024 to align with the refreshed Code of Ethics and simplified by removing the earlier competency clusters.
- For the definitive current wording, always use the College of Policing's own pages.