Police are being offered ‘banter training’ in a bid to tackle bullying and political incorrectness

POLICE are being offered “banter training” in a bid to tackle bullying and political incorrectness.

The three-hour course – which has been likened to “something out of The Office” – aims to reduce employment tribunal claims by “excluded and unhappy” staff.

The workshop teaches officers how to tread the “fine line between fun, stress-reducing, morale-raising workplace communication and a harmful, debilitating and persistent verbal barrage.”

The course outline also says it “puts political correctness in its place, recognises the benefits of fun at work and focuses on the risks and responsibilities for all concerned.”

Cops and civilian staff at Leicestershire Police were invited to take part in an advert on the force’s intranet system titled: “New Course – Banter Training”.

The course on Friday next week will also address the “differences between face to face and online banter.”

But some officers have compared it to something dreamt up by David Brent, the cringey boss in sitcom The Office played by Ricky Gervais.

They also branded it a waste of cash as the force battles a 20 per cent increase in crime with 500 fewer officers due to cuts.

It follows Surrey cops efforts to get “down with the kids” this month by teaching officers street slang and informing them Stormzy is a rapper, not the weather.

And a senior Met officer is facing a probe after he used the phrase “whiter than white” in a meeting.

One Leicestershire officer said: “It’s incredible with crime going the way it is at the moment – especially stabbings – that they’re talking about banter.

“Banter is part and parcel of the police force.

It gets you through the stress and trauma of the things you deal with.

“It’s like The Office – sadly we’re comparing Leicestershire Police to Wernham Hogg.”

Leicestershire Police employed about 2,300 officers in 2009 but has lost more than 500 since making cuts of £40m.

The force recorded a total of 76,343 offences in the 12 months to September 2017 – a rise of more than 20 per cent on the previous year.

Lynne Woodward, from the force’s diversity and inclusion unit, said: “The training has been delivered after questions from the workforce about what is acceptable and what isn’t, as there have been occasions where the actions of some have caused offence to others.

“This voluntary session aims to provide our officers and staff the opportunity to have a practical discussion about how comments made, either in conversation or online, can be interpreted by others.

“We recognise the workplace should be a sociable environment and this training is not about constraining and restricting conversations among colleagues.”