Nicholas Mills MA, PgCert, FHEA
Director (Programme Design)
Nick is a former West Midlands Police Detective Investigator; with 30 years’ policing service; with over 20 years’ experience leading serious and complex crime investigation and attaining the rank of Detective Sergeant. He has recently acquired Masters qualification in Education and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. With over 7 years’ experience as a specialist trainer, Nick has designed, written, prepared and delivered investigative training provision to PCDA and DHEP new recruits, PIP2 Investigators, and PIP2 Supervisors and Managers, as well as, CPD delivery and seminars to Investigators; CPS and partner agencies. Nick’s skills and ingenuity as a an experienced PIP2 Investigator and a highly qualified trainer have received national recognition on many occasions; including the College of Policing 2018 Professional Development Award for writing the national Disclosure Training product; and the Police Federation National Detectives Forum 2019 Services to Detectives Award for development of the modular West Midlands police PIP2 ICIDP, with emphasis on inclusivity of the programme.
Nick has worked within the arena of major and serious and complex investigations across the Midlands region, including investigations at a national and international level. He has a wealth of experience the field of Intelligence and Disclosure management, supporting many murder and organised crime investigations. He has worked alongside CPS and Counsel in the development of serious case files, and the presentation of complex evidence at the Crown Court, Coroners Court and the Court of Appeal. Nick is a qualified Investigation Review Officer and has extensive experience in the review of unsolved murder investigations and cold cases. He has progressed such cases from review stage, through to re-investigation and successful prosecution of offenders. He has influenced the methodology of investigative review across the region, with best practice being developed following Nick’s strategic organisational communication.
His influence and experience saw Nick take on the role as Police Lead for the Midlands region with the development, design and delivery of the Investigative learning for the regions’ PCDA and DHEP student learning programmes; working alongside Staffordshire University to develop the groundbreaking training programmes.