Entry routes into policing
The entry requirements for all police officer roles have changed, in line with the College of Policing’s Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF). This change recognises today's complex and challenging work in policing and gives those who become an officer the recognition that they deserve for the high level of service required. To be a police constable, you will either enter the job with a degree or take a learn while you earn approach.
There is still a variety of entry routes to ensure that there's a pathway suited to everyone.
- If you already have a degree, you may wish to enter using the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP)
- If you do not already have a degree, you may wish to enter using the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
You can find out more about each of the routes below. You can also volunteer to gain experience.
Recruitment lines are now open.
- This is for those who already have a degree in any discipline, other than the Professional Policing Degree from the College of Policing.
- It is a two-year work-based training programme supported by off-the-job learning.
- You'll focus on a specialist area of study from either Investigation, Intelligence, Community, Road or Response policing.
- You'll earn a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Policing Practice.
More Information
Your training will commence at Martlesham, Suffolk for a minimum of 22 weeks and includes a week’s leave at around 12 weeks and another week’s leave at the conclusion of the training. You will be working Monday-Friday, usually from 9am-5pm each day. This training is made up of a combination of classroom-based lessons and practical skills development session, delivered jointly with our academic partner Anglia Ruskin University.
The next phase is your first operational deployment, where you will be demonstrating the practical policing skills and knowledge you have gained in initial training and complete a competency-based portfolio to show your ability to work independently as a police Constable. This phase is for a minimum of 13 weeks, and you will work alongside an experienced officer trained to be a tutor.
You could be based at any station across the county, and you will be expected to work the full range of shifts including earlies, lates and nights, including weekends and bank holidays. Once you have achieved independent status you will have the opportunity to develop your investigatory and community policing skills up to the end of your first year.
Year two will involve further classroom based learning and academic assignments which you will be expected to complete alongside your operational policing duties, responding to calls for service from members of the public and managing a workload of investigations.
Any of these phases can be extended if you need more time to achieve the required standard of knowledge and skill for each stage and throughout your probationary period.
Start your application now.
The new national entry route for police officers. You join the force on the PCDA:
- for a minimum of three years
- earning while you learn
- gaining a Level 6 Degree in Professional Policing Practice
- potentially specialising in your third year
Educationally, you'll need:
- An A Level (or equivalent) in at least two subjects - these must be evidenced with valid certificates
- competence in written and spoken English
More Information
Your training will commence at Martlesham, Suffolk for a minimum of 22 weeks and includes a week’s leave at around 12 weeks and another week’s leave at the conclusion of the training. You will be working Monday-Friday, usually from 9am-5pm each day. This training is made up of a combination of classroom-based lessons and practical skills development session, delivered jointly with our academic partner Anglia Ruskin University.
The next phase is your first operational deployment, where you will be demonstrating the practical policing skills and knowledge you have gained in initial training and complete a competency-based portfolio to show your ability to work independently as a police Constable. This phase is for a minimum of 13 weeks, and you will work alongside an experienced officer trained to be a tutor.
You could be based at any station across the county, and you will be expected to work the full range of shifts including earlies, lates and nights, including weekends and bank holidays. Once you have achieved independent status you will have the opportunity to develop your investigatory and community policing skills up to the end of your first year.
Years two and three will involve further classroom based learning and academic assignments which you will be expected to complete alongside your operational policing duties, responding to calls for service from members of the public and managing a workload of investigations.
Any of these phases can be extended if you need more time to achieve the required standard of knowledge and skill for each stage and throughout your probationary period.
- You don't need to join straight into a paid officer role.
- You can volunteer as a special constable to see if policing is right for you.
- You'll undertake the same training as regular paid officers, committing to a minimum of four hours a week.
- You'll gain great insight into what it's like to be a police officer.
- You'll have full policing powers and do frontline policing - eg helping at the scene of an accident, dealing with anti-social behaviour, arresting offenders and giving evidence in court.