Police Officers: More Information

Education requirements

This depending on the route you are applying for.

For the PCDA applicants must have a level 2 qualification in English and Maths. Evidence of this will need to be provided to the Higher Education (H.E) provider before a place on the course is offered.

Applicants with a level 3 qualification or above (equivalent to at least 80 UCAS points) are likely to progress straight through to shortlisting however, applicants without a level 3 qualification will be reviewed on a case by case basis by both Cleveland Police and the HE provider.

To check your UCAS points, please click the link below.

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/what-and-where-study/entry-requirements/ucas-tariff-points

The PCEP is a new entry programme that does not require you to study for a
qualification during probation. This route normally takes two years, after which, if you successfully complete probation, you become a PC. As set out in Police Regulation 10, you are likely to need a level 3 qualification to join (two A-levels or the equivalent).

To be considered for entry to the Degree Holder Entry Programme, applicants must provide certificates and transcripts of the following qualifications:
• UK undergraduate degree (360 credits) in any subject.
• Non-UK degrees can be considered if their degree is recognised as equivalent by ENIC.

You will need to provide evidence of an acceptable English language qualification if your degree was not taught and assessed in English.

For the Pre-join you are required to hold a degree in professional policing, which is a professional academic knowledge-based degree, based on the national curriculum for the police constable role. You need to complete the degree before applying to join us.

The application of education received during the degree is put into practice and
assessed during probation. If you wish to use the degree in professional policing as your entry route to the police service, you must apply to join a police force within five years of your graduation.

Age

Applicants must be 17 years of age to apply however will need to be 18 before appointed. 

Driving requirements

Applicants will have held a full, manual, UK driving license for at least six months at the point of being offered a place to start. This license should allow them to drive a manual car.

You may be required through your career to drive a vehicle with more than 8 passengers for which you would need a D1 entitlement. You should have this if you passed your driving test prior to 1st January 1997. If you do not have a D1 on your licence this can be arranged through the Force at a later date.

Right to work in the UK

Applicants will be asked during pre-employment to prove their right to work in the UK. If an applicant does not have a valid 10 year British passport, they may wish to follow the below link to understand what other documents could be used instead.

https://www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk

Facial piercings

Facial piercings are not an automatic bar from application. However the prominence and location of facial piercings will be considered as to whether they undermine the dignity and authority of the role and whether there may be implications for an officer’s safety.

Tattoos

Visible tattoos would not be acceptable if they are particularly prominent, garish, offensive, or if they undermine the dignity and authority of the role.

Business interests (and other professional commitments).

Applicants must declare any other employment for hire or gain or any other business interests that you intend to maintain, when you apply to become a Police Officer. If you, your spouse, or a relative holds or has a financial interest in any licence or permit relating to liquor licensing, refreshment houses or betting and gaming or regulating places of entertainment in the area of the police force in question, you may not be eligible for appointment.

Applicants may serve as a member of the schools main Governing Body, in their official or private capacity, however they must advise the Force via a Business Interest Form for this to be recorded and approved

Applicants could not continue in the role of Treasurer or be responsible for the dismissal of staff.

If applicants have a relative who is a magistrate, they would need to report the circumstances to the Force.

The position regarding a Police Officer is that they should not take an active part in politics.

The Recruitment Process

Step 1: Self-assessment of suitability using the eligibility criteria set

Step 2: Application form

Step 3: National Sift

Step 4: Online Assessment Centre

Step 5: Final in-force interview/assessment

Step 6: Assessment by the Higher Education Provider (if joining on the PCDA or DHEP)

Step 7: Pre-employment

Step 8: Formal offer and training

Medical Assessment

Applicants who pass all relevant recruitment stages as listed about will then undertake a medical assessment which will generally be carried out by our Occupational Health team. Checks will consist of:

• BMI
• Eye sight test (please view the standards)
• Colour vision
• Lung function
• Hearing

You will be asked to complete a confidential medical history questionnaire, which needs to be validated by your GP. If a cost is incurred for this service this will be at your own expense.

We will collect a sample of hair approximately 50 to 100 strands from the crown of the applicants head to test for substance misuse.

Fitness Test

Applicants will be asked to undertake a fitness test which entails attaining a level of 5:4 on the multi-stage fitness test (bleep test). A good indicator of the fitness level needed for this test is to be able to run at a good pace for around four minutes over a distance of about 700 metres.        

References

At the point of success, references will be sought from previous employers for a period covering 5 years or 2 employers and 1 character reference, unless deemed necessary to ask for further information.

Vetting

Security checks will be carried out on all applicants and you will be required to provide details to enable us to do so. We will also need to take your fingerprints and DNA samples to carry out some final vetting checks against our databases.

Applicants will be asked questions about their wider family members and what their relationship is to the applicant along with their addresses. This could include spouse or partner, parents, step parents and partners, children and siblings. The details will be viewed by the Force Vetting Officer.

Hours

Full time Police Officers work 40 hours per week. This is likely to be on a 24/7 shift pattern.

Part-time work

During your initial training programme, you would be expected to work full time.

Any requests for flexible working to reduce hours after the training stage would need to be considered on a case by case basis.

Annual leave

All new recruits are entitled to 22 days per year plus leave in lieu of bank holidays.  You will not be able to request annual leave within your initial training period.

Development opportunities

Once you have completed your initial training package and successfully completed your 2 or 3 year probationary period, you will be eligible to apply for any advertised specialist roles or development opportunities. For example, this could include Road Policing, Dog Section, Operational Crime and many more.

Uniforms

There is a specialist Police Officer uniform that will be supplied during the training period.