Police constable recruitment

POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT IS CURRENTLY CLOSED

We have five routes into the police:

• Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP)
• Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PDCA)
• Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP)
• Professional Policing Degree Entrants (PPD)
• Detective Constable Degree Holder Entry Programme (DC DHEP)

Please fill in an Expression of Interest form via our advert if you wish to be considered next time.

If you enjoy facing challenges, solving problems and would like to contribute to keeping your community safe while developing a wider range of skills, then policing could be for you.

As frontline police officer’s you will be the face of the constabulary supporting local communities, building relationships, and combating crime. It is a vital role and one that makes a tangible difference to the communities in which we serve.

It's a demanding and fast-paced environment, but one that is incredibly rewarding for those looking to make a real difference. From providing community reassurance to making arrests, our officers are supporting the community 24 hours a day 365 days a year. You must be prepared to work a shift pattern, including night shifts, and to work long hours, which will fall on all bank holidays, Christmas and New Year.

We are looking for dedicated and enthusiastic people with a passion for serving the community and keeping the public safe. Our officers provide a vital frontline service for our community and visitors to County Durham and Darlington.

Salary: £28,551 - £46,044

Application process

We are currently closed for recruitment, please fill in the following form to express an interest when we next go live

When we are open you MUST send the following documents where applicable:

• original copies of Level 2 Maths & English certificates, GCSE A – C, 4 – 9 grades, or equivalent (PCDA)
• original copies of certificates for all Level 3 qualifications or above qualifications (PCDA)
• degree certificate (DHEP, DC DHEP and PPD)
• pictures of tattoos, if applicable
• details of your online assessment centre score, valid within 24 months of application 

Qualifications and eligibility

Police Constable Entry Programme

• To be eligble you need a level 3 qualification (2 A-Levels or equivalent), course takes 2 years and you don't get a qualification at the end of it (unlike the other routes)
• GCSE Maths and English, A – C (9 – 4) grade

Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship

To be eligible to apply for the PCDA, applicants must possess the following qualifications / experience:

• Two A Levels or an NVQ Level 3 qualifications is a minimum, and in order to enrol onto the PCDA programme with Northumbria University you must be able to evidence a total of 112 UCAS points or higher.
• GCSE Maths and English, A – C (9 – 4) grade

or

• for some candidates whose A Level qualifications/Level 3 may not reach 112 UCAS points, professional training or significant work experience may also be considered to be equal to the above. In this instance, you MUST evidence your training/experience by completing and attaching the Experiential Learning form below

Please ensure you provide as much detail as possible regarding your professional roles, responsibilities, work-based training or activity that you believe to be relevant to this application.

Your UCAS Tariff Points can be made up of several different types of qualifications provided they are at the minimum Level 3 requirement.  

Please ensure you check the UCAS points for your qualifications - you can utilise the UCAS calculation tool to help you.  If your UCAS points are less than 112 and you do not submit the Experiential Learning Form this can delay the recruitment process for you.

Durham Police will review a candidate’s professional training or work experience in line with the national police officers competency framework if a candidate does not have the required UCAS points.

Degree Holder Entry Programme and DC Degree Holder Entry Programme

This is open to degree holders, Level 6 with the following classifications Honours Level Degree (either First-Class Honours, Upper Second-Class Honours, Lower Second-Class Honours and Third-Class Honours).

Professional Policing Degree (Pre-join)

This is open to those who have achieved a degree in Professional Policing Level 6, with the following classifications-Honours Level Degree (either First-Class honours, Upper Second-Class Honours, Lower Second-Class Honours and Third-Class Honours). You must be within five years of your graduation.

GCSE Maths and English is not a requirement for the Degree Holder Entry Programme or for those with a Professional Policing Degree. However, your degree must include evidence of a written component.

If you have a valid online assessment score, valid within 24 months of sitting to submitting your application, we will also need evidence of this. Again, this must be sent with your initial application in order to progress your application.

If you studied aboard

If you have studied a non-UK qualification, you can see how it compares to the standard entry criteria by reviewing Northumbria Universities website in relation to international qualifications. Also note you will be required to obtain a certified translation of qualifications if certificates are not issued in English, this will be at your own expense and must be available at date of submission of application.

Copies of all educational qualifications evidencing the above MUST be attached and submitted as part of your application. Please ensure you only send the relevant certificate as proof of the Level 3 or above. Where applicable we do need GCSE Level 2 qualifications but for Maths and English only.

If you are already a member of police staff

As an alternative, you may also apply if you are currently employed in one of the below specialist police staff roles and do not have a Level 3 qualification. Maths and English GCSEs are still required – in this instance you will also need to complete the Experiential Learning Form: 

• if you have two years’ service as a special constable and have attained Independent Patrol Status, performing minimum hours (16 hours per month average) at the time of application

or

• if you have two years’ service as a police community support officer designated under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 at the time of application.

or

• if you have two years’ service in a police staff role which is considered by the chief officer to prepare a person for service as a member of a police force. In Durham these roles are:
  
  
  • CET File Builder
  • Detention Officer
  • Call Handler / Dispatcher
  • Investigative Officer
  • CSI
  • Front Counter Clerk

Tattoos

It is Durham Constabulary's policy that if someone is applying for what is a public facing role and they have tattoos which can’t be covered by normal work clothes or standard uniform apparel, the practical effect is that they are likely to be prevented from passing the ‘paper sift’ at the application stage.

Tattoos on the face, neck, or hands (beyond the cuff) are not permitted. However, some small tattoos around your wrist or to side of palm for instance may be permitted but would be reviewed via an internal scrutiny panel.

Photographs of tattoos in such areas would therefore need to be included as part of the application process (see application form for further details).

Driving licence

Candidates must possess a full current driving licence at the point of application. This must be for a manually operated motor vehicle. Should you hold a provisional licence only you cannot apply.

What happens next

Once you have expressed an interest we will contact you the next time we go live.

Once live: The first stage following receipt of your application documents will be an initial sift by Durham Constabulary. If you fail this stage you will be advised by email. Should you be successful you will progress to the College of Policing National Online Initial Sift, which includes a Situational Judgement Test and Behavioural Style Questionnaire. Once assessed you will receive e-mail notification confirming the outcome. 

If successful, you will then progress to the Online Assessment Process. This will include:

1. Competency based video interview
2. Written exercise and briefing exercise
   
   

An individual’s overall online assessment score will determine whether they will then proceed to the final interview stage of the recruitment process. 

If you have a valid online assessment centre score, dated within the last 24 months, you will process directly to the final interview stage. This must be evidenced and submitted with your initial application.