Professional Policing Degree (PPD) Programme

The degree in professional policing is a professional academic knowledge-based degree, based on the national curriculum for the police constable role. It provides you with an entry route into policing if you choose to study before you apply to join a police force.

You need to complete the degree or be due to complete the degree this year before applying to join Avon and Somerset as a Police Officer. 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.

We’re excited to offer the opportunity to join our growing organisation in a career that enables you to make a difference in your community as a police officer. You will use the academic knowledge you have gained whilst completing your degree in Professional Policing alongside the training you will receive at Police Headquarters during your induction period to become a fully operational police officer over a period of 2 years.

Whether you have completed a Degree in Professional Policing within the last 5 years or are in your final year of University and have your predicted grades you may be eligible to apply. If you hold a degree in any subject other than the Degree in Professional Policing you may be eligible to join via the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP). If you do not hold a degree then you may be eligible to join via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).

As a police officer, you will be delivering the highest level of service to our communities. You will make a tangible difference in our communities by providing care and reassurance to people on what might feel like the worst day of their lives and many will look to you for guidance and protection.

Our police officers come from a variety of backgrounds and come together with a shared goal to make the lives of those within our communities safer. We are looking for individuals who are able to think clearly in sometimes stressful and emotionally charged situations, have genuine compassion and empathy to support victims of crime and the passion to serve our communities every single day.

You will demonstrate excellent communication skills to be able to engage with individuals across a wide range of situations and from all backgrounds and you will be committed to delivering the best service possible. You will work alongside a team of multi-skilled professionals with a shared enthusiasm for delivering results. Police Officers are first-responders to emergency incidents where you will support victims of a number of different crime types, including road traffic collisions, domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour – sometimes all in one shift.

You will be appointed as a police officer from your first day. In your first 9 weeks, you will undertake personal protection training, driver training, system training and additional classroom learning whilst based at Police HQ in Portishead. After this initial period, you will enter into tutorship working with a 24/7 response team to put your acquired skills and knowledge into practice in order to achieve Independent patrol status.

You will then follow a programme to achieve full occupational competence over a two-year probation period. After your 8 weeks of training you will be placed into Patrol in the response directorate. You will be required to work a shift pattern including days, evenings, nights and weekend shifts. Working alongside your team you’ll receive support and guidance from a professional mentor.

You will be paid a starting salary of £29,907 rising to £48,231 at the top of the scale (circa 6 years’ service). You will also have access to a wide range of generous benefits including the Police Pension Scheme (2015), shift allowances, company laptop and mobile phone, insurance schemes and substantial holiday entitlement to name a few.

If your application is successful, you will be required to attend a compulsory familiarisation event, virtual assessment centre and also an in force interview. Course places are allocated in accordance with operational demand at the time of appointment. All new officers will be posted within our guidelines and may be posted anywhere within the force area.

To be eligible to apply for this role you must have a 3 year checkable history in the UK. This means that you would have been resident in the UK continuously for the last 3 years.

PLEASE NOTE - The application form will ask if you if you hold a degree in any subject other than Professional Policing. Please ignore this and select YES. If you already hold a Degree in Professional Policing please ensure you upload your certificate. If you are in your final year please upload a document just stating when you are due to graduate as it will not allow you to continue without an attachment.

To meet the qualification eligibility criteria you must hold or be due to graduate with a Degree in Professional Policing. This programme is specifically designed around candidates who already hold that degree and the knowledge from it. Unfortunately, alternative degrees will not be considered for this entry route.