Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) - Hertfordshire Constabulary in Welwyn Garden City

Join Hertfordshire Police through the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) and turn your ambition into action. This is more than a job; it’s a chance to protect communities, uphold justice, and make a real difference every single day. With expert training, a competitive salary, and endless opportunities for growth, you’ll gain the skills, confidence, and purpose to shape the future of policing.

Why choose PCEP:

• Duration – 2 years
• Starting salary – £34,164 (includes South-East regional allowance)
• Qualification level – guided as Level 5

Training overview

The initial phase of learning is 20 weeks and will be based at one of our training locations, either Welwyn Garden City or Letchworth. This programme is focused on developing policing skills with key models and theories used routinely within a policing environment. In year two you will return for four additional weeks of training to further develop your understanding about key topics such as leadership, inclusion, investigation skills and public protection.

Benefits of this route:

• Salary progression up to £53,256 (including regional allowance)
• Contributory pension scheme
• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with service)
• A fulfilling career making a real difference

You could play your part in continuing to build the standards, practices and reputation of policing for the better! You will learn a wide range of policing skills including Personal Safety Training, emergency life support, safeguarding, crime investigation, operational policing skills, and there are a wide range of ICT systems to learn about.

Our training teams understand that you may not yet know very much about policing. No assumptions are made, and each student officer is offered coaching to achieve the requirements in a very tailored way. We also have lots of experience if you need any workplace adjustments – everyone will be screened for Dyslexia and given personal feedback as necessary.

You will then move to your designated policing area in Hertfordshire and join a team working alongside experienced police officers. Out on patrol, you will be coached and mentored by trained tutor constables who will support you to achieve a “safe and lawful” standard of practice, before being signed off as fit for Independent Patrol Status, meaning you can patrol alone.

You’ll be immersed in day-to-day policing. This will help you understand the context of what you learn, enabling you to develop the skills and experience needed for this challenging role, as you actively contribute to reducing crime and harm in the communities of Hertfordshire.

Your knowledge and skills will be assessed throughout the programme using a variety of techniques including exam, presentations and short essays. You will also need to compile a work‑based Operational Competency Portfolio and pass operational assessments of a range of critical policing skills, including providing effective initial response to a critical incident, engaging proactively with communities, conducting effective evaluation of intelligence, and providing support to vulnerable people, victims and witnesses.

Once you have successfully completed your two‑year probation, you will be able to consider further opportunities of progression and specialism within our force. Become a Police Officer in Hertfordshire and help shape the future of Policing. You will be welcomed, whatever your background, and supported throughout the programme by our friendly teams. Make a genuine, positive impact in your community.

Entry requirements:

• GCSEs (Level 2) in English and Maths (A-C / 4-9)
• Level 3 qualification (e.g. 2 A-Levels A-E, 32 UCAS points, any level 3 qualification) or relevant experience
• Applicants must hold a full UK manual driving licence at the time of application. This is a mandatory requirement for all Police Officers.

Please note: This role has been identified as high‑risk in relation to potential DNA and fingerprint contamination within forensic processes. As such, successful candidates will be required to provide a DNA and Fingerprint elimination sample as part of their pre‑employment checks. The sample will be used to conduct a speculative search against our database and then solely for contamination elimination purposes and held on a secure elimination database in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR. Provision of this sample is a condition of employment for roles identified as high‑risk.

This opportunity is currently open until Thursday 30th April 2026.