Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (LE 25b)

The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) route into policing is an exciting opportunity for individuals from all backgrounds to obtain a degree whilst working and earning a full salary as a police officer.

The PCDA programme is delivered in partnership with De Montfort University and includes classroom delivery, practical application, and tutorship. The programme will be split between the university and our police headquarters in Enderby. The Apprenticeship programme will enable rotations around various key departments in the second year, and you will be able to apply for specialisms in the third year.

Being a Police Constable means never knowing what\’s going to happen next. You\’ll be working long hours, typically 12-hour shifts, you\’ll be in contact with a wide variety of people, and you\’ll be expected to act with integrity at all times – even when you\’re out of uniform. It is a role that can give you some of the most rewarding days of your life, from protecting the vulnerable and saving lives to making your local community feel safer. It\’s exciting, diverse, and vitally important.

In return, you will work for a creative, forward-thinking force dedicated to keeping Leicestershire a safe place to live, work, and visit.

Salary

• Apprentices are not required to contribute towards the cost of their degree but remain in probation for the three-year duration of the programme.
• The starting salary is £31,164 with annual increments, moving to £50,256 within 7 years.

What You\’ll Be Doing

• You’ll provide initial and ongoing frontline response to a wide range of incidents, including complex and confrontational situations, assessing immediate risk, threat, and harm to respond proportionately in line with the law, policy, and guidance.
• Take a leading role in effective local partnerships to problem solve, engage with, reassure, and support organizations, groups, and individuals across communities in line with the Force’s approach.
• Engage effectively with victims, witnesses, suspects, and vulnerable individuals, providing initial support, directing them to relevant services, establishing relationships, and gathering information to prevent and reduce crimes.
• Maintain awareness of potential and actual risks to individuals, taking appropriate actions to protect and support those in need of public protection to pre-empt or address safety and vulnerability issues.
• Conduct effective and efficient investigations as requested, in line with standards, to develop high-quality case files and support criminal justice proceedings.
• Gather and handle information, intelligence, and evidence from various sources, in line with legislation, policies, and guidance, supporting investigations and law enforcement.

The must haves

• Hold a level 2 in Maths and English with grade C/4 or above at the time of application.
• Hold 2 A levels or a Level 3 equivalent qualification in any subject, or be in your last year of study.
• Current serving PCSO who has completed your development plan, passed probation, and is up to date with mandatory training.
• Current serving Special Constable who has attained independent patrol status, completes 16 hours per month, and is up to date with training.
• Current serving ISA who has attended the Leicestershire ISA training, passed probation, and has 12 months of service.
• Hold a driving license within 6 months of start date.

Please review the attached qualification guidance before submitting your application. Leicestershire Special Constables with IPS or DMP do not need to undertake the National Sift or Online Assessment Centre.

Training and cohort

Your training starts on 6 March 2026, lasts 30 weeks, and includes pre-booked leave. We cannot accommodate prior holidays or arrangements during this period. Places are limited and will be awarded to the highest scoring candidates.

What’s in it for you?

Leicestershire Police offers a range of rewards and benefits. We aim to create an environment that puts people first, supporting you in your role.

Next Steps

If you feel you belong here, we\’d love to learn more about you. Guidance on our recruitment process is provided. Register for our upcoming webinars here. Recruitment closes on Sunday, 31 August 2025, at 23:55. We may close earlier if we receive enough applications.

Who We Are

We cover over 2,500 square kilometers with a population of over one million, serving diverse communities with unique policing needs. We have taken steps to embed policing into local communities.

Learn more about Leicestershire Police and how you can make a difference on our careers website.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds, especially encouraging females, candidates from Black and minority ethnic communities, and the LGBT community to reflect the communities we serve.

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