Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP)

Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) replaces the Initial police Learning & Development Programme (IPLDP). As a Police Officer, you can change your life and the lives of others. With opportunities to pursue a wide range of policing specialisms, a career as a Police Officer opens doors to roles in areas such as safeguarding, community engagement, investigations and anti-terrorism. With this vast range of career opportunities to explore and diverse demands each day, policing is a job like no other, dedicated to catching criminals, protecting communities and delivering an outstanding service.

You will be paid a full-time salary of £31,907 which includes £2,000 South East Allowance. We’re looking for people who have the judgement to make quick decisions; are confident to be first person in; have the compassion and empathy to help those in need and the resilience to serve the community every single day. In return, we offer you a good starting salary, great training experiences, opportunities for progression, and the pride that comes from helping others. Put simply, you can change lives.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be aged 17 years or over on the day you submit your application. You must be 18 years or over to start in post.
• Have lived in the UK for 3 continuous years immediately prior to application or have leave to enter, or leave to remain in the UK for an indefinite period.
• Have a current full UK manual driving licence, by the time of appointment.
• Not be a member (current or previous) of the British National Party (BNP) or any other proscribed terrorist organisations or groups.
• Not have tattoos which cause offence.
• Not have serious motoring offences.
• Not have 6 or more points on your licence.

Qualification Requirements

• Have achieved one A Level grade (A*-C) and one A level grade A*-E or AS level in a different subject, or a level 3 equivalent OR a higher qualification. You must have a minimum of 48 UCAS points.
• Have achieved GCSE English at grade A*-C/9-4 or an educational equivalent to a Level 2. Degree Holders do not need to provide a Level 2 English qualification unless your degree was taught and assessed in a language other than English.
• You will need to provide copies of your qualifications with your application form.
• Applicants in their final year of studying towards a Level 3 qualification or a Degree can apply using predicted grades. You will need to supply proof of your qualifications when you receive your results in August/September.

If you meet one of these service requirements, please complete the Level 3 form attached to this advert and submit this with your application. If you have a query about any aspect of your recruitment journey, be that eligibility requirements, completing the application form, or you want to find out more about what happens after you have submitted your application, our recruitment experts can answer your questions.

Recruitment Stages

• Stage 1: Application Form and Eligibility Checks
• Stage 2: National Sift - Behavioural Style Questionnaire and Situational Judgement Test
• Stage 3: National Assessment Centre - Written briefing and competency-based interview
• Stage 4: Competency Based Interview
• Stage 5: Pre-employment checks consisting of references, vetting, medical, biometric vetting and substance misuse testing and fitness testing.

We anticipate start dates to be from January 2026 onwards. Please note that we cannot guarantee any specific start date. Please note that during the first 16 weeks of training you will not be able to take any annual leave.

Diversity Statement

We are only as good as our people. It's important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we’ll grow from the variety of thinking, approach, and the skills that diversity brings; all of which help us to deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all. We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status, or religious belief, we would love to hear from you.

Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly.