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Eligibility criteria may differ per individual force, please check our force eligibility criteria pages for more detail.
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You must be over the age of 17 years at the time of your application.
You must have obtained or be on track to achieve a minimum of a 2.1 degree (or equivalent) by the time you begin the programme.
You must also hold a UK Level 3 Qualification in any subject (e.g. an A Level or BTEC National Diploma). An international equivalent will also be accepted, in lieu of a UK level 3 qualification.
Different people bring different perspectives which help us develop better understanding and learning, leading to new ideas and solutions to the challenging social issues that we face on a daily basis.
You can be of any nationality to apply, providing you have settled or pre-settled status.
You’ll need to have lived in the UK for the last three years (with exemptions for holidays, university year abroad, service abroad with the UK government or military). You must also have indefinite leave to remain and work in the UK without restriction i.e., settled or pre-settled status.
Police officers are in a privileged position and could be considered potentially vulnerable to corruption. As a result, you must not be under pressure from undischarged debts or liabilities, and you should be able to manage loans and debts sensibly. Most applicants have debts, such as mortgages, undischarged student or other loans, and credit/store card debts. Debts that are within your means and manageable are not a barrier to appointment. However, you may be ineligible to apply if you have an existing County Court Judgement outstanding, have been registered as bankrupt within the last three years or are the subject of a current Individual Voluntary Arrangement.
You must be able to cope with the physical and mental demands of the role. This doesn’t mean extreme athleticism, but you will need to pass a fitness test. If you take regular exercise such as walking, swimming or jogging then you should have no problem with the fitness test. There are certain medical conditions and disorders that may have a detrimental effect on your ability to conduct the role effectively. If you are aware of having any medical conditions or disorders, please consult this document and note the likelihood of your condition becoming a barrier to your application. You can review the recommended Medical Standards here.
The Home Office does not allow serving police officers to take an active role in politics. An active role in politics would include running as a candidate in an election but would not include basic membership of a non-extreme political group or party as an example. You are not eligible for the programme if you plan to take an active role in politics whilst on the programme and serving as a police officer.
You can’t apply to Police Now if you already have a live application for a police constable role.
Police officers must be impartial and objective when performing their duties with the public. This does not prevent you from being a member of political parties in general. If you’re a member of or have previously been a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation or group, you won’t be eligible to apply.
You must declare any other employment or business interest you intend to maintain so that this can be reviewed to make sure there is no conflict of interest with the police. If you, your spouse or any relative living with you, holds or has a financial interest in any licence or permit relating to liquor licensing, refreshment houses or betting and gaming, or the regulations of places of entertainment, you may not be eligible for appointment.
Please review this document which indicates standards for distance vision, near vision, colour vision and eye surgery.
If you are currently using any illegal drugs this will rule you out of the recruitment process automatically. To be eligible you must agree to have a test for substance misuse, as well as having a DNA sample and fingerprints taken for the purpose of conducting a speculative search against the national database.
Tattoos and piercings are not a total bar to appointment. However, some tattoos could potentially offend members of the public or colleagues, or could be considered lewd, garish or provocative depending on their size, nature and location, and these will not be accepted. You also need to be prepared to take out any facial piercings and/or any piercings located in a position that would cause a health and safety issue.
Tattoos which would not be accepted may include:
Honesty and integrity are of the utmost importance. Police officers are subject to the Standards of Professional Behaviour, which clearly set out what communities can expect from their officers:
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