Careers With The College of Policing
If you're a natural problem-solver, thrive when challenged and are motivated by the thought of keeping your community safe, pursuing a career in the police force may be a great career match for you.
The College of Policing was formed in 2012 and about 800 people work for it across England and Wales. The organisation is an independent professional body and supports the professional development of individuals working in the forces, sets standards and shares knowledge across all policing sectors.
As an employer, the College offers its staff development opportunities, a package of employee benefits, staff networks and inclusive and accessible recruitment processes.
Who Recruits Police Officers
The College of Policing does not recruit police officers or PCSOs itself. You apply to a local police force, and the College sets the national assessments that forces use to select new constables. The College's own staff vacancies are advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website.
Routes Into Policing
There are four entry routes for new police constables in England and Wales: the police constable degree apprenticeship (PCDA), the police constable entry programme (PCEP), the degree holder entry programme (DHEP) and a route for holders of the professional policing degree (PPD). Which routes are open depends on the force you apply to.
Whichever route you choose, after applying to a force you complete the national sift (or an in-force sift) and then the College of Policing online assessment process.
College of Policing Application Process
Joining the police carries a lot of responsibility. The College of Policing designs the national assessments that forces use, so candidates are assessed in a structured way against the same competencies and values.
The process starts with an application to a force, followed by a sift and then the online assessment process. Forces then carry out their own pre-employment checks. Knowing what each stage involves can help you prepare.
Applying to a Police Force
You apply directly to the force you want to join. The force checks your application and your eligibility before inviting you to the sift.
Each force runs its own application and can set its own requirements, so check your chosen force's website. Attention to detail matters in policing, so check your application carefully before you submit it and let your motivation for joining come through where it fits.
College of Policing National Sift
After the force has checked your application and eligibility, you take a sift. It lets you show that you are suitable to move on to the online assessment process.
The national sift has two parts: a situational judgement test (SJT) and a behavioural styles questionnaire (BSQ). Some forces run their own in-force sift instead.
College of Policing Situational Judgement Test
The situational judgement test (SJT) is designed to measure your ability to take appropriate actions in realistic policing situations. The College of Policing has a specific competency and values framework you will be measured against, so be sure to study this in detail and come to understand the ethical guidelines you would be expected to uphold as a police officer.
In the national sift SJT, each scenario comes with four possible actions, and you rate each one from counterproductive to very effective. The test is untimed but should take about 45 minutes. The format can feel unfamiliar at first, so it helps to practise. The national sift platform has its own practice questions, and you can also try free online SJTs.
Behavioural Styles Questionnaire
You rate statements about how you usually behave at work on a seven-point scale, from completely disagree to completely agree, and you may also be asked to rank statements by which is most like you. It is untimed and takes about 20 minutes.
College of Policing Online Assessment Exercises
If you pass the sift, you move on to the online assessment process. This will include a Competency-Based Interview (CBI), Written Exercise and Briefing Exercise.
In all three exercises you are assessed against the competencies and values expected of a police constable. You do not need any prior knowledge of policing to take them.
College of Policing Competency-Based Interview
Firstly, you will undertake a Competency-Based Interview (CBI) which lasts approximately 40 minutes. The interview has five questions, each read out by a pre-recorded assessor. For each one you have 60 seconds to prepare and then up to five minutes to record your answer.
The interview assesses courage, public service, respect and empathy, taking ownership, and being innovative and open-minded. Use examples from your work or personal life that show these.
The College describes the STAR method as a common way to structure answers: describe the situation, the task, the action you took and the result.
College of Policing Written Exercise
In this assessment, you will be required to immerse yourself in a role-play frame of mind. You'll be assuming the role of a police officer and given four pieces of information to complete a written task, set by your line manager.
The exercise should take about 40 minutes, but the time limit is two hours. Spelling and grammar are not assessed. Assessors look at respect and empathy, critical analysis, supporting and inspiring others, and collaboration. Use only the information you are given.
College of Policing Briefing Exercise
Similar to the written exercise, you will be playing the part of a police officer. But this time you will answer 12 questions out loud, in three parts of four questions, with new information given before parts two and three. You will be given information relating to a hypothetical situation which will take around 10 minutes to read carefully.
When asked questions relating to the information, you will be given 60 seconds to formulate an answer and three minutes to record it via video. Base your answers only on the information you are given and do not add anything of your own.
