Are you interested in doing something worthwhile with your life like giving something back to your community? Then a career in the police service may be the vocation for you. To become a police officer, you must be able to meet daily challenges, accept responsibility, work well on a team, gain the respect of your community and much more.
Police officers working in the UK are on the front line of crime initiatives. However, the exact roles police officers play depends on what force you apply to and whether you choose to specialise after your training is complete. Many police officers decide to spend most of their careers on patrol even though others decide to transfer to more speciality areas. Whatever you decide to do, you are guaranteed to play an important and vital role in your community.
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Are You Eligible?
Applicants from all backgrounds and ethnic groups are welcome to apply to become police officers. The minimum age to apply is 18 and there is no upper age limit even though you should know that the normal retirement age for police constables is 60. It’s also important to know that all new police recruits must undergo a 2-year probationary period.
Police Recruitment Tests – What’s Included
The selection process for becoming a police officer is a combination of elements that assesses your overall suitability and includes:
The Application Form – You first need to complete the national application form. All sections of the form must be completed as failing to do so will automatically result in you being rejected. You will be asked to answer competency questions on your application that include specific examples of real life experiences you’ve had. It’s essential that you provide as much detail as possible when answering these questions which are designed to see if you have the personal qualities required to be an effective police officer.
The Assessment Centre – If you pass the application phase, you will be invited to attend the Assessment Centre. Two weeks prior to you going to the assessment centre, you will receive some written material which gives some explanation of what is expected. At the centre, you will be tested on your ability to spell and construct sentences correctly, your ability to check information quickly and correctly, your ability to solve mathematical problems correctly and your ability to logically reason when given facts about specific events. This combination of tests is called the PIRT or Police Initial Recruitment Test. You will also complete a written exercise, take part in role-play exercises and will sit an interview. These combined tests are referred to as SEARCH® which is the trademark name that the College of Policing use, it stands for Structured Entrance Assessment for Recruiting Constables Holistically.
