Police Officer Recruitment Process
There are five stages to the recruitment process for police officers.
1: The application form
2: The assessment centre
3: Background checks and medical assessment
4: The fitness test
5: The pre-induction training module
How to Complete the Application form
The application form is the first stage of the recruitment process.
The answers you provide will help us to determine whether you are likely to have the skills and abilities necessary to become a good police officer. If successful, you will be invited to the next stage of recruitment – the assessment centre.
Here are some top tips for completing the form:
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Answer all of the questions to the best of your ability. If you leave a question blank, it is highly unlikely you will move on to the next stage.
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Follow the prompts given in each question. They will help to give your answers a clearer structure.
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Use examples from your work, social, domestic or educational life to answer the questions. In these examples, we are looking for evidence of specific behaviours which research has shown to be essential to police work.
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Be specific: we want to know what YOU said or did on a given occasion to deal with the situation. It’s therefore important that the examples you provide are your own experiences and as detailed as possible.
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Try to use examples that you found difficult or challenging to deal with. These answers tend to achieve better marks.
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Write clearly and concisely. We expect your answers to be focused, succinct and fluently written, as any police report or statement would need to be. This means writing in complete sentences rather than notes or bullet points.
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Pay attention to your handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Remember this is a formal application so the use of jargon and slang is unacceptable.
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Do not add extra sheets, write outside the space provided or write between the lines. No marks will be given for evidence outside the space provided.
Remember, if you are unsuccessful, you will not be able to reapply for six months – so give it your best shot.
