Joining the police can lead to a really rewarding and enjoyable career where you will have opportunities to develop to senior ranks.
Whilst you are not eligible to join the police force until you are 18, there are several options for you to get prepared for a career in policing whether you’re 13 or 21.
For those under 18 years of age, Volunteer Police Cadets operate in forces across England & Wales, some are known by different names. However, all police cadet groups operate to the Aims and Principles of the Volunteer Police Cadets. There are opportunities for all young people aged 13 to 18 years old to support their local communities.
Police Cadets are growing schemes that do not currently operate across every Police Force, please contact your local force to find out more.
Individuals from any background, social group, gender, ethnicity, ability/disability are welcome to join the cadets.
Most cadet units have a local school or college as their base, making it a very accessible place for young people to attend.
Whilst every VPC unit offers fantastic opportunities for all young people, they may have different ways of providing those opportunities. There will be a great mix of like-minded young people reflecting the diversity of their local community participating in:
If you are over 18 years of age, there are several routes into policing, choose an option listed below for more detail on your entry route options:
If you are not sure whether to join as an officer right away, there are volunteer pathways such as the role of a Special Constable. Alternatively, the paid role of Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or by completing work experience opportunities.
Special constable opportunities – In the UK, a number of police forces work closely with their Special Constabulary units who are trained volunteers that work to support their local force.
Special constables place a key role in tackling crime and making the UK a safer place to live and work. Often known as Specials, they come from a range of backgrounds and all walks of life.
Special constables have to complete a training programme, which when completed will enable them to have the same powers as regular police officers and to wear a similar uniform. They volunteer for a minimum of four hours per week and form a critical link between communities and police officers.
Becoming a Special constable is a unique challenge like no other. It’s hard, demanding work, but from your first day on duty, you’ll see the impact you’re having. Each time you put on your uniform; you will be able to learn something new.
Who is eligible to be a Special constable?
The basic requirements to become a special are to be:
How do you apply to become a Special constable?
To apply, you should visit the recruitment section on the website of the force you are interested in joining.
Work experience opportunities:
Many forces now offer work experience placements, from Ride Along schemes to HR and Communication placements and more.
A ride along placement is open to members of the public who reside in the county. This scheme has been launched to allow us to give members of the community the opportunity to see how an officer’s job works.
During a typical Ride Along, you can expect to see how officers deal with local issues such as antisocial behaviour, how they work with partner agencies to keep the public safe, and the way in which they respond to emergency calls for help.
You will also have plenty of opportunity to speak with the officer that you’re crewed with about their role and work. If you’re considering joining the force in the future or have a general interest in the day-to-day work that our officers do, this is a perfect opportunity for you to find out more.
Local force schemes: There are other options that are specific to each force that you can search for online to find and apply for. The best place to look for these would be the individual force’s websites, where they advertise any voluntary programmes that they are currently running.
Most commonly, these programmes are aimed at students who are considering a career in the Police Service after their education. If there are opportunities in your area, these are generally seen as the best way to get valuable experience of how an officer’s role works.
Take a look at your local force’s website and see what options are available for you!
How can Practice to Progress support application journey?
If you want to join the police, we can help increase your chances by up to 78% with ‘mock exam’ style practice sessions online.
We provide a Police Application e-learning course available to download for £8.99.
This will take you through the application form step by step to ensure that you make the best use of your knowledge, skills and experiences and to present them in a way that sets you apart from the crowd.
Submitting an excellent application form is the first stage towards achieving your goal of becoming a Police Officer.
You will be provided with:
To enrol or to learn more via our website https://practicetoprogress.com/recruitment/police-application-prep/
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