Police Officers

Being a police officer is one of the most personally rewarding, challenging and diverse careers available to you.

It’s a vital role and offers a great sense of pride from helping and protecting those within our community.

From being the first on the scene or arresting an abuser to being a shoulder to cry on and a reassuring face; this role is thrilling yet constantly challenging. You’ll work in a fast-paced 24/7 environment where no two shifts will be the same. You could find yourself:

• Acting on emergency calls.
• Investigating reported crimes.
• Apprehending, arresting and interviewing suspects.
• Collecting evidence at crime scenes.
• Dealing with accidents and incidents.
• Supporting victims and witnesses of domestic abuse.
• Engaging with children and young people to help change perceptions of the police.
• Working with emergency service colleagues from Ambulance, Fire and Rescue.
• Responding to reports of anti-social behaviour.
• Being a visible presence at large scale public events.

You need to be prepared for anything. Which is why we have introduced our new entry routes into policing; providing you with the skills and capabilities to be a successful police officer in the ever-changing environment.

There are also many opportunities to progress through the ranks and/or specialise in any area of policing that interests you most – Detective, Firearms, Public Protection or the Dog Unit are just as some examples.

You’ll need to be compassionate and confident yet calm with the judgment to make quick decisions, ask the right questions to gauge the situation in front of you and respond appropriately. It’s not all 'blues-and-twos'; building strong relationships with the public, victims, witnesses and suspects are also critical so being a good communicator, listener and empathic are all vital too. You’ll face some of the most difficult situations you can think of, and some of the most interesting. Finding the balance is key and being able to separate emotion from fact can often be challenging; however, you will always be supported – we are a family.

Most importantly, you’ll simply want to make a difference.

To apply for the role, you will:

• Aged 17 or over (on the day you submit your application). You will need to be 18 years or over to start in post.
  
  
• Have lived in the UK for three continuous years, immediately prior to application.
  
  
• Have leave to enter or leave to remain and work in the UK for an indefinite period.
  
  
• Have a full manual driving licence (by the time of appointment).
  
  
• Not be a member of the British National Party (BNP) or other relevant organisations, such as Combat 18 or The National Front.
  
  
• Not have tattoos which could cause offence.
  
  
• Not have more than six penalty points.

Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)

To be considered for entry to the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, applicants must have achieved one A Level Grade A*-C or equivalent Level 3 qualification that is a minimum of 32 UCAS points (you can check how many points your qualification is worth on the UCAS tariff calculator).

You must also hold GCSE Grade A*-C/4-9 or level 2 functional skills in both Maths and English or education equivalent to Level 2 at point of application.

Read our guide to attaining Level 2 English and Maths or equivalent.

Applicants without Level 3 qualifications can be considered if:

• You are a serving or previously serving PCSO or Special Constable with any force and have independent patrol status (IPS).  Internal applicants will need to have completed their tenure before being given a final offer but this does not affect being able to apply before completing this. Previous service is a minimum of 18 months and you must not have left longer than 18 months ago.
• Previously served in the military, armed forces or similar law enforcement agency, have successfully completed the minimum term of service and have an exemplary reference (previous service in military or armed forces is a minimum of two years within the last five years).
• Previously served in another emergency service role considered to be operational by Sussex Police for a minimum of two years within the last five years and have an exemplary reference.
• Serving or previous service with any police force which is considered to be operational (Contact Handlers/Force Control Room Operative, Designated Detention Officer, Investigating Officer/Crime Investigator – exceptions to these roles will be considered on a case-by-case basis) and have completed a minimum 18 months service. Internal applicants will need to have completed their tenure before being given a final offer. You must have an exemplary reference (previous service is a minimum of 18 months and you must not have left left no longer than 18 months ago). Exceptions to the roles listed will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• You have gained a Certificate in Knowledge of Policing.

You will need to provide copies of your qualifications when you apply. We can accept a statement of results but you will need to provide copies of the original certificates before you will be invited to an Assessment Centre. We aren’t able to accept provisional results. If you are unable to locate your certificates, you can request duplicates or an accepted ‘certified statement of results’. We aren’t able to allocate you to a course until we have received your certificates.

Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP)

Applicants for the DHEP should have successfully completed, and be able to evidence, a UK undergraduate honours degree (360 credits) in any subject. Applicants with non – UK degrees can be considered if their degree is recognised as equivalent by UK NARIC but will need to provide evidence of an acceptable English language qualification if their degree was not taught and assessed in English.

For further information on eligibility, please read our helpful guide.

When you join Sussex Police, you can expect a career with variety, diversity, challenges, rewards and now, a professional qualification. You’ll be a key figure on the front line, a vital job that matters to the public but also matters to us.

For the PCDA, we will give you:

• A starting salary of £22,902 (including South East Allowance of £1,500) with the potential to rise to £42,630 within the first seven years.
• Fully-funded professional qualification – a Degree in Professional Policing Practice.
• 22 days per year annual leave, rising to 30 days (based on a working day of 7.4 hours) a year depending on your length of service.
• Opportunity to progress through the ranks and/or specialise in an area of policing that interests you most.
• A competitive benefits package including:
  • Highly competitive pension scheme.
  • Flexible benefits.
  • An employee assistance programme for advice and counselling.
  • Access to discounts, savings and cash back rewards.
• Progressive approach to flexible working, enhanced maternity and paternity leave and potential for a career break (after two years’ service).
• Opportunities to join various support networks, staff associations and sports clubs.

For the DHEP, we will give you:

• A starting salary of £26,280 (including South East Allowance of £1,500) with the potential to rise to £42,630 within the first seven years.
• Fully-funded professional qualification – a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice.
• 22 days per year annual leave, rising to 30 days (based on a working day of 7.4 hours) a year depending on your length of service.
• Opportunity to progress through the ranks and/or specialise in an area of policing that interests you most.
• A competitive benefits package including:
  • Highly competitive pension scheme.
  • Flexible benefits.
  • An employee assistance programme for advice and counselling.
  • Access to discounts, savings and cash back rewards.
• Progressive approach to flexible working, enhanced maternity and paternity leave and potential for a career break (after two years’ service).
• Opportunities to join various support networks, staff associations and sports clubs.

Read more about what you can expect from us as an employer.

Throughout your three year apprenticeship degree programme, you will be supported by our in-house learning and professional development team.

Police officers make challenging decisions which impact the public every day. They face complex issues, often in dangerous situation, with growing demands from digital investigation and vulnerable individuals. The existing recruit training programme wasn’t designed with these demands in mind. The new entry routes recognise constables operate at a level where they take personal responsibility for decisions in complex, unpredictable environments and help provide the skills and capabilities necessary for policing in the 21^st Century.

We currently offer:

• The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship is the new entry route for Police Constables and was launched in December 2019. It is a three-year apprenticeship programme with both on and off the job learning. Upon successfully finishing the programme, and completing probation, individuals will achieve a Degree in Professional Policing Practice. 
• The Degree Holder Entry Programme is aimed at degree-holders who have attained a degree in any subject area. At the end of this two-year practice-based programme, individuals will receive a Level Six Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice. 

You will be employed as an officer from day one, gaining valuable experience of the role alongside studying towards your degree.  You will also be paid a salary while studying and will not be charged any tuition fees – therefore no need for student loans.

So you want to join us as a Police Officer.

The application process consists of several stages and it’s important to note that because of this, the average time from application to appointment is between 8–10 months.

Sussex Police has introduced a new online assessment process during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our national recruitment standards are maintained, and in the coming months this will continually be reviewed. During the current climate the following stages apply:

• Stage One - Application and Eligibility checks
• Stage Two - Behavioural Style Questionnaire (BSQ)
• Stage Three - Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
• Stage Four - Competency-based video interview
• Stage Five - Written assessment and brief exercise
• Stage Six - Force interview 
• Stage Seven - Pre-employment checks

Stage One: Application form

Your personal details will be checked and that all eligibility criteria has been met.

Stage Two: Behavioural Style Questionnaire (BSQ)

A multiple-choice assessment, which will assess whether you have the right behavioural traits to work as a Police Constable.

Stage Three: Situational Judgement Test (SJT)

Stage one of the virtual assessment centre. This test measures your ability to choose the appropriate action in situations similar to those, you are likely to face as a Police Constable.

Stage Four: On line video competency-based interview.

Stage two of the virtual assessment centre. This interview will be based upon the competency and values framework. 

Stage Five: Written assessment and brief exercise

Final stage of  the virtual assessment centre.

• Briefing exercises – Candidates will be presented with a short brief and will have to prepare their response to key questions.
• Written exercises – Candidates will be provided with written materials and will asked to provide written responses.

Stage Six: Force interview

Virtual interview conducted by a panel of Sussex Police representatives. This interview will be based upon the competency and values framework. 

Stage Seven: Pre-employment checks

This is when we begin our pre-employment checks which consist of a medical, vetting, biometric vetting and a fitness test.

If you have passed the National Assessment Centre (SEARCH or Day One) in the past 24 months, you may be able to transfer your score to Sussex Police.

We can accept scores of 50% and higher for SEARCH, and 55% or higher for Day One. Scores are valid for 24 months from the date of your assessment centre.

To transfer your score, please send a copy of your assessment report to recruitment@sussex.pnn.police.uk  You can request your assessment report from the force at which it was undertaken.

We are only as good as our people. It's really important to us that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we believe that as an organisation we'll benefit from the variety of thinking, approaches and skills which diversity can bring; all of which helps us to deliver a better policing service.

We have worked hard to create a safe, open and inclusive culture. We have a range of staff networking groups to provide specific support and advice and we are proud to be members of Stonewall and Disability Confident, and to be aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.

We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities so, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.

We are actively working on a range of activities to improve this with one of the proactive ways we seek to increase representation is via a bespoke mentoring scheme which is aimed at guiding applicants from diverse communities through the recruitment process.

For more information, please email sapna.patel@sussex.pnn.police.uk You can also read more on our Positive Action page.

We will also be running a series of recruitment information evenings for under-represented communities in 2020. More information will be made available shortly.

If you have any questions about the role or the recruitment process, please read our helpful guide.

We’re also happy to discuss further – please contact recruitment@sussex.pnn.police.uk to arrange.