How to Become a Police Officer in the UK
Police officers keep people safe: answering 999 calls, patrolling, investigating crimes, arresting suspects, interviewing victims and witnesses, preparing case files and giving evidence in court. Most new officers start in response or neighbourhood policing, then move into areas such as investigation, roads policing, public protection or firearms once they have finished their probation.
This guide covers how to become a police officer in England and Wales, where the 43 territorial forces recruit through a shared set of national entry routes. Scotland and Northern Ireland each have a single force, Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, with their own recruitment and training, so check their websites if you want to work there. You apply to the force you want to join, pass its assessments, fitness test, medical and vetting, then train on the job as a paid student officer.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £28,000 - £33,000
- Mid-career salary
- £42,000 - £50,000 (sergeant / inspector)
- Senior salary
- £55,000 - £100,000+ (senior ranks)
- Work environment
- Streets, station, shifts including nights
- Time to entry
- 2 - 3 years (PCDA / DHEP)
- Degree required
- Increasingly expected (PCDA route)
- Category
- Public Sector and Emergency Services
Compare pay across careers in the UK salaries by career report. Also in: High-paying careers, No-degree careers, Stable careers, Career change.
What a Police Officer does
Keep communities safe - patrol, investigate, respond to incidents.
How to become a police officer in the UK
In England and Wales you join as a student officer through one of a small number of national routes, and you are paid from your first day. The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) takes three years and leads to a degree in professional policing practice, with no tuition fees to pay. The Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) is for graduates in any subject and takes two years, and some forces offer a detective version for graduates who want to go straight into investigation. Police Now runs national two-year graduate programmes in neighbourhood policing and detective work with partner forces. Some forces also offer the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP), a non-degree route introduced in 2024, but not every force runs it, so check before you apply. If you would rather study first, you can take a pre-join degree in professional policing at your own cost, then apply to a force and complete a shorter training programme.
Whichever route you choose, you apply directly to a force. Every force sets its own recruitment windows, but the checks are similar: eligibility, an online assessment with written exercises and a competency and values based interview, the job-related fitness test, a medical, an eyesight test, biometric checks and vetting into your background, finances and associations. Most forces ask for at least three years' residence in the UK so that vetting can be completed, and many want a full UK driving licence when you apply or by the end of training.
- Choose the force you want to join and read its eligibility rules: age (you must be at least 18 to be appointed), nationality and residency, eyesight, driving licence and any tattoo or business interest policies.
- Decide on your route: the three-year PCDA if you do not have a degree, the two-year DHEP or Police Now if you do, or the PCEP where your force still offers it.
- Get experience of policing if you can, as a special constable, a police community support officer (PCSO), a police staff member or a volunteer police cadet leader.
- Apply when your force opens recruitment, then prepare for the online assessment and interview with real examples of integrity, teamwork and dealing calmly with conflict.
- Train for the job-related fitness test, a 15-metre multi-stage shuttle run to level 5.4, well before your test date, as you cannot start without passing it.
- Pass the medical, eyesight, biometric and vetting checks, which can take several months, and keep every detail on your application complete and accurate.
- Complete your training and probation as a student officer, then choose a direction such as investigation, roads policing, public protection or firearms.
| Route | How long | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) | 3 years | Paid salary, no tuition fees | School leavers and career changers without a degree |
| Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) | 2 years | Paid salary, no tuition fees | Graduates in any subject, including detective entry in some forces |
| Police Now graduate programmes | 2 years | Paid salary, no tuition fees | Graduates who want neighbourhood or detective work with a partner force |
| Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) | Around 2 years | Paid salary, no tuition fees | Non-graduates in forces that still offer it |
| Pre-join degree in professional policing | 3-year degree, then a shorter programme after joining | Tuition fee loan | People who want to study before applying |
How most people actually get started
Many new officers have already seen policing up close. Volunteering as a special constable gives you the same uniform and powers as a regular officer while you keep your day job, and it shows a force you understand the work. Working as a PCSO, in a police control room or as police staff does the same. Plenty of recruits join in their thirties and forties from retail, hospitality, the armed forces or care, where handling conflict and difficult conversations is part of the job.
How long it takes
From application to your first day as a student officer usually takes several months, because assessments, the fitness test, medical and vetting all take time. You then train for two years on the DHEP, Police Now or PCEP routes, or three years on the PCDA, and complete your probation before choosing a specialism.
Police Officer salary in the UK
Police officers are paid on national pay scales, with pay rising each year through the constable scale and a jump with each promotion. In TonyKnows career data, new constables start on around £28,000 to £33,000, sergeants and inspectors earn around £42,000 to £50,000, and senior ranks earn around £55,000 to £100,000 or more. Officers in London receive extra London allowances, and some specialist roles and on-call duties attract additional allowances. Pay scales are reviewed each year, so check the current rates with the force you plan to join.
Is police officer a good career?
Policing is a good career for people who want public service with structure, clear promotion steps and a lot of variety. Job security is strong, you are paid while you train, and you can move into investigation, specialist units or leadership. The trade-offs are real: 24-hour shift work, exposure to traumatic incidents, high scrutiny and a job that is hard to leave at the door. If you are unsure whether it fits you, the Career Compass assessment compares your interests and priorities with careers like this one.
Key skills
- Calm under pressure
- Communication
- Fitness
- Judgement
Will police officers be replaced by AI?
Low exposure. No. AI is being used in analysis and paperwork, but policing depends on powers held by a person, judgement on the street and dealing with people at their worst moments.
What AI already does in this job
- Statement and report writing
- Analysing CCTV and digital evidence
- Intelligence searches
What stays with a person
- Using police powers and being accountable for them
- De-escalation and judgement on the street
- Supporting victims and witnesses
Specialist routes like digital investigation use AI tools heavily while staying firmly human-led.
Related careers that are also hard to automate
- Digital Forensics Investigator - evidence work with technology
- Border Force Officer - law enforcement at the border
- Probation Officer - criminal justice work with people
More on AI and work: check another job, jobs AI will replace, AI-proof jobs.
Our rating judges how much of the role's everyday work current AI tools can already do or draft; it measures exposure, not job losses. Occupation findings are from the Department for Education, The impact of AI on UK jobs and training (November 2023).
Police Officer FAQs
How do I become a police officer in the UK?
In England and Wales, apply to a police force through one of its entry routes: the three-year Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, the two-year Degree Holder Entry Programme or Police Now for graduates, or the Police Constable Entry Programme where the force still offers it. You then pass an online assessment, fitness test, medical and vetting. Scotland and Northern Ireland recruit separately.
Do you need a degree to be a police officer?
No. The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship lets you join without a degree and earn one while you work, with no tuition fees. Some forces also offer the non-degree Police Constable Entry Programme. Graduates in any subject can join through the Degree Holder Entry Programme or Police Now.
How long does it take to become a police officer?
Recruitment usually takes several months from application to start date. After that you train as a paid student officer for two years on the DHEP, Police Now or PCEP routes, or three years on the PCDA, before completing probation.
What is the police fitness test?
The job-related fitness test is a 15-metre multi-stage shuttle run, often called the bleep test. You need to reach level 5.4 to pass. Forces usually let you retake it, but you cannot start training until you pass, so practise well in advance.
How much do police officers earn in the UK?
TonyKnows career data puts new constables at around £28,000 to £33,000, sergeants and inspectors at around £42,000 to £50,000, and senior ranks at £55,000 to £100,000 or more. London officers receive extra allowances.
Is Police Officer right for you?
Career Compass ranks careers from your interests and priorities and explains every suggestion, with UK routes and trade-offs. See how well Police Officer actually fits you. £19.99 once, full report included.
Still deciding whether police officer is the career for you? Here is which career test is actually worth taking, and what a free quiz will not tell you.