Police Officer Recruitment
Are you ready to find
your place in policing?
A career in policing offers more than a job. It's an opportunity to use your skills to make a real difference, challenge yourself every day and become part of a team working to keep our communities safe.
Whatever your background, there's a place for you here.
Why choose policing?
- Salary:£34,326 (including a £2,070 South East allowance), rising to over £50,000 after seven years.
- A team like no other: Be part of a supportive, dedicated community working for the public good.
- Purpose & fulfilment: Protect communities and support those who need you most.
- Career variety: From neighbourhood policing to specialist operations, cybercrime, investigations and more.
- Competitive rewards: Strong salary, pension, leave, and family‑friendly policies.
- Training & guidance: No policing experience needed – we’ll support you every step of the way.
- Enjoy great pay, outstanding benefits, and real opportunities to grow.
- You’ll receive 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30), full wellbeing support, and continuous training with clear routes for progression across a wide range of policing specialisms.
Before starting your application, we recommend viewing the short application process videos using the link below to explain the process step by step. If you’re unsure about anything, our team is available for a quick call to guide you.
College of Policing Role Profile
It is essential that you read and fully understand the role requirements before submitting your application. The full role profile, including key responsibilities and eligibility requirements, can be found here via the College of Policing Website
Take the first step toward a new career with purpose.
Before starting your application, we recommend reviewing the eligibility criteria. If you’re unsure about anything, our team is available for a quick call to guide you.
- The Role
- Skills needed
- Working patterns and pay
- Application
- Eligibility
- Next steps
- Graduate Development Opportunities
A Unique and Rewarding Career Like No Other
Being a police officer is a unique and rewarding career where you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference every day. Whether you’re supporting someone at their most vulnerable, preventing crime, investigating offences or working with communities to solve local issues, you’ll play a vital role in keeping people safe.
Police officers are problem-solvers, decision-makers and community leaders. The role requires resilience, professionalism and compassion, as you’ll often deal with complex situations and support people through some of the most challenging moments in their lives.
No two shifts are ever the same. One day you could be responding to an emergency incident, the next working with partner agencies to safeguard vulnerable people, investigating a crime or engaging with local communities to build trust and confidence in policing.
At Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, you’ll be given the training, support and opportunities to develop a long-term career. You’ll begin as a uniformed police constable, building the skills and experience needed to police independently, while gaining access to a wide range of specialist roles and progression opportunities throughout your career.
Above all, this is a career with purpose – one where what you do genuinely matters to the communities you serve.
What skills do you need?
We’re looking for people from all backgrounds who can demonstrate:
- Strong communication skills
- Good judgement and decision-making
- Resilience and emotional maturity
- Problem-solving ability
- Integrity and professionalism
- Teamworking skills
- A commitment to public service
- The ability to remain calm under pressure
- A good standard of spoken and written English and Maths
Above all, you’ll need a genuine desire to help people and make a positive difference in your community.
Salary and Benefits
Salary
- Starting salary: £34,326 (including a £2,070 South East allowance)
- Salary rises throughout your career
- Earnings exceed £50,000 after seven years’ service
Benefits
- Competitive police pension scheme
- Blue Light Card discounts
- Hampshire Police Leisure & Sports membership benefits
- Occupational health and wellbeing support
- Physiotherapy services
- Employee Assistance Programme
- On-site gym facilities
- Ongoing training and development opportunities
As a police officer, you’ll work a shift pattern covering days, evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays to provide a 24/7 service to our communities.
Application
Final Year Students
If you’re in your final year of study and expecting to receive your qualification results this summer, you can apply while our recruitment window is open, before receiving your results.
Applications can be submitted from the age of 17, provided you will be 18 years old by your start date.
You’ll complete the recruitment process as normal. However, you’ll need to provide evidence of your final qualification before a conditional offer can be made and pre-employment checks can begin.
Application Process
For all other applicants, click the link below to watch videos explaining each stage of the recruitment process and what you can expect throughout your application journey.
Eligibility
To apply to become a Police Officer, you must:
- Hold a full manual or automatic driving licence at the point of application
- Be able to demonstrate a good standard of written and spoken English and maths
- Pass the job related fitness test
- Have lived in the UK for the three years immediately prior to application
- Not be a member of the British National Party (BNP) or a similar organisation
- Not have tattoos that could cause offence
- Meet nationality and right-to-work requirements
You must also meet one of the following criteria:
- Hold two Level 3 qualifications
- Hold one Level 3 qualification equivalent to two A Levels or above
- Hold an overseas qualification recognised by UK ENIC as equivalent to two A Levels
- Hold a Level 3 Certificate in Knowledge of Policing or Police Law and Community Certificate
- Have completed at least two years’ service within the last five years in the military, armed forces or a similar law enforcement agency, supported by an exemplary reference
- Have completed at least two years’ service within the last five years in another emergency service or operational role (including Special Constables and PCSOs), supported by an exemplary reference
- Have work experience equivalent to a Level 3 qualification
If you do not meet the qualification or service criteria above, you may be able to complete an experience assessment as part of the recruitment process.
What are your next steps?
Ready to start a career where every day brings new challenges and opportunities to make a difference?
- Submit your application.
- Complete the eligibility and screening checks.
- Attend the assessment and selection stages.
- Receive your conditional offer (subject to checks and qualification evidence where applicable).
- Complete pre-employment checks, including fitness testing.
- Begin your training and start your journey towards becoming a Police Constable with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Join us and help make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safer for everyone.
If you have any questions about police staff recruitment, please email police.recruitment@hampshire.police.uk
Alternatively, please call us on 023 8045 1611. This phone line is staffed 08:30-16:30, Monday to Friday (with a voicemail facility outside of these hours).
We are currently recruiting Police Constables and Detective Constables
If you’re looking for a rewarding career where you can make a real difference from day one, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re interested in becoming a Police Constable or a Detective Constable, you’ll be joining a team at the heart of policing, helping to keep Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safe.
Turn your degree into a rewarding career with our Graduate Development Opportunities
If you hold a degree, you’ll have access to our Graduate Development Programme alongside your chosen policing pathway. Designed to help you maximise your academic skills in a policing environment, the programme provides opportunities to work on innovative projects, engage in mentoring, develop specialist skills and connect with senior leaders across the organisation. Graduates will also become part of a dedicated graduate network, providing a forum to share ideas and experiences, attend regular development sessions and stay connected with peers who are experiencing similar opportunities and challenges.
As a graduate, you’ll be encouraged to apply your knowledge and experience to real policing challenges, contribute fresh thinking and act as an ambassador for modern policing. You’ll gain exposure to force-level decision making, become involved in problem-solving and partnership working, and have opportunities to see how different areas of policing connect to deliver services to our communities. These experiences are designed to broaden your perspective, build your confidence and support your professional development as you progress throughout your policing career.
This enhanced development offer complements your policing pathway and helps you make a meaningful impact from the very start of your journey with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
PCEP – Graduate
Entry Routes
Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP)
A two year path to becoming a police constable: no degree or diploma required. Develop into a police officer while gaining a nationally recognised Level 5 qualification.
You must have:
- A full UK driving licence
- A good standard of English and maths
You must also have one of the following:
- Two Level 3 qualifications (or equivalent) or higher
- An overseas qualification recognised as equivalent to Level 3 (2 A-Levels)
- A Level 3 Certificate in Knowledge of Policing or Police Law and Community Certificate
- At least two years’ recent military, armed forces, law enforcement, or emergency services experience, supported by an exemplary reference
Read the full eligibility requirements including qualification equivalencies here.
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
Blending hands-on experience with classroom-based learning for a dynamic start to your career. Earn a fully funded degree while training to become a police officer during this three year programme.
You must have:
- A full UK driving licence
- GCSE English and maths at Grade C/4 or above (or Level 2 Functional Skills)
You must also have one of the following:
- Level 3 qualifications worth a minimum of 48 UCAS points
- A Level 3 Certificate in Knowledge of Policing or Police Law and Community Certificate
- At least two years’ recent military, armed forces, law enforcement, or emergency services experience, supported by an exemplary reference
Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP)
The Detective Constable Entry Programme is a non-degree holder entry route, and a fantastic opportunity to apply to become an accredited detective constable.
You must have:
- A good standard of written and spoken English and maths
- A full driving licence
You must also have one of the following:
- Two Level 3 qualifications (or equivalent) or higher
- An overseas qualification recognised as equivalent to Level 3 (2 A-Levels)
- A Level 3 Certificate in Knowledge of Policing or Police Law and Community Certificate
- Two years’ recent service experience and exemplary reference
- Proven skills and experience through assessment
Read the full eligibility requirements including qualification equivalencies here.
Transferees &
Re-joiners
Where experience meets new opportunities
Non-home Office
Recruitment
Welcoming experienced officers
Military Recruitment
From One Uniform to Another – Build a Second Career in Policing
Find your place.
Find your purpose.
Choosing a career in policing can be a big decision, often clouded by headlines or mixed opinions. In reality, it’s a career of purpose, growth, and impact, challenging but deeply rewarding. Officers are supported with wellbeing resources, flexible scheduling, and clear career progression.
