PCSO Recruitment

How to Apply

Application & Recruitment Guidance

To allow us to promptly review applications, please upload pictures of your tattoos and your Level 2 qualification certificates (if you have them) in the ‘My Documents’ section of the application form so that they can be reviewed.

To help you in completing your application, please download and read our Candidate’s guidance for Completing Application Forms.

National sift

The national sift consists of two online exercises that reflect the competencies, values and behaviours that are crucial for the role of PCSO. These are a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) and a Behavioural Style Questionnaire (BSQ).

Situational Judgement Test (SJT)

This part of the online assessment will present you with a variety of situations that you may face as a PCSO, and a choice of different actions that you may take. You will be asked to rate these different actions in how effective they are in addressing the situation given.

Behavioural Style Questionnaire (BSQ)

This section will ask you to review a series of statements and ask you to indicate how much you agree or disagree with them, on a sliding scale. This assessment is designed to look at your typical behaviours in a variety of work-related circumstances.

Please see the College of Policing National Sift Candidate Guidance for further information about this.

Passes of these assessments are valid for two years, so if you have already completed them for another role or force, you will not need to do them again. Just let us know and we can advise on your next steps!

Interview

After passing the National sift assessments, you will then be invited to attend a face to face interview with our PCSO team. Our interviews are currently conducted at our Police Strategic Headquarters in Eastleigh.

You will be interviewed by a panel of two, and will be asked a series of competency based questions, to determine your suitability for the role of PCSO.

The current competencies for the PCSO role are below for you to review. We have put some information together on each one to help you understand what they mean, and what we would be looking for you to demonstrate.

We are Emotionally Aware Level 1

We Take Ownership Level 1

We are collaborative Level 1

We Deliver, Support and Inspire Level 1

We Analyse Critically Level 1

We are Innovative and Open Minded Level 1

Values

The interview will last around 45 minutes and we will then notify you of the result by email. Further information about our interview process will be sent to you along with your invitation.

Pre-employment checks

If your interview is successful, you will then receive a conditional offer of employment from us, with all the details of the role being offered to you. Your letter will contain links and instructions to initiate your pre-employment checks.

These checks will include:

Reference form asking for 5 years of employment history
Police vetting, including biometrics
Medical and eyesight form
Job related fitness test (Bleep test to level 5.4)
Evidence of Level 2 qualifications in English and maths if applicable (see eligibility for further information)
Posting preference form

Posting Preferences

We ask you to complete this form so that we can gather some more information about your current home location and circumstances. This allows us to find a suitable posting for you, also taking into account our current operational need.

Download and take a look at our current posting information here.

Currently, we are looking primarily for candidates for roles across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Some of the checks we complete can be lengthy, especially in relation to the police vetting process, so we ask you to be patient with us. We will be working hard to get you processed as quickly as possible.

As soon as you have cleared all the above checks, you will be notified and be enrolled on the next available PCSO intake.

Training & Apprenticeship

PCSO Level 4 apprenticeship programme of learning

As a trainee PCSO you will be provided with the opportunity to improve your skills, knowledge and behaviours supported by a structured training programme. Your development will consist of both classroom, on-line and work-place training elements, with you being at the centre of the learning experience. Your learning experience can be tailored to meet your specific learning requirements and you are actively encouraged to discuss your individual needs with the supporting staff at all stages of your development.

The programme is designed to enable you to demonstrate full operational competence (FOC) inclusive of achievement of the L4 Diploma in Community Policing Practice by month 12. Once you have achieved your Diploma you focus on completing your Apprenticeship by month 15.

In your first week of training you will receive a full induction to the Apprenticeship and Qualification. The Qualification (Skills for Justice Awards Level 4 Diploma in Community Policing Practice) has been structured around the PCSO National Policing curriculum set by the College of Policing.