While the vast majority of new recruits start off doing two to three years of frontline police work, the opportunities for career progression are huge - and that’s not just through uniformed ranks.
Police roles
After successful completion of the probationary period, you can apply to work in a huge variety of roles and specialist units, including:
- Community policing - covering roles like neighbourhood and response policing, and roads policing
- Investigation - ranging from detectives, crime scene investigators and family liaison officers to forensics and domestic abuse investigators
- Intelligence - roles include intelligence officers, covert operatives and communications data investigators
- Operational support - roles range from family liaison officers to control centre and custody officers, to specialist roles like dog handler or mounted police, police diver, firearms officer and football spotter
Training and progression
Throughout your police career, you’ll receive on-going training, support and guidance to ensure you’re fully equipped to do your job safely and confidently.
Career pathways
To find out more about ways your career in the police could progress, visit the College of Policing career pathways portal.