Why join the police?
From world-class training and exciting career progression, to making communities safer and fairer for all. There are so many reasons to join.
A allech chi wneud gwahaniaeth?
Mae ymuno â’r heddlu yn newid eich bywyd. Nid yn unig eich bywyd chi ond bywydau’r bobl a’r cymunedau y byddwch yn eu gwasanaethu.
Ways into policing
There are several routes into policing. The route you choose will depend the qualifications you already have and the role you’re most interested in. Use our entry route checker to see which options are best for you.
Your questions answered
It’s natural to have questions if you’re thinking of joining the police. For example:
Will I have to work shifts including evenings and weekends?
Yes, there will likely be times when you’re needed for shifts working evenings and/or weekends. Speak to your chosen force(s) if you have a restriction (for example, caring duties) that might prevent you from undertaking particular shifts, as they may be able to discuss alternative options with you.
Do I need a driving licence?
Whether this is essential or desirable will vary by force. Check with the force(s) you are applying to if you don’t currently hold a licence.
Is there racism in the police?
Racism sadly exists in policing as it does in society. We can now say that policing is more inclusive, more diverse, and more reflective of our communities than it has ever been. But it’s also true that racism, discrimination and bias do still occur.
All forces and the College of Policing have developed a new Police Race Action Plan to address the significantly lower levels of trust and confidence among some Black people and the race disparities affecting Black people.
Read more about the Police Race Action Plan.
“It is difficult. But I fight on, because if I don’t, everything will be the same for the next generation.”
Gweld trawsgrifiad llawn y fideo
T.J., a serving police officer, and Rowan, a member of the public, sit opposite each other in a dimly-lit interview room. They begin a conversation.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000
T.J.: Being a police officer teaches you how to accept
00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:05.760
that people are different, that they live their lives differently.
00:00:05.760 --> 00:00:09.240
You get to share moments with complete strangers.
00:00:13.00 --> 00:00:13.560
Rowan: I couldn’t do your job
00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:14.120
T.J.: Why?
00:00:14.760 --> 00:00:16.440
Rowan: I was just worried about...
00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:18.480
what my family would think about me.
00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:20.720
T.J.: People are gonna have an issue with it.
00:00:20.720 --> 00:00:22.920
I know that from personal experience.
00:00:24.360 --> 00:00:26.920
I lost friends when I joined the police.
00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:28.120
It was difficult.
00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:29.560
It is difficult.
00:00:31.560 --> 00:00:32.560
But I fight on
00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:36.080
because if... I don’t do it then
00:00:36.080 --> 00:00:38.520
everything will be the same for the next generation.
00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:42.080
You are me, 14, 15 years ago.
00:00:42.080 --> 00:00:45.480
You know, saying:'It can’t happen.'
00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:47.720
Rowan: I know for me, when I was thinking about
00:00:47.720 --> 00:00:49.120
joining the police,
00:00:49.120 --> 00:00:55.560
I wanted to be a dog handler but then my look started changing,
00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:57.640
started to get tattoos, grew dreads.
00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:00.640
You don’t really see Black police officers with dreads.
00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:02.160
T.J.: There’s loads of Black officers with dreads.
00:01:02.160 --> 00:01:02.680
Rowan: Really?
00:01:02.680 --> 00:01:03.480
T.J.: Yeah man.
00:01:03.480 --> 00:01:05.400
Rowan: What like long formed? Or...
00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:09.040
T.J.: Yeah. Long down to their back, dreads.
00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:10.880
Rowan: Wow, OK.
00:01:10.880 --> 00:01:14.680
Rowan: So I got stopped and searched a lot.
00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:15.480
T.J.: Yeah.
00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.400
Rowan: Just, you know,another Black guy,
00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:20.280
looking suspicious, I guess.
00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:25.200
T.J.: Yeah, I’ve been told that I fit the description of a recent robbery
00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:26.720
and I was wearing dark clothing.
00:01:26.720 --> 00:01:27.800
I wear dark hoodies all the time.
00:01:27.800 --> 00:01:28.680
Rowan: Yeah.
00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:29.760
T.J.: You know,
00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:31.960
Why? Why have you stopped me?
00:01:31.960 --> 00:01:34.720
Now I have the knowledge,so I ask the right questions.
00:01:34.720 --> 00:01:35.640
Rowan: Uh-huh.
00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:40.480
T.J.: Personally believe that stop and search is a good tool to be used
00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:43.400
in the right way,but at the same time,
00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:45.400
we have been stopped and searched unnecessarily.
00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:48.080
I have been stopped and searched unnecessarily.
00:01:48.080 --> 00:01:51.600
I don’t want my children,nor their children after them
00:01:51.600 --> 00:01:53.080
to be concerned about that.
00:01:53.080 --> 00:01:56.880
I want them to drive past,you know, a police car,
00:01:56.880 --> 00:01:59.480
‘ah there’s a there’s a brother in there, there’s a sister in there’.
00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.680
It will be natural to see ourselves in these roles,
00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:05.640
it will be natural to see high ranking
00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:07.400
police officers who can effect change.
00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.040
But it can’t be done from outside,
00:02:09.040 --> 00:02:10.440
it has to be done from inside.
00:02:10.440 --> 00:02:12.840
We need people like you,
00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:16.080
so that we don’t have to feel uncomfortable.
We see a brief close-up of a whirring tape deck recording the conversation, before cutting to a wide shot of the two men.
00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:17.920
Rowan: So being a Black police officer,
00:02:17.920 --> 00:02:20.680
what do you think about the whole BLM movement?
00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:27.720
T.J.: It pains me that, you know, I had to see somebody that is me
00:02:27.720 --> 00:02:31.000
lose their life again for the vehicle to start up again
00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:34.960
and I just think that we need to keep the pace with that.
00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:37.240
Conversations like this,
00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.360
are giving us seats at tables that we
00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:43.440
should have been sitting at a long time ago.
00:02:43.440 --> 00:02:45.960
And I am just
00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:49.720
aware that we need to make sure that the correct voices
00:02:49.720 --> 00:02:52.240
are sat at these tables.
00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:57.080
Rowan: Have you seen more Black police officers joining?
00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:58.880
T.J.: Yeah man, yeah definitely.
00:02:58.880 --> 00:03:03.280
We are in areas that we wouldn’t have been before;
00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:06.000
Firearms. You know, detectives and...
00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:09.400
We are in these roles and we are excellent.
00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:10.760
At everything.
00:03:10.760 --> 00:03:12.800
Rowan: What’s your proudest moment so far?
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.680
T.J.: Proudest moment in the job was
00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.840
stopping a murder.
00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:21.040
It was a domestic incident.
00:03:21.040 --> 00:03:24.720
On the way to the actual flat itself, we could hear screams.
00:03:24.720 --> 00:03:28.640
Eventually gained access, ran up to the second floor,
00:03:28.640 --> 00:03:32.120
Just got there, what would have appeared to be, in time.
00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:34.520
You know, what she kept saying afterwards is:
00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:37.000
‘He probably would have killed me in the house.’
00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:40.280
So that is my standout moment
00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:43.040
from my career up to this point.
00:03:43.040 --> 00:03:46.800
Rowan: So what is your most favourite part of the job?
00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:48.720
T.J.: Strangely enough just
00:03:48.720 --> 00:03:50.440
being able to communicate with different people.
00:03:50.440 --> 00:03:55.520
Communication, you know, is what we use to solve things.
00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.520
Being a police officer teaches you how to accept
00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:00.840
that people are different, that they live their lives differently.
00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:02.800
You get to share
00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:09.080
moments with complete strangers that blow your mind.
00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:12.360
You get to do things in special ways for people that,
00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:14.200
You know, will literally,
00:04:14.200 --> 00:04:15.400
they will come back and tell you that you changed
00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:17.640
their life for the better.
We see a close-up of the tape machine, clicking as the recording ends, before cutting to a shot of Rowan.
To address perceptions of discrimination in policing head on, we teamed up with Channel 4 to create a series of films featuring members of the public interviewing serving police officers. Hear a Black police officer, a female detective and a gay police officer speak openly and honestly about their experiences. And learn why they think more people with diverse backgrounds should apply to join the police.
Upcoming force recruitment events
Below are just some of the events on offer from police forces, where you can speak to serving officers, ask questions and much more.
Special Constable Recruitment Event
At this in-person event, you will gain insights into what it takes to become a volunteer police officer. You will hear from various departments and current Special Constables about the role.
Special Constable Information Event
We'll tell you about what's involved in being a Special Constable. And we'll let you know about the different roles available and how the recruitment process works. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions and speak to some of the Special Constabulary team too.
Special Constable Information Event
We'll tell you about what's involved in being a Special Constable. And we'll let you know about the different roles available and how the recruitment process works. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions and speak to some of the Special Constabulary team too.
