Vacancy Information
Careers don't come more rewarding than this. Tacking crime, taking knives off the street, engaging and educating young people and being the person everyone looks towards for help.
A police officers' role is demanding and diverse - no two days are the same. We are looking for people who have the judgement to make quick decisions; are confident to be the first person in; have the compassion and empathy to help those in need; who have their colleagues' back no matter what, and the resilience to serve the community every single day. In return, we promise a good starting salary, great training experiences, opportunities for progression, a chance to achieve a professional qualification in policing practice and the pride that comes from helping others.
You will become part of our policing family; dedicated to communities safe, and feeling safe ,identifying and protecting vulnerable people, preventing and responding to harm.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the role, you will need to:
• Have successfully completed, and be able to evidence, a UK undergraduate degree (360 credits) in any subject. Applicants with non – UK degrees can be considered if their degree is recognised as equivalent by UK ENIC but will need to provide evidence of an acceptable English language qualification if their degree was not taught and assessed in English. Applicants that are graduating in the summer of 2024 are able to apply. You will need to upload evidence of completion of university modules to date when you apply. If you don't have a bachelors degree with honours you can apply for the PCDA which is open now.
• Be aged 17 years or over on the day you submit your application. You must be 18 years or over to start in post.
• Have lived in the UK for three continuous years, immediately prior to application
• Have leave to enter or leave to remain and work in the UK for an indefinite period.
• Have a full UK manual driving licence (by the time of appointment).
• Not be a member of the British National Party (BNP) or other relevant organisations, such as Combat 18 or The National Front.
• Not have tattoos which could cause offence.
• Not have 6 or more penalty points on your driving licence.
• Not have served a prison sentence.
What we can offer you
By successfully completing the a recruitment process, you will be joining Sussex police as a Police Officer through the Police Constable Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) as the new entry route for police constables. It is a 2 year development programme with both on and off the job learning. Upon successfully completing the programme, and completing probation, individuals will achieve a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice. Starting salary is £28,682 per annum (which includes £2,000 South East Allowance). You will be employed as a police officer from day one, gaining valuable experience of the role alongside studying towards your Graduate diploma. You will also be paid a salary whilst studying and will not be charged any tuition fees - therefore no need for student loans.
Application Process
Stage 1: Application Form and Eligibility Checks
Stage 2: National Sift - Behavioural Style Questionnaire and Situational Judgement Test
Stage 3: National Assessment Centre - Written briefing and competency-based interview
Stage 4: Competency Based Interview
Stage 5: Pre-employment checks consisting of references, vetting, medical, biometric vetting and substance misuse testing and fitness testing.
We anticipate start dates from March 2024. Please be advised for the first 15 weeks of your training you will not be able to take any annual leave.
Have a Question?
If you have a query about any aspect of your recruitment journey, be that eligibility requirements, completing the application form, or you want to find out more about what happens after you have submitted your application, our recruitment experts can answer your questions. Email the team to book a one-to-one conversation - careers@sussex.police.uk
Diversity Statement
We are only as good as our people. It's really important to us that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach and skills that diversity can bring; all of which helps us to deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.
We have a multiple staff support groups who help improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and Disability Confident, a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.
We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.