Detective Constable Entry Route
Working as a Detective Constable is one of the most demanding, but also rewarding roles in Policing. As a detective, you will make West Mercia a safer place to live and work, protecting people from harm and providing the best outcomes for victims and their families.
Detective Constables and Police Constables have the same rank but undertake different operational roles. As a detective you will deal with some of the most serious and complex crimes, working on a variety of investigations including robbery, serious assaults, fraud and domestic abuse.
Your role will be to uncover the truth in the cases you investigate. You will analyse evidence, speak with witness and suspects and have the compassion and communication skills to deal with some very challenging situations.
The Detective Constable Entry Routes provides candidates with the opportunity to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to become a competent Police Officer before specialising in CID.
Following your initial foundation learning either as an apprentice on the PCDA or graduate on our DHEP scheme, you will join your new colleagues whilst in uniform at a local police station to develop your basic vital policing skills responding to incidents, investigate crime, take part in community engagement and help problem solve some of the biggest challenges our communities face.
During the final year of your course, you will have the opportunity to specialise in Advanced Investigations, Intelligence and Information, working on attachment alongside CID colleagues on serious and complex criminal investigations to gain an understanding of the critical role Detectives play in protecting people from harm.
Once you have successfully completed your PCDA or DHEP qualification you will be considered for a Detective Constable post to undertake additional training and qualifications to enable you to become a fully accredited Detective.
If you are passionate about protecting people from harm and want to work in a demanding but rewarding profession our Detective Student Officer Programme could be just right for you.
As a student officer in the PCDA Detective Constable Pathway or the DHEP Detective Constable Pathway, you will earn a starting salary of £26,269.
If you're applying through the Degree Holder Entry Programme then you must have achieved, or are due to graduate in the year you are applying, with a Bachelor's Degree or higher.
If you're applying through the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship Route, you do not need to have a degree but need to have Level 3 qualifications in any subject(s) that equate to 64 UCAS points (these could be from your A Levels, Level 3 Diplomas, Level 3 Apprenticeship, NVQs or an International Baccalaureate, to name a few). You can also apply if you have a full Level 4 qualification or a full Level 5 qualification, such as a degree, in a non-policing related subject.
We have set out the application process in the links below, as well as how we can support you through your application.
Our Becoming a police officer - recruitment process YouTube playlist contains a selection of videos to offer you advice and guidance on what to expect from the recruitment process when applying to become a police officer
If you have any queries, read our FAQs or contact the Police Recruitment Team on [email protected].
