Policing is a career like no other. Our police officers, police staff and volunteers show courage, teamwork and compassion on a daily basis to make a real difference to people’s lives in the communities they serve.  

As a police officer, you will work across an increasingly diverse community and face an ever-changing criminal landscape. Whether working as a uniformed officer or detective, you’ll be part of in an increasingly diverse workforce, and develop the skills and knowledge to deal with new and emerging types of crime, such as cybercrime, as well as high-harm offences like rape and domestic abuse.

To be the best we can be, we need to attract the best people. It’s a tough but rewarding job and we’ll work hard to ensure we give you the genuine support you need to succeed. Because we know that only a looked after officer can give the public the best possible protection.

Do you have the skills we are looking for?

We look for all kinds of skills, because we know it takes all kinds of people to protect the public. Problem solving, compassion, resilience, respect, courage and teamwork. These are the qualities we are looking for, and if you think you might have the skills to serve click here to receive job alerts.

Salary and benefits

We know that it isn’t all about the money and it’s making a difference that motivates our people the most. We never want to lose sight of that, but we also know that when people are starting out on a new career, or moving to a new area of the country, it can be difficult. That’s why Hampshire has chosen to have the highest starting salary of any force in the South East, with new recruits currently joining on more than £24,000 plus allowances and benefits. As you develop your skills, this can rise to more than £40,000 after seven years as a police constable. And there could be opportunities for promotion and development on top of that.

 

How do I apply?

TRANSFEREES: We are recruiting transferees from different ranks now and are very keen to speak to anyone who wants to return home to Hampshire Constabulary, or to join us from another force because you share our values and ambition. Find out more.

NEW POLICE OFFICERS: For those who aren’t already in policing, there are now three main routes in. And don’t worry if you don’t have a degree. Some people think you need one to join, but that isn’t the case. We welcome degree holders (see Entry Routes 2 & 3 below) but many future officers will join Hampshire Constabulary under Entry Route 1, where you can actually earn a degree on the job, saving the cost of paying for one yourself. 

Whichever route you choose, it’s a great way to set yourself on the way to a career that makes a real difference.

 

  • ENTRY ROUTE 1: Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) – not currently recruiting. 

 

  • ENTRY ROUTE 2: Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) – not currently recruiting.

 

  • ENTRY ROUTE 3: Pre-join Degree in Professional Policing – not currently recruiting.

 

More information about these entry routes together with other useful information is contained in our police officer joining guide. Click on the image below to read it.

 

Police officer recruitment guide

 

Once you’ve had a chance to read our officer joining guide, if you’re still interested we’ve created this helpful animated guide to the recruitment process. Click on the image below to view it.

 

 

To read full details about the recruitment process, click on the image below.

 

Officer Joining Pathways 1200 x 631

 

OTHER ENTRY ROUTES: There are also non-traditional routes to enter policing including Direct Entry, Police Now and the force’s Specialist Entry Detective programme. You can read more about these here.

 

Positive action

It’s also worth remembering that the Equality Act 2010 allows us to promote equality within Hampshire Constabulary by adopting Positive Action to support people from under-represented groups. Our aim is to recruit talented people with a diverse range of skills and experience and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our Positive Action team are available to provide support through the application and assessment process by contacting: [email protected].

You can contact this team at any time, whether we are actively recruiting for a particular role or not.

 

Eligibility

You will need to be at least 18 years old and have no criminal record; some minor offences may not exclude you, but you should check with us if you are concerned. You’ll also need a full UK manual driving licence.

You also need to have lived in the UK for the last three years, and have the right to live and work in the country indefinitely. There are some exceptions for those serving in the armed forces, members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and those who have taken a career break or gap year to travel or work abroad for up to 12 months.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment or you are placed into a pool of successful candidates to whom we intend to make a conditional offer when the position arises, you must agree to undergo recruitment screening which may consist of vetting (including Biometrics), medical, references and a job-related fitness test. The criteria include:

  • Having 6/36 uncorrected vision or 6/12 corrected in either eye AND 6/6 in both eyes. Laser correction is fine after six weeks, but severe colour vision deficiencies (monochromat) will prevent you from joining.
  • Having a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 29.
  • Being able to reach level 5.4 on a 15-metre shuttle run.
  • Full eligibility criteria will be included at the point we advertise for police officer roles.

If you have any questions about police officer recruitment, please email [email protected].