Will you take the first step?

In both Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police we are proud to have detectives that have joined through the degree holders entry programme.

Detective walking with other officers
Age
Applications can be accepted at the age of 17 but any appointment is from the age of 18.

There is no upper age limit for applying to the police service, but bear in mind that the normal retirement age is 60 years and that new constable recruits are required to undertake a two year probationary period forthe DHEP or 3 years for the PCDA.
UK Qualifications

In order to be eligible for this route you have to have previously achieved, or be obtaining within the next six months, an Undergraduate or Bachelor's Degree Level 6 with either an Honours Level Degree classification or an Ordinary Degree classification (not in Professional Policing Practice). A Master's Degree at Level 7 is also acceptable. International equivalent Level 6 or 7 (undergraduate degree or masters) qualifications are accepted and welcome (see advice below under “Overseas/International Qualifications Accepted”).


Please note a foundation degree does not make you eligible for this entry route, however you may be considered for the PCDA route should you meet the above requirements.


If you have a degree in Professional Policing you are not eligible for the DHEP entry route. The DHEP is a graduate Diploma at level 6, to ‘convert’ a degree over to policing, for which this is recognised for by awarding a graduate diploma at Level 6. The pre-join degree whilst does not have practical policing elements covers the same theoretical topics as DHEP conversion course.

Overseas Qualifications

If you believe you have an international equivalent qualification, you will need to obtain a Statement Of Comparability from UK ENIC (formerly known as NARIC, the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills).


The Statement Of Comparability costs around £49 (price as at March 2021) and is only required at the Application Form (Part 2 of the application). Therefore, you can apply for your police role without the Statement of Compatibility, and if you pass Part 1 (the Behavioural Standards Questionnaire and Situation Judgment Test online tests) apply for the Statement Of Statement Of Comparability at that time ASAP here and notify the Resourcing Team on your Application Form that you are doing so.

I don’t have my qualification certificates, what do I do?
We will accept with your application with proof supplied by either the original results slip detailing your name, school/college, date of birth, qualification, awarding body and grade, or a bespoke letter from the school/college, providing the same information.

Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police do reserve the right to insist that applicants supply original certificates.

Some schools and colleges will charge up to £120 for replacement certificates, which can take up to four weeks to arrive. We will not reimburse applicants for any costs associated with obtaining this information.
Residency
Applicants must have resided in the UK for three continuous years immediately prior to application.
Nationality

To be eligible for appointment, you must be a British citizen or a citizen of a country that is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals are also eligible but only if they are resident in the UK free of restrictions.


If you are a Commonwealth citizen or other foreign national, you must provide proof that you have no restrictions on your stay in the UK. You should therefore send a copy of your passport showing that your stay is free of restrictions. Do not send your actual passport with this application. Other documentary evidence of your status may be required.


After 30 June 2021, nationals of the EEA or Switzerland will also need to provide evidence that their stay is free from restrictions.

Driving licence
All officers are required to have a full manual driving licence on appointment. You can apply if you have a provisional licence but any appointment is subject to achieving a full licence.
Membership to BNP or similar groups.
You must not be a member, or have been, of an extreme political organisation such as a BNP, National Front or Combat 18 or similar organisations.
Previous convictions or recent cautions, bind-overs or findings of guilt

Ideally, you shouldn't have a criminal conviction or cautions.


If you do have any, acceptance will depend on the age and nature of the offence. It is not possible to set out a full list of convictions that will preclude a person from becoming a Police Officer. Each case will be considered on its own merits, and if the offence is deemed sufficiently serious a person will be rejected irrespective of age at time of offending. There may be circumstances where an individual does not fall within the criteria, but whose suspected involvement in crime, or criminal associations make an offer of employment inappropriate. Click here for National Convictions Guidelines.

Financial Position
Must not have any current County Court Judgements (CCJ) against you.

If you are the subject of an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) and can demonstrate at least 6 months of regular payments via a payment plan the force can assess this on a case by case basis.

If you have been registered bankrupt you may apply if it is at least three years since the date your debts were discharged.
Other applications
You may apply to more than one force at a time, however you can only sit the assessment centre once within a 6 month period, unless otherwise notified by the force you are continuing your application with.
What do I need when completing my online application?
When completing your online application, you will need some personal information, such as:

  • Your Driving Licence Number
  • Your National Insurance Number
  • Details of your home address for the last 5 years
How do I contact Devon & Cornwall Police about my application?
If you have questions that aren’t answered on this page then you can email us at:

Alliance Resourcing.

We will try to respond to you within 72 hours during normal office hours, Monday to Thursday 9am–4pm and Friday 9am–3pm.
I have a problem using the online assessment centre who should I contact
If you encounter technical difficulties during your assessment, please contact the College of Policing who will assist in resolving the issue.

You may also contact [email protected] if you feel your assessment was impacted due to the technical issues.
I am having a problem using the e-recruitment system who should I contact
If you have any technical questions relating to the online application form behaviour styles questionnaire or situational judgement test, please use the self-help links on the left hand menu of the e-recruitment system.

If you are still unable to resolve the issue this way then you can email us at Alliance Resourcing.

We will try to respond to you within 72 hours during normal office hours, Monday to Thursday 9am–4pm and Friday 9am–3pm.
I have not received an email confirming if I have passed or failed. What should I do?
At the end of each element of the online process you will receive an email to check the e-recruitment system for the update. You are encouraged to ensure you have amended your filter settings as emails can be sent to your junk mail by your spam software.
I have tattoos. Will this stop me becoming a Detective?
Not necessarily as tattoos are assessed on an a case by case basis. If you have tattoos you will need to make a declaration at the time of application.

We will ask you to send in two digital pictures of each tattoo. One distance photograph clearly showing where on your body the tattoo is located and a second close up photograph that we can use to assess this against our standards.

We would require a verifiable translation of any any tattoos containing non-English words, characters or representation and an explanation of the tattoos’ meaning or significance.
Do I need a driving licence to apply?
All officers are required to have a full manual driving licence on appointment. You can apply if you have a provisional licence but any appointment is subject to achieving a full licence.
I have a motoring offence(s). Can I still apply to become a Detective?
Devon & Cornwall Police will need to assess the motoring offences. However, if you have more than six penalty points on your driving licence and/or two or more motoring offences within the three years prior to the application date you may not be eligible to apply to join Devon & Cornwall Police as a student officer.
I have a criminal record. Can I still apply to become a Detective?
Eligibility will depend on the nature and circumstances of the offence. It is not possible to set out a full list of convictions that will preclude a person from becoming a Detective.

Each case will be considered on its own merits, and if the offence is deemed sufficiently serious a person will be rejected irrespective of age at time of offending.

There may be circumstances where an individual does not fall within the criteria, but whose suspected involvement in crime, or criminal associations make an offer of employment inappropriate.
I have a Detective application to another force – can I transfer this?
We would only accept transferred applications/scores from other forces during a live campaign.

As of November 2019 candidates can apply to multiple forces at the same time as long as they only attend one national assessment within a 6 month period.

The force will ask you to withdraw any current application prior to a conditional offer of appointment being made to start with the force.
I have previously been unsuccessful in my application to become a Detective in another Force, can I still apply?
If you have been unsuccessful at the national assessment centre within the last six months (based on the date you were notified of the outcome of the process) you will be able to apply but your application would be held in abeyance until the 6 months have elapsed.
I am a serving PCSO or Special Constable, can I transfer to become a Detective?
No, you would have to go through the official recruitment process like all other applicants in order to qualify as a Detective.
I would like to become a firearms officer/dog handler/detective/air observer etc. If my application is successful can I join the unit straight away?
No. All newly recruited Police Officers must undergo a probationary period, so you could not apply for any specialist posts within Dorset Police until you have completed this.
Can I become a Detective if I wear glasses or contact lenses?
As part of the recruitment process you will need to undergo an eye test. New recruits must have at least 6/12 vision in the right or left eye, or at least 6/6 vision in both eyes. Those who wear glasses or contact lenses, should wear correction where necessary to achieve 6/6 in both eyes.

For further information please refer to the national standards which can be accessed here.
Can I become a Detective if I am colour blind?
Those with colour blindness are eligible to become a Police Officer or Detective, but would be restricted from fulfilling certain posts, such as traffic officer or firearms officer. If your colour blindness is monochrome, you would be unable to apply.
If I have a disability can I apply to become a Detective?
We welcome applications from people with disabilities as defined by the Equality Act 2010 i.e. a person is disabled under this Act if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term (over 12 months) adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day tasks.

If you require an adjustment to the recruitment process in relation to a Specified Learning Difficulty e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, supporting information in the form of a medical or specialist’s report which provides information regarding your disability/the difficulties you experience should be submitted with your application form.

Every request for a reasonable adjustment or accommodations is considered individually to reflect the understanding that every individual has unique requirements.
I have a medical condition, does that prevent me from joining?
It will depend upon the nature of the medical condition. We require that all our new officers undergo a medical assessment with our Occupational Health Support Unit. You will need to pass the national medical assessment to be eligible to join.

For further information on the national standards please seehere.
Is there a height restriction for Detectives?
No. There is no minimum or maximum height restriction.
Is there a weight restriction?

Body Mass Index (BMI) Standards are used for Police Officers.


The body mass index (BMI) was devised to assess an individual’s weight in relation to their height. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a high BMI can indicate an increased risk for obesity related health problems. The current BMI standard for police officers is between 18 and 30.


There are a number of websites that will assist you in calculating your BMI including the NHS which has an online BMI calculator. You can also find online converters to help you adapt figures into metric.


Those with very muscular or athletic body types can have a high BMI yet healthy levels of body fat. In these cases, a simple test can be done by our trainers to assess the amount of body fat and ensure it falls within a healthy range.


Following a medical suitability assessment should you not meet the BMI standards you will be given time based on NHS guidelines to safely put on or lose the required weight. Please seek advice from a medical practitioner before embarking on any weight loss and exercise programme.


You cannot be appointed to the role if your BMI (or body fat percentage) is outside the acceptable range.


For further information on the national standards please see here.

How long does the whole recruitment process take?
The process can take up to six months to complete. However intakes are planned throughout the year therefore it may be longer before you commence as a student officer.
I have children/caring responsibilities, is this still a career for me?
An important consideration for every applicant is that you WILL have to work shifts as a police officer, covering a 24-hour period. There are many different shift patterns but generally they cover 8-10 hours Monday to Sunday (earlies, lates and nights) incorporated with rest days. Upon completion you are probationary period, unpaid career breaks of between three months to five years are also currently available. The force does have several family-friendly policies such as a generous maternity leave scheme, paternity leave, child-care vouchers as well as part-time working which is also available in the probationary period.

Whilst on probation you must work at least 24 hours per week (or 1,248 hours per year). However, initial training must be completed on a full-time basis (approximately first 31 weeks). Salary, leave entitlement etc would be calculated on a pro-rata basis. If you are seeking part time hours in order to support you please indicate your intentions at the earliest opportunity.

It is important to note that a request to work part-time will not affect or influence your application in any way, as a decision will be solely based on your evidenced application and subsequent performance over various assessments.
I applied but did not progress from the Behaviour Styles Questionnaire or Situational Judgment Test to the application stage. Can I apply?
We will allow any candidate who has been unsuccessful at the above stages to apply in the next live campaign.
I have a criminal record. Can I still apply to become a Detective?
Eligibility will depend on the nature and circumstances of the offence. It is not possible to set out a full list of convictions that will preclude a person from becoming a Police Officer.

Each case will be considered on its own merits, and if the offence is deemed sufficiently serious a person will be rejected irrespective of age at time of offending.

There may be circumstances where an individual does not fall within the criteria, but whose suspected involvement in crime, or criminal associations make an offer of employment inappropriate.

Click here for National Convictions Guidelines.
I applied to another force via the Pre-Assessment tool but did not progress to the application stage. Can I apply?
We will allow any candidate who has been unsuccessful through the pre-assessment tool in another Force to register their interest for this campaign.
If successful where does the training take place?
For Devon & Cornwall Police applicants, initial training will be completed at Force Headquarters, Middlemoor, Exeter, Devon.
Who will my learning provider be?
Devon & Cornwall Police have identified their learning provider as the University of South Wales, please click here for further information about the University and course.
Can I transfer from the DHEP Detective Entry Route to the standard DHEP programme?
At any point after year 1 when you have demonstrated operation competence you can request to transfer from the DHEP Detective programme to the standard DHEP programme. This would be in line with consultation with your line manager and the University of South Wales.
Can I transfer my standard DHEP application to the DHEP Detective application process?
Regretfully no. This is due to the assessment processes being different for each process.
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