Police Constable Entry Programme - Detective Constable (PCEP DC) October 2025

Forcewide
£31,164
Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) - Detective Constable

About Direct Entry Detective Constables

This route is for people who want to be a Detective Constable through the 2 year Police Constable Entry Programme – Detective Constable.

Salary : Starting Salary: £31,164 per annum (increasing to a minimum of £33,789 after 2 years, and £50,256 after 6 years if you remain in the police constable rank, subject to performance).

• Are you inquisitive?

• Do you have an analytical mind and enjoy solving problems?

If this sounds like you and you are ready for a new challenge, then we may have the perfect career or you.

If you think you have what it takes to be a Detective in one of the best performing forces in England and Wales then we want to hear from you.

After you have completed your initial 17-week training at the West Yorkshire Police training facilities you will join an Investigation team in one of the Forces five Policing Districts in West Yorkshire (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds or Wakefield). This will be within the areas of Safeguarding, Criminal Investigation or District Investigations. You will be responsible for protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. This entry route will develop investigation skills in predominately investigation teams settings; you will also complete placements in Patrol and Neighbourhood Policing teams building operational practice and frontline experience to understand the role of a uniformed officer. During this time, you will work a range of shifts 24 hours/7 days per week. You will then commence the Trainee Investigator (TI) Development Programme in year 3.

The Trainee Investigator programme will deliver all the essential requirements with specific support and guidance focused on you obtaining the necessary investigative skills and knowledge. It will be intense and will require your full commitment to successfully complete work-based activities and assessments, an exam, at the end of which you will become an accredited Detective Constable on completion of a portfolio of evidence.

We are not necessarily looking for you to have any previous policing experience; our focus is on you having transferable skills and experience that would be of value in a detective role. Without a doubt a career as a Detective will be challenging, but to the right person it will also be extremely rewarding with no two days being the same. It goes without saying you must have a passion for serving the public and must be able to demonstrate that you have integrity and are a team player with strong communication and decision-making skills. We are also looking for you to have the ability to absorb new information quickly, as well as having strong personal resilience, good organisational skills and a methodical approach.

Eligibility

All applicants for any police officer pathway must meet the following criteria at the application stage:

• be at least 17 years of age, 18 at the time you are appointed to the role

• residency - have been a UK resident for the last five years

• be a British Citizen, or an EU/European Economic Area (EEA) national, Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with Indefinite Leave or Settled Status and no restrictions on your stay in the United Kingdom

• have a Level 2 / GCSE (A*-C or 9-4) or equivalent qualification in English Language and Maths.

• possess a level 3 qualification within the meaning of Section 3 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 or equivalent (i.e. 2 x A/AS Levels Grade A to E, GNVQ/NVQ Level 3, BTEC Level 3 or equivalent). You must have received a confirmed result to be eligible to apply, we are not accepting predicted grades at this time.

• if you do not hold a Level 3 qualification but can demonstrate having the qualifications and/or experience as detailed in Police Regulations 2003, Regulation 10, Annex BA (i.e. you are a serving Special Constable or PCSO and have attained independent patrol status) then consideration will be given to your application.

• holding a full manual UK or EU driving licence by the time of formal offer will be an advantage.

• be ready, willing and able to pass the job related fitness test (for further information follow link: https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/jobs-volunteer/medical-fitness-standards-preparing-for-your-assessment#fitness)

For the full eligibility criteria (follow link: https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/jobs-volunteer/police-officers/police-constable-entry-programme-detective).

Our expectations are high and you should expect to undergo a rigorous assessment process ,following which you will attend an in-Force interview. Should you be successful in all elements of the assessment process you will undergo further checks including a medical assessment and vetting before a job offer is made. The recruitment process can be demanding and will require your commitment to be responsive to all requests for information and attendance at appointments in a timely manner. Failing to do so could impact your progression through the process.

In return for your dedication you will receive first class training, excellent salary and pension benefits, and being part of a large Force brings fantastic prospects in terms of career development and future promotion opportunities.

We are also currently recruiting to our Police Constable Entry Programme - Uniformed Constable (PCEP PC) entry route. Please take a look at the information available on our website about each role before deciding which route you would like to apply to join https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/jobs-volunteer/police-officers.

You can only submit an application to one of the routes. Please be aware that West Yorkshire Police are unable to support applicants switching between entry routes.

We currently anticipate that successful applicants will be considered for courses starting in 2026. This is subject to change, courses could start earlier or later.

This vacancy is scheduled to close on October 27th 2025 but this date may change dependent on the number of application received.

West Yorkshire Police is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all minority groups and individuals who identify with one or more of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010.

Applicants should be aware that it is not always possible to carry out adequate vetting checks on persons who have not been resident within the UK for the last five years. Therefore, where this applies, applicants may be refused because it was not possible to vet them to the appropriate standard.

For a detailed description of the Competency and Values levels required, please refer to the Competency and values framework (CVF) | College of Policing (this link may be copied and pasted into your browser). This document will assist you in completing the Evidence of Achievement section of the application form. Please note: the Evidence of Achievement section will not be visible until the employment section has been completed.

No Shift Allowance

This opportunity is closed to applications.