Expression of Interest - Police Constable Entry Programme

Sussex Police; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 28,047 - 34,280; Full time

Job summary

Sussex Police is seeking dedicated individuals for the role of Police Officer, offering a full-time salary of £31,164 plus £3,000 South East Allowance. This position allows involvement in various policing specialisms and the opportunity to protect and engage with the community.

Candidates must meet specific qualifications, including being a minimum age and having the required educational achievements such as GCSEs and A Levels. We value diversity and strive for an inclusive workplace where every officer can bring their unique perspective.

Qualifications

• Must be aged 17 years or over on the application day.
• Lived in the UK for 3 continuous years prior to application.
• Not have tattoos which cause offence.

Responsibilities

• Catch criminals and protect communities.
• Engage in areas such as safeguarding and investigations.
• Participate in a variety of roles including community engagement.

Skills

UK manual driving licence

GCSE in English at grade A*-C

A Level grade (A*-C)

Predicted grades from ongoing qualifications

Education

A Level or Level 3 equivalent

Job description

As a Police Officer, you can change your life and the lives of others. With opportunities to pursue a wide range of policing specialisms, a career as a Police Officer opens doors to roles in areas such as safeguarding, community engagement, investigations and anti‑terrorism. With this vast range of career opportunities to explore and diverse demands each day, policing is a job like no other, dedicated to catching criminals, protecting communities and delivering an outstanding service.

You will be paid a full‑time salary of £31,164, plus £3,000 South East Allowance.

The Role & Key Responsibilities

To apply to PCEP you must:

• 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 3 continuous years immediately prior to application. - have leave to enter, or leave to remain in the UK for an indefinite period.
• Have a current full UK manual driving licence, by the time of appointment.
• Not be a member (current or previous) of the British National Party (BNP) or any other proscribed terrorist organisations or groups.
• Not have tattoos which cause offence.
• Not have serious motoring offences
• Not have 6 or more points on your licence.

Skills & Experience

To be eligible for the PCEP you will need to:

• Have achieved one A Level grade (A*-C) and another A Level grade (A*-E) or an AS level in a different subject, or a level‑3 equivalent or higher qualification. You must have a minimum of 48 UCAS points.
• Have a GCSE in English at grade A*-C/9‑4 or an educational equivalent to a Level 2.

Applicants in their final year of studying towards a Level 3 qualification or a Degree can apply using predicted grades. You will need to supply proof of your qualifications when you receive your results in August/September.

Applicants without a Level 3 qualification can be considered if:

• They are a current serving (or have left within the last 18 months, having completed 18 months’ service) Special Constable or PCSO with Independent Patrol with any police force.
• They are a current serving Investigating Officers, PIP Investigators, Contact Officers or Controllers who have completed 18 months service (or have left within the last 18 months, having completed 18 months’ service).
• They have served for a minimum of 2 years within the last 5 years in the armed forces or similar law enforcement agencies and have exemplary references.
• Experience in other operational policing roles can be considered on a case‑by‑case basis for candidates who have served a minimum of 2 years within the last 5 years and have exemplary references.

Applicants who do not meet the above Level 3 criteria and believe they have work experience equivalent to a Level 3 can apply and have their work experience assessed against a Level 3 framework. You will be asked to complete a written experience assessment and online verbal reasoning and numerical tests. The results will then be assessed by a panel who will certify whether your previous work experience is equivalent to a Level 3 qualification. Please complete the Level 3 form attached and submit this with your application.

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 – [e-mail]

Why Work With Us?

• 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: In‑Force Competency Based Interview
• Stage 5: Pre‑employment checks including references, vetting, medical, biometric vetting, substance misuse testing and fitness testing. We will contact you as soon as we have a confirmed date for recruitment. Please note that during the first 16 weeks of training you will not be able to take any annual leave.

Diversity Statement

We are only as good as our people. It's important 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 the skills that diversity brings; all of which help 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 multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of Disability Confident, hold Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status, are a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and are aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.

We are committed to being an anti‑racist police service. We promise to challenge injustice, ensure fairness and to uphold anti‑racist principles in both our organisation and our communities. For more information, you can read our full anti‑racism statement here.

We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status, or religious belief, we would love to hear from you.

Please use the following links to find out more on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Surrey Police and Sussex Police.