Police Detective

Merseyside Police; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional law enforcement agency in England is seeking candidates for the role of Detective Constable. This position involves starting as a uniform police officer and rotating through various departments for 24 months. Post probation, you'll focus on serious investigations, supported by experienced mentors. Ideal candidates are curious, detail-oriented, and dedicated to helping their communities. Join us in making a difference while building a fulfilling career in law enforcement.

Qualifications

• Candidates must have Level 2 Maths and English GCSEs or equivalent.
• Confirmation for overseas qualifications must be provided.
• Relevant formal certificates should be uploaded before applying.

Responsibilities

• Spend first 24 months as a uniform police officer.
• Rotate across different policing departments.
• Manage and investigate serious criminal offences after probation.

Education

Level 2 Maths and English Language GCSEs (Grade C/4 and above)

Level 2 Functional Skills

Equivalency confirmation for overseas qualifications

Job description

Overview

To help us achieve a workforce that represents our communities, we have a dedicated team working to encourage people from diverse communities to build their career with us. They provide support & guidance throughout the application process to candidates from under‑represented groups.

This entry route is a non‑accredited pathway into policing designed for candidates with or without an undergraduate degree. No academic award is granted at the end of the programme. Instead, the training combines practical "on‑the‑job" experience, classroom sessions, scenario‑based training, virtual learning, and assessments, which will equip you with the skills and experience you need to meet the demands of modern policing.

Recruitment Process

Due to limited intake capacity for this entry route, please be aware that if you are not recruited for this intake, Merseyside Police may not recruit again via this entry route for intakes in 2027/2028. If this occurs you may be asked to transfer your application to our Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) where there will be more opportunities. If you still want a career as a detective in the future, this opportunity may still be available through our internal CID AIDES programme once you complete your probation.

Qualifications

• Evidence of Level 2 Maths and English Language GCSEs (Grade C/4 and above), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or equivalent issued by a recognised awarding body.
• Equivalency confirmation for overseas qualifications must be provided via a UK ENIC translation.
• All relevant formal certificates should be uploaded to the supporting documents section before applying.

Responsibilities

For the first 24 months of the programme you will spend time as a uniform police officer, learning the ropes and rotating across a range of policing departments and specialisms. Supported by experienced police officers, you will learn about law and procedure and how to deal with a wide variety of policing topics.

Having completed this uniformed training and after successfully passing your 2‑year probation, you will be posted to the Investigations Strand where you will develop your knowledge and skills specifically as a detective. You will learn how to manage and investigate a range of serious criminal offences. This may include working in areas such as safeguarding, intelligence, and child protection, all whilst being under the support and direction of a competent and trained detective mentor to help prepare you to sit the National Investigators Exam (NIE). Upon passing this you will then be eligible to undertake your detective portfolio/PIP2 courses before being recognised as a qualified detective.

We are looking for individuals who have curiosity, curiosity, a drive to follow every lead, and the ability to discover the truth behind situations and achieve results. It is not for the faint‑hearted; you will often be dealing with distressing situations, but working on serious and complex criminal investigations is both challenging and rewarding and you will finish every day knowing you have helped keep the communities of Merseyside safe.

The role of a detective constable is not dissimilar to the role of police constable; they are of the same rank but have different operational roles. As a detective you will deal with more serious and complex cases from fraud and domestic abuse to county lines and serious assaults. Once qualified and accredited, there are also opportunities to specialise in areas such as counter‑terrorism, serious and organised crime, and intelligence.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

Our commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is central to our recruitment. Building a workforce that represents our communities is important to us. We aim to attract & keep people with the best skills & highest potential. We want to attract a diverse range of individuals into our force who might not have considered a career with us before.

From Liverpool's bright lights to Sefton's sandy beaches, you'll be serving a population of 1.5 million and covering a geographical area of 647 square kilometres. Being a part of Merseyside Police is a unique experience. You won't just be building better communities—you'll be building a career that counts.