Stage 1: Your application is received. The application includes four competency-based questions on specific areas vital to that of a Police Officer. The four questions will be marked and you will be written to informing you whether or not you have passed the shortlisting stage.

Stage 2: Having passed the short listing stage, you will then be invited to a Pre-Selection meeting at Police HQ. If successful, you will then be invited to attend the Police Recruit Assessment Centre (which are held at the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), Ryton). Here you will undergo vigorous testing to enable the assessors to determine if you are suitable for employment as a Police Officer. The assessment will consist of 2 written tests, 4 role-play exercises, a structured interview, a verbal logical reasoning test and a numerical test.

Stage 3: With successfully passing the Assessment Centre, you will then be invited to be processed as a Police Officer on the next available 'Intake' date. (Note: Please be aware that your Assessment Centre 'pass' only remains valid for 12 months from the date of the Assessment Centre. It it only in exceptional circumstances that this time-frame may be extended).

Stage 4: You will then be required to successfully complete the pre-employment checks which include security and financial checks, your current and previous employment references (and/or education/ character reference) covering a 5 year period. You will also be required to pass a medical and fitness test (see stage 5).

Stage 5: You will be invited in for an appointment with the Force Medical Advisor who will assess your suitability to be a Police Officer, you will also be invited in to complete a fitness test. The fitness test requires you to complete a shuttle run (bleep test) to level 5/4, and also push 34kg and pull 35kg on the upper-body strength test. (You are entitled to 3 attempts at the fitness test which must be achieved with the 12 month timeframe from the Assessment Centre – see note in Stage 3).

Stage 6: When you have successfully passed all of the pre-employment checks, fitness and medical checks you will then receive your Contract of Employment for your allocated Intake.

Please note:

• Cambridgeshire Constabulary only has 3/4 Intakes a year, which have limited spaces.
• From the time you apply to become a Police Officer it can take up to/or just over a year before you are offered a place on an intake.
• (For both Internal and External candidates) - Throughout the whole of the recruitment process, the Recruitment Team will periodically gain your sickness records and references and, if deemed unsatisfactory, your application can be withdrawn from the Recruitment Process at any stage.