New routes into policing
The recruitment and training process for police officers in Cambridgeshire has changed and we are now operating several entry routes in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.
We are recruiting through our Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP). The entry routes have introduced a national standard level of education and training, which reflects the current and future challenges we face.
You do not need a degree to join as a student officer on the PCDA or PCEP routes.
The DHEP allows the conversion of a degree into a graduate diploma in Professional Policing Practice, while the PCDA involves studying a fully-funded degree apprenticeship.
The two-year PCEP has replaced the two-year Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP+). Entry requirements for the PCEP programme is a Level 3 qualification or equivalent and the probation period for successful candidates is two years.
If you are interested in becoming a police officer with Cambridgeshire Constabulary, and have any questions about the routes available please email [email protected] and we'll be in contact.
Joining Cambridgeshire Constabulary
If you have a degree or level 6 qualification you can join policing through the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP). It is a two-year academic and practice-based programme with our education partner, Anglia Ruskin University.
Alternatively you can apply to join the Accelerated Detective Entry programme, which fast-tracks you to detective constable within a two-year probation period.
To join the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA), you need a minimum of 32 UCAS points and GSCEs at grade C/ Level 4 and above in Maths and English.
If you have less than 32 UCAS points and the GCSE grades you also need to have one year experience in a role that has comparable skills to policing or one year in academic study. The skills include customer service, conflict management, high pressure situations.
Further information on UCAS points can be found on the UCAS website.
Applicants will also have to meet the eligibility for becoming a police officer and pass the Police SEARCH® Recruit Assessment Centre. See the College of Policing website for more information.
To join the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP), you need two A-level passes at Grade E or above, an equivalent Level 3 qualification, or relevant experience in a role with comparable skills to policing.
If you have GCSEs in maths and English at grade C or level 4 and above, you can apply for the PCDA and PCEP, but you must have one year or more in a role that has comparable skills to policing
For the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA), you will be invited to complete an aptitude test followed by a suitability discussion where an assessment will be made on your ability to meet the academic demands.
Further information on UCAS points can be found on the UCAS website.
Applicants will also have to meet the eligibility for becoming a police officer and pass the Police SEARCH® Recruit Assessment Centre. See the College of Policing website for more information.
Find out more
Joining us
For more information on which routes are currently open, as well as other opportunities within Cambridgeshire Constabulary please visit our Current vacancies page. To register your interest and request more details of the routes available please use the form button below.