Eligibility Requirements for Police Officer, PCSO and Special
Constable candidates
Eligibility requirements for the police service are fairly
detailed, but we have provided a summary of some of the basic
requirements below.
- Age requirements
- Nationality requirements
- Criminal record
- Tattoos
- Financial status
- Physical fitness
- Health
- Eyesight
- Previous applications
If you would like to know more, or have a specific query, please
contact:
Special Constabulary:
PCSO / Police Constable:
Age requirements
- Police Constable and Special Constable applications can be
accepted at the age of 18. There's no upper age limit for applying
to the police service, but bear in mind that the normal retirement
age is 60 years and that new recruits are required to undertake a
two-year probationary period.
- Police Community Support Officer applications can be accepted
at the age of 18. There's no upper age limit for applying to the
police service, but bear in mind that the normal retirement age is
65 years and that new recruits are required to undertake a 9 month
probationary period.
Nationality requirements
- You must be a British citizen, an EC/EEA national or a
Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with no restrictions on
your stay in the United Kingdom.
- Foreign nationals and UK citizens who have lived abroad may
have to wait some time for security and vetting clearance.
- All applicants have to be vetted to the same standard before
appointment.
Criminal record
- A number of crimes will mean a definite or likely rejection of
your application, including anyone who has received a formal
caution in the last five years, committed a violent crime or public
order offence.
Tattoos
- You should not have tattoos which could cause offence.
- Tattoos are not acceptable if they are particularly prominent,
garish, offensive or undermine the dignity and authority of your
role.
- You will be required to supply photographs of tattoos with your
application form
Financial status
- Applicants will have their financial status checked.
- These checks are carried out because police officers/staff have
access to privileged information, which may make them vulnerable to
corruption.
- Applicants with outstanding County Court judgements or who have
been registered bankrupt with outstanding debts, will be rejected.
If you have discharged bankruptcy debts then you will need to
provide a Certificate of Satisfaction with your
application.
Physical fitness
To ensure you are fit enough for the role, you will undertake a
fitness test.
There are two elements to the test and you must pass both before
you can be appointed.
We are looking for no more than the minimum standard needed to
enable you to work effectively as a Police Officer, Police
Community Support Officer or Special Constable.
You will be given help to improve your fitness and if you
prepare yourself properly, there is no reason for you to fail not
meet the required standard.
There are two elements to the test:
- dynamic strength and
- endurance fitness.
Health
- Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers or Special
Constables encounter stressful situations, trauma, physical
confrontation and work long hours on shifts.
- They need to be resilient enough to cope with the demands and
pressures of police work.
- Applicants must therefore be in good health mentally and
physically to undertake police duties.
- You will undergo a medical assessment to ensure you meet the
health standards required.
Eyesight
- Applicants will be required to attend an opticians to complete
an eyesight form.
- Failure to pass this test will lead to rejection.
Previous applications
- You can only apply to one force at any one time.
- If you have previously applied to join the police service and
been unsuccessful, you must wait six months from the date of your
initial letter of rejection before you can apply again.