Police constable (PCEP)
OverviewChoosing to join the police is life changing. As the key focus of the role is to protect our local communities and keep them safe, the job can of course be challenging. But at the same time it’s also incredibly exciting, varied and rewarding.
The Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) is one of four initial Police Constable entry routes in to policing approved by the College of Policing. It is an unaccredited two-year training programme, where you’ll start your training at Leicestershire Police Training Academy in Enderby.
The training includes learning on the job from our experienced colleagues; it gives a blend of practical on-the-job experience and classroom-based learning. Your initial training will be supported by our dedicated in-house training team followed by 12 weeks working operationally in uniform under the guidance of tutor in order to gain independent patrol status (IPS).
After 37 weeks you’ll reach undefined patrol status and you’ll be allocated to a station for the remainder of your two-year programme where you will learn ‘on the job’. In Year 2 you will receive a further 5 weeks of classroom based learning designed to strengthen critical thinking and problem solving in the operational Policing arena. The program will culminate in summative assessments of your knowledge and operational learning and practice, leading to full operational competence and confirmation in rank. You’ll be fully supported and given everything you need to succeed.
Career progression
Once you’ve successfully completed your probationary period (2 years for PCEP / 3 years for apprenticeship scheme), you have the opportunity to progress up through the following ranks:
- Police Constable / Detective Constable - this is the starting rank for police officers
- Sergeant / Detective Sergeant - the first supervisory rank. Most sergeants are responsible for a team of constables
- Inspector / Detective Inspector - inspectors typically oversee a shift of constables and sergeants.
- Chief Inspector / Detective Chief Inspector - typically responsible for managing a department with a specific geographical area or for the delivery of a policing service
- Superintendent / Detective Superintendent - typically responsible for a large department within Leicestershire Police, for example, Corporate Services or Specialist Operations Training
- Chief Superintendent / Detective Chief Superintendent - typically responsible for a specific function within Leicestershire Police, for example, Local Policing or Crime & Intelligence
- Assistant Chief Constable - Mainly responsible for a specific function or business area within Leicestershire Police, for example, Crime and Operations
- Deputy Chief Constable - act as deputy for the Chief Constable, handling the running of Leicestershire Police and supporting the Chief Constable Chief Constable - responsible for the effective running of Leicestershire Police
As a police constable, you’ll also be able to apply for specialist units like the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), firearms, child protection, cyber crime, roads policing, dog handling and many more...
Recruitment process/timetable
At the end of each stage of the recruitment process, you will be notified by email whether or not you have been successful and are therefore eligible to proceed to the next stage. You can also log in to view your application status. If you have not received an email, you should check your junk mail/filter settings in case the email/emails get filtered by your spam software.
- Eligibility Questions, National Sift and Application form
- National Online Assessment (we're accepting score transfers, see below)
- National Force interview and presentation
- Pre-employment checks and fitness assessment
Key dates and times
Below are some important dates setting out the time frames for this recruitment process:
Recruitment open: 26 August 2024
Recruitment close: 13 January 2025
National Sift: August/September 2024
National Online Assessment Centre: November 2024
National interview and assessment: December 2024
Pre-employment checks: January - April 2025
Cohort start dates: May 2025
You must be available to complete all of the stages. If you are not available for any stages of the process for any reason, for example a pre-arranged holiday, we may not be able to process your application as alternative dates may not be available.
Join us to find out more about the role of a police officer, first-hand what it is like to be a police officer and about the recruitment process and training. You will have the opportunity to meet serving officers, hear about their experiences, and find out about career opportunities open to you if you join us.
Registration is required - Have a look at the timetable below and register for the event you wish to attend.
Please note - Once you have attended an event you will be provided with the link to the application form to be able to apply.