Job Title: Trainee Forensic Collision Investigator
Salary: The starting salary is £45,126.75 which includes allowances totalling £7,697.75
The salary is broken down as £37,510 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £40,141 Plus, a location allowance of £2,009, a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000 and a 12.5% shift allowance.
Location: Merton
Are you a Future Forensic Collision Investigator (FCI)?
Do you have an enquiring mind; have both an academic and practical ability? Are you competent at maths and are looking for a technical role that could take you all over London? If so, we can offer the ideal role for you, a Forensic Collision Investigator.
In addition to Forensic Collision Investigation courses, trainees will receive training in police driving, motorcycle, goods vehicle, and coach driving, mechanical qualifications, and membership of professional bodies.
Who We Are
The Forensic Collision Investigation Unit (FCIU) comprises of experienced Police Staff & Police Officers who specialise in the investigation of road deaths and serious injury collisions within the MPS. The Forensic Collision Investigators, FCIs, provide a 24/7 – 365 days a year service to investigation teams, serving the population of London. This includes shift work and once qualified, on call. The unit provide expert evidence to support prosecutions where a vehicle was used to commit a criminal act resulting in death or serious injuries, whilst also reconstructing collisions on behalf of H.M Coroner. This reconstruction work may support prosecution cases, equally the FCIs may be key in exonerating drivers at court.
With bases strategically placed across the MPS, it is led by an Inspector, the Head of Profession, whom is a Senior Forensic Collision Investigator (SFCI). Each base is led by a SFCI (Sgt) supervisor, (supported by a deputy SFCI), with circa 40 FCIs across London providing these forensic services. The unit sits under the wider MO4 Frontline Forensics management.
The Role
When collisions occur, it is our job to investigate the dynamics of the collision. It is interesting and challenging work that calls for qualified experts:
This is a demanding role. Whenever there’s a serious or fatal collision, you’ll be among the first on the scene. FCI’s attend incidents in all weathers, encountering deceased victims with significant injuries, including amputation and evisceration. You will be required to photograph, search and move the victims.
You will examine the scenes & vehicles involved, ensuring all evidence is recorded, using sophisticated laser scanners to map and produce a virtual scene, undertake baseline tests at the location, before recovering the evidence, including the vehicles, to one of two forensic suites where you will undertake a detailed forensic automotive examination of the vehicles.
Full training and support will be given to the successful applicants. Using your newly acquired FCI skills, you will probe the most difficult cases, bringing offenders to justice and closure to the bereaved.
FCIs analyse CCTV of the scene, Dashcam footage and electronic data extracted from the computers found in modern cars, and apply physics, mathematics, and statistical analysis to reconstruct the incident and produce reconstruction reports that explain the sequence of events.
This reconstruction report, with plans, ‘Fly Through’ of virtual scenes and simulations are used to explain to the courts how events unfolded and impart technical concepts to the jury. You need to speak clearly and confidently, explaining your findings. FCIs are Expert Witnesses in ‘Collision Investigation’, ‘Vehicle Mechanics’, and ‘Driver Behaviour’ who may present evidence in serious and fatal collisions, Homicide and terrorist incidents where a vehicle is involved.
Unlike most witnesses, FCIs sit in the court throughout the trial and hear all the evidence before giving their opinion, based on the evidence and their calculations, as to how the collision occurred.
The FCI role delivers regulated activities, Forensic Science Activities, as defined by the Forensic Science Regulator’s Code.
Training will take upwards of three years before you become fully qualified and can be accepted as a court expert. You will be required to attain university level course qualifications in Forensic Road Collision Investigation. Currently supplied by an affiliate of De Montfort University, via residential and distance learning courses. FCIs will ultimately be trained to drive all types of commercial vehicles, motorcycles and will be police advanced car qualified.
Once you have completed all training successfully (c3years) and your performance is in line with role expectations you will progress to the role of Forensic Collision Investigator - Band P.
This is a uniformed role, for which you will be provided with the requisite clothing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Annual psychological screening is a mandatory requirement of the role.
Key Responsibilities:
- Record and map the scene of fatal and life threatening road collisions using a variety of methods and equipment to prepare evidential scale plans and other visual representations.
- Conduct examinations of a range of vehicle types to aid the reconstruction and investigations into collisions.
- Ensure the thorough and meticulous preservation, collection and interpretation of the scene and other evidence including vehicle defects and telematic data to report on the circumstances of the collision.
- Provide expert evidence and opinion to the investigation team and the Courts, whilst ensuring that at all times you remain within your competence and expertise, in order to provide a professional and unbiased account.
- Identify if additional resources and/or specialist knowledge is required to assist with the forensic examination and/or reconstruction should the level of expertise required exceed your own, in order to inform effective decision making.
- Produce reconstruction reports by applying correct scientific principles and ensuring conclusions reached are valid and supported by the available evidence.
- Assist other team members with investigations and peer and critical findings reviews to ensure the accuracy and quality of evidence is maintained.
- Communicate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure appropriate timely progression of the investigation.
- To meet the Lead Investigation Officer (LIO) and the Officer in Case (OIC) to discuss strategies for investigations, advising on technical issues and actions.
- If requested, meet surviving victims or the deceased’s families to explain your findings / reports.
So, what qualifications do you need?
You must be inquisitive, motivated, with an enquiring mind, attention to detail and self-discipline, committed to this career path, which has a significant academic as well as practical input.
It is not easy: The cost of training you to become an FCI is in the order of £85,000; a significant investment by the MPS. You will have to learn a whole new set of proficiencies and whilst you will be given time within your working week to attain the Forensic Road Collision Investigation qualifications, there is an expectation that some study will be completed in your own time.
The minimum academic qualifications are five (5) GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths or Physics, and English. This is required to satisfy enrolment on the De Montfort affiliated course. – Evidence of your qualifications will be required.
The selection process will require you to be self-motivated, work with minimal supervision, demonstrate an eye for detail, have excellent IT and written skills.
The training for a Forensic Collision Investigator takes about 3 years to complete. For the first 9 months, starting September 2026, the training requires residential attendance at De Montfort University Cotswold Campus for 1 week in every 5 weeks.
At application, you need to hold a full, clean, valid manual driving licence and be an experienced driver. If appointed, you will be required to attain a full motorcycle licence, and attain lorry, articulated lorry and coach licences through training provided by the MPS.
How to apply
To begin your career at the Met, please click the "apply button “. The application process requires a comprehensive CV, a Personal Statement, and an online application form. In your Personal Statement: ‘Please describe specifically, in no more than 350 words, how you meet the essential criteria for the role and why you would like to be a Forensic Collision Investigator.’
Please note that you should not submit two copies of your CV and ensure that your documents are saved in either PDF or Word format, clearly labelled as CV and/or Personal Statement.
Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 16th March 2026.
