How to become a police officer
Official title: Police officers (sergeant and below)
Also called: Officer, Sergeant, Police officer, Traffic officer, Warrant officer, Military police, Police sergeant, Police constable, Police detective, Uniformed officer, Police dog handler, Detective sergeant
Police officers (sergeant and below) co-ordinate and undertake the investigation of crimes, patrol public areas, arrest offenders and suspects and enforce law and order. Officers of the British Transport Police operate within the specialised police service for the railway network across britain.
Main tasks
- Receives instructions from senior officers and patrols an assigned area on foot, horseback, motorcycle, motor car or boat to check security and enforce regulations
- Directs and controls traffic or crowds at demonstrations and large public events
- Investigates complaints, crimes, accidents, any suspicious activities or other incidents
- Interviews suspects, takes statements from witnesses and stops, searches and/or arrests suspects
- Attends accidents
- Prepares briefs or reports for senior officers
- Works on station reception desk and or in communications room
- Gives evidence in court cases
How to become one
There are no academic requirements for entry to the civilian (Home Office) police although eligibility criteria vary across individual police forces. Entrants must sit an entry test and pass a medical examination. All police officers undergo a two year probationary training period. Residency, nationality and age restrictions apply, and background security checks are carried out in respect of entrants. Entrants may join via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Non home office police officer (level 4). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0764.
- Apprenticeship (England): Police constable (integrated degree) (level 6). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0304.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £48,812 a year
- About 196,300 people work in this job now, and about 225,300 are projected by 2035. (+14.8%)
Related jobs
- Non-commissioned officers and other ranks
- Fire service officers (watch manager and below)
- Prison service officers (below principal officer)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a police officer?
There are no academic requirements for entry to the civilian (Home Office) police although eligibility criteria vary across individual police forces. Entrants must sit an entry test and pass a medical examination. All police officers undergo a two year probationary training period. Residency, nationality and age restrictions apply, and background security checks are carried out in respect of entrants. Entrants may join via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).
How much does a police officer earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £48,812 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a police officer a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 15% by 2035, from about 196,300 to about 225,300 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a police officer?
Not always. 51% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Non home office police officer (level 4).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03