Are you interested in a career in policing?
Find out more about our various entry programmes, by reading the information below
We’re currently recruiting onto our new IPLDP+ entry programme.
We offer the following student police officer entry routes into WMP:
- PCDA – the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (you don’t need a degree to join but will achieve one on completion of your probationary period)
- DHEP – the Degree Holder Entry Route onto our student officer programme (if you have been to university and have a degree, on completion will acheive a Graduate Diploma). We offer two DHEP courses:
- Regular PC training
- A course specifically for those who want to be a detective (this is known as DC DHEP).
- IPLDP+ – the traditional entry route to policing which does not include university study as part of the programme. We offer two IPLDP+ courses:
- Regular PC training
- A course specifically for those who want to be a detective (this is known as IPLDP+ DC)
- Pre-join degree / graduate of a Degree in Professional Policing Practice (DiPPP) – this route is specifically for graduates of the DiPPP and are now applying for roles in their chosen force.
Regardless of entry route, student officers join us on a starting salary of £26,682 per annum and this will increase with yearly increments meaning you can earn up to £43,032 within 7 years of starting your training!
As well as the programmes listed above we also work with various other national schemes, such as Direct Entry Inspector and Police Now, with new recruits joining us via the Police Now neighbourhood policing and detective programmes.
Policing is such a varied career.
Joining us can take you from a marked response car, into an investigations team supporting victims of abuse, through to attending a community meeting on a local estate.
The things that people remember, regardless of what role you play, are the everyday human skills a police officer uses when we reach out and offer support to those who need it.
Policing is about protecting people, preventing crime and helping those in need but it’s also about showing kindness, empathy and friendship.
That’s why This Work Matters.
We need your skills. You’re made for this.
Practical information about our training:
All our entry routes require new student officers to be exposed to a variety of areas of policing, such as Response Policing, Neighbourhood Policing and Investigation. Throughout the probationary period, student officers have to prove competence in all of these.
The DC IPLDP route provides an opportunity to work towards becoming a Detective Constable. Detective Constables work in specialist areas of policing. They investigate complex and serious crime, at local, regional and national levels.
Becoming a Detective Constable is a specialism that requires additional hard work and commitment to attain that status. Student Officers on the DC IPLDP route will be expected to undertake and successfully complete the National Investigators Exam within their probationary period, in addition to their competency portfolio, to be signed off as a substantive Police Constable.
They will also exposed to the departments where our teams investigate the most serious and complex crimes and their competency as a Police Officer assessed before they are signed off with the status of Detective Constable.
What you need to know
- Entry routes vary depending on your experience and level of education
- You train for two or three years depending on which course you join
- During training you learn on the job while also completing your studies
- At the end of the PCDA you’ll graduate with a degree
- At the end of the DHEP you’ll graduate with a postgraduate qualification
- All fees for your training are covered by us – no tuition fees to pay!
- When you start, you’ll begin initial training for several weeks, learning the essential skills, before joining your first team
- Study time is protected and it’s mainly all online – so no travelling to University campuses
Like what you hear? There’s more…
- Your salary increases each year and will be over £40,000 within a few years
- There’s loads of discounts and benefits through our social club and Blue Light Card membership
- We offer supportive staff associations
- Free wellbeing support from our Employee Assistance Programme
- A great pension
- Salary sacrifice schemes for major purchases and cycle to work
- Great opportunity to progress to specialist roles and gain promotion
- Fast track schemes available for those who successfully apply to accelerate their career progression with an intensive training programme
- Annual awards ceremonies to acknowledge great work
Policing the West Midlands is diverse and fast-paced, but we are here to make a difference too.
We’re the second biggest force in the country and we cover the UK’s second city, as well as other busy towns, cities and villages. Careers with us are varied and demanding – but exciting too. From major incidents to community policing, every day is different, a career with WMP has lots to offer.
We are here to make a difference in local communities. This work matters.
