What’s the process?

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WMP student officer programme.

Are you interested in a career in policing?

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We aren’t going to lie – applying to join us is a fairly long and challenging process compared to some other jobs. It’s a bit more involved than sending in a CV, having an interview and finding out if you’ve got the job.

There’s additional steps like assessments and vetting in our application and selection process, but you probably aren’t surprised to hear that if you’re considering a career in policing.

It takes time to make sure we are getting the best people who are capable of delivering a police service we can all be proud of.

We are proud to say that our selection process is robust and fair. We have designed our processes to get the best from you and give you the opportunity to demonstrate your values, experience and competencies in a variety of ways. You do not need any experience or qualifications related to policing to be successful through this process.

It is important for us to be transparent with you and make you aware that the process can take several months to complete but we are committed to keeping you updated at every stage. Have a look at this recruitment timeline:

We only ask for information that we require so it is really important you follow the guidance at each stage and include the information requested.

As a result of the changes to our recruitment processes during the Covid pandemic, we have extended the validity of SEARCH / Online Assessment Centre results to 24 months. We’ve also shortened the time that applicants have to wait before applying again if they have scored 45% or higher. Anyone in this situation can retake their assessment after three months rather than six.

The following films have been created to give you an idea about what to expect through each stage of our selection process.

Online Assessment

Fitness Test (part of pre-employment checks)

Medical Assessment (part of pre-employment checks)

Vetting Process (part of pre-employment checks)