Police officer recruitment process (DHEP route)

You will be eligible to apply for our Degree Holder Entry Programme if you already hold a Bachelor’s degree in any subject (or international equivalent) at the time of application or if you are working towards one and due to complete in Summer 2022. You are not eligible to apply for the DHEP route if you hold or are working towards the Degree in Professional Policing (DiPP).

During the eligibility process, we must check you meet all of the criteria detailed below before you can continue with your application.

You must:

• hold a bachelor degree at the time of application or working towards completing one
• be aged 17 or over
• have been a UK resident for the past 3 years
• be either a British Citizen, a citizen of the EU, EAA, or Commonwealth or foreign national with indefinite leave to remain in the UK
• have a full manual driving licence by the time of appointment
• reside within the force boundaries at the time of appointment

You must not:

• have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) which has not been satisfied
• be currently declared bankrupt and for a period of three years afterwards
• be subject to a Debt Relief Order and for a period of three years afterwards
• be a member of certain national groups, for example, British National Party, Combat 18 or National Front
• have any tattoos which would cause offence
• have applied to another police force with the past 6 months
• have been placed on the Police Barred and Advisory Lists within 5 years from the date of listing in the case of gross misconduct, or 3 years from the date of listing in the case of poor performance
• have any criminal convictions or cautions (minor offences will be considered)

If you are successful at the eligibility stage, and have submitted a copy of your certificates, we will ask you to complete an application form.

You will need to fill in your personal details, employment history and references.

Once we have received your completed application form, we will invite you to attend a Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) Familiarisation Event.

The purpose of this compulsory event is to provide you with further information on the DHEP programme and the process of becoming a police officer.

If successful in application you will be invited to complete a SEARCH assessment.

The SEARCH assessment is a national process that all police forces use when recruiting police officers.

The assessment will involve completing a variety of exercises including a written exam, role play and interview.

If you are successful at your assessment you will be invited to complete a number of pre-appointment checks at Police Headquarters, Portishead. These will include:

• a medical appointment
• biometrics vetting (finger prints and DNA samples)
• drugs testing
• a fitness test
• security vetting checks
• employer references

Once all of the pre-appointment checks have been successfully completed, you will receive a final offer of appointment and we will allocated you a place on the next available training course.

Once you have reached this stage we will start to communicate with you more frequently so that you are prepared for your first day as a police officer and the start of your exciting career with Avon and Somerset Police.