The Police CVF 2024
Values, Competencies and Levels Explained
Every stage of police recruitment in England and Wales is assessed against the College of Policing's competency and values framework. This guide explains the 2024 framework itself: what each value and competency means in plain English, how levels 1, 2 and 3 differ, which recruitment exercise assesses which area, what changed from the 2016 version that many prep sites still teach, and the cautions the College itself attaches.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
The CVF is the College of Policing's 2024 framework describing how everyone in policing should behave. It has three values (courage, respect and empathy, public service) and six competencies, each set at three cumulative levels: practitioner, supervisor/middle manager, senior manager/executive. Values have no levels. Constable recruitment assesses competencies at level 1. The listed behaviours are examples, not a checklist.
What the competency and values framework is
The competency and values framework (CVF) is published by the College of Policing, the professional body for policing in England and Wales. In the College's words it sets out "clear expectations for everyone working in policing": the behaviours police officers and police staff need to be effective in their role and to uphold the Code of Ethics. The current edition is the 2024 CVF, first published on 8 May 2024, which replaced the 2016 version.
It is made of two kinds of building block:
- Three values: beliefs that motivate behaviour. They come from the ethical policing principles in the College's Code of Ethics and apply to every role.
- Six competencies: skills, abilities and practical behaviours linked to effective job performance. Each is described at three levels.
Each value and competency has a description, an explanation of why it matters, and a list of example behaviours. The CVF is used for:
- Recruitment: the national sift, the online assessment process (OAC) and, in the forces whose guides we read, the in-force interview.
- Promotion and selection: the College's guidance says it is the basis of national assessments for recruitment and promotion.
- Professional development reviews (PDR) and talent development, where it describes how work is done alongside what is achieved.
- Role profiles: it is aligned to the national policing professional profiles, which set the competency level expected for common officer and staff roles.
Using the CVF as a force's own framework is not mandatory. The College's guidance says some forces have their own frameworks and recommends they map them to the CVF. Since 17 March 2026, regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 requires constable candidates (other than transferees) to pass the national sift, the online assessment process and an in-person force interview to the standard set by the College, and defines the "national standard" as the College's minimum standard of competencies and values for appointment as a constable.
The CVF and the recruitment stages on this page are for England and Wales. Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland run separate recruitment processes, which this page does not cover. The College also publishes the CVF and its guidance in Welsh.
The CVF at a glance: three values, six competencies
The summaries below are our plain-English paraphrase of the College's descriptions. They are a way in, not a substitute for reading the framework itself.
| Area | Type | Plain-English meaning | Levels? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courage | Value | Doing the right thing when it is hard: making and owning decisions, challenging unprofessional or discriminatory behaviour, being honest and open to scrutiny. | No levels |
| Respect and empathy | Value | Listening to and understanding other people, treating everyone fairly and with dignity, recognising and managing your own biases. | No levels |
| Public service | Value | Working in the public interest, using powers lawfully and proportionately, building trust, and reflecting so the service improves. | No levels |
| We are emotionally aware | Competency | Understanding and managing your own emotions, reading how others feel, and seeking support so you can perform well. | Levels 1 to 3 |
| We take ownership | Competency | Taking personal responsibility for your work and decisions, with a clear rationale, and learning from feedback and mistakes. | Levels 1 to 3 |
| We collaborate | Competency | Working effectively with colleagues, partner organisations and communities, and sharing knowledge rather than working in silos. | Levels 1 to 3 |
| We support and inspire | Competency | Understanding the purpose of policing, working conscientiously, and helping others do their best. Not limited to managers. | Levels 1 to 3 |
| We analyse critically | Competency | Using the best available evidence, separating relevant from irrelevant, testing assumptions, and finding root causes. | Levels 1 to 3 |
| We are innovative and open-minded | Competency | Being curious, open to new ideas and good practice from outside policing, reflecting and adapting. | Levels 1 to 3 |
In the College's diagram the three values sit at the centre and the six competencies surround them. That is a fair picture of how the framework is meant to work: the values are expected in everything, and the competencies are how they show up in day-to-day work. Some ideas appear in both. For example, managing bias sits under respect and empathy, and acting against bias that some groups face appears in "we take ownership" at level 2.
What changed from the 2016 CVF (and why old prep material misleads)
The CVF was first introduced in 2016. The College's 2024 guidance says the update kept the basic structure of the competencies but rewrote the behaviours, particularly the values, to reflect the new Code of Ethics. It also says the changes aimed at simpler, clearer, more measurable wording, removing duplication, and giving more weight to diversity and inclusion, supervisory effectiveness, wellbeing, professionalism, ethics and collaboration.
| Feature | 2016 CVF | 2024 CVF |
|---|---|---|
| Values | Four: integrity, impartiality, public service, transparency | Three: courage, respect and empathy, public service (from the 2024 Code of Ethics principles) |
| Clusters | Six competencies grouped into three clusters: resolute, compassionate and committed; inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership; intelligent, creative and informed policing | Clusters removed to simplify the model |
| Collaboration competency | "We are collaborative" | "We collaborate" |
| Support competency | "We deliver, support and inspire" | "We support and inspire" |
| Other four competencies | Emotionally aware; take ownership; analyse critically; innovative and open-minded | Same names, behaviours rewritten |
| Levels | Three cumulative levels (practitioner, supervisor/middle manager, senior manager/executive) | Same three cumulative levels |
| Wording | Longer behaviour lists, some overlap | Simpler, more specific and measurable wording; diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and supervision more prominent |
| Status | The College said it would stay on its website until May 2025 | Current. Forces had until 1 May 2025 to move across |
The change most likely to trip up candidates is the values. A prep guide, video or practice pack built on the 2016 framework will tell you to show integrity, impartiality and transparency. Those are not 2024 CVF values. The ideas have not disappeared, though. Reading the two versions side by side, much of the old transparency and integrity content (being open about what you did and why, keeping promises, giving an accurate account of your actions and records, challenging poor behaviour, being open to challenge) now sits under courage, and much of the old impartiality content (giving everyone an equal chance to put their view, fair and objective decisions) now sits under respect and empathy. That mapping is our reading of the two texts, not a College table.
The College's guidance told candidates attending a College assessment to check which CVF version they are assessed against, and said its assessment processes would move to the 2024 CVF at their next design iteration. The current College candidate guides (updated June and July 2026) list the 2024 values and competencies, with one naming slip noted under the exercise map below. Devon and Cornwall Police's interview guide makes a similar point: be careful with practice interviews run by people who know a different framework.
The three values, explained
The College says values are not split into levels, because everyone in policing is expected to show the same values regardless of role or seniority. A new constable, a sergeant, a call handler and a chief constable are all held to the same courage, respect and empathy, and public service. What changes with seniority is the setting and scale, not the value.
Courage
Making, communicating and standing behind your decisions, and standing against anything that could bring policing into disrepute. In the CVF this covers doing the right thing when circumstances are difficult, setting a good example, challenging unprofessional behaviour and all forms of prejudice and discrimination, keeping professional boundaries, being open about what you did and why, keeping promises, and responding to criticism professionally.
What evidence of this value usually shows
- You did the right thing when it was uncomfortable or unpopular, and can explain why.
- You challenged language, behaviour or attitudes that undermined fairness or professionalism, or supported someone else who did.
- You were honest about a mistake and gave an accurate account of what you had done or recorded.
- You accepted scrutiny or criticism without becoming defensive.
Illustrative example, not a real assessment answer
"A colleague kept making comments about a customer's accent. I spoke to him privately that afternoon, explained how it came across, and when it happened again I reported it to our manager with the dates I had noted."
Courage in the CVF is mostly ethical courage. Physical bravery is not what the framework describes.
Respect and empathy
Encouraging, listening to and understanding other people's views, and recognising the physical, mental and emotional challenges that you and others may face. The CVF links it to patience and courtesy where possible (accepting that safety may sometimes come first), treating people fairly by tailoring the response to their needs, recognising that people react differently to the same situation, and managing your own biases.
What evidence of this value usually shows
- You gave someone a genuine chance to put their view and it changed what you did.
- You adapted your approach to someone's needs so the outcome was fair, rather than treating everyone identically.
- You noticed an assumption or bias in your own thinking and corrected it.
- You kept someone's dignity intact in a tense or difficult moment.
Illustrative example, not a real assessment answer
"The tenant was angry and kept interrupting. I stopped explaining the policy, asked what had happened from her side, and found she had been sent two conflicting letters. I apologised for the confusion and rang her back the next morning with one clear answer."
Fair does not always mean identical. The framework explicitly expects responses tailored to individual needs.
Public service
Working in the public interest, building public trust and confidence, and taking pride in giving an excellent service. The CVF connects it to using policing powers lawfully, proportionately and only when necessary, understanding the needs of different communities (including their history and experience of trauma), being honest about the limits of your own knowledge, seeking feedback, and reflecting so the service improves.
What evidence of this value usually shows
- You put the interests of the person or community you were serving first, even when another option was easier.
- You were honest with someone about what you did not know, then found out.
- You asked for feedback from the people you served and changed something as a result.
- You took responsibility for your own learning to close a gap that was affecting your service.
Illustrative example, not a real assessment answer
"Several older customers told me they could not use the online booking form. I asked our manager whether I could keep a phone slot free each morning, tried it for a month and kept a simple tally of calls, which showed it was being used."
Public service in 2024 includes reflection and learning, not just helpfulness.
The evidence points above are our paraphrase of the CVF's example behaviours, grouped for readability. The illustrative snippets are short extracts written by PolicePay to show what specific, first-person evidence looks like. They are not model answers, they are not from any real assessment, and the College does not publish model answers. For practice questions and full STAR answer structures by value, see police CVF interview questions and answers. Each value also has its own interview guide with an illustrative STAR structure: courage, respect and empathy and public service.
The six competencies, explained level by level
Each competency has a description, a reason it matters, and example behaviours at levels 1, 2 and 3. The levels are cumulative: the College says those working at higher levels should have built on the behaviours of the levels below. For police constable recruitment, only level 1 is assessed. Levels 2 and 3 are included here because they matter for promotion, supervisory and senior staff roles, and because seeing the higher levels makes clear what level 1 does not ask for.
We are emotionally aware
Understanding yourself, colleagues and the public well enough to manage your own emotions and recognise other people's, including when they cannot express themselves clearly. It includes seeking support for yourself and others so you do not just cope but do well, and being sensitive to cultural and individual differences.
Level 1 (practitioner): used in recruitment
Communicating clearly and with compassion, adjusting your style so you are understood; keeping yourself effective under pressure; knowing that some situations affect how you handle stress, and asking for support; trying to understand someone's concerns even when they struggle to say them.
Level 2 (supervisor/middle manager): what changes
The focus moves to other people: noticing when colleagues are affected by the demands and trauma of policing and making sure support is in place without stigma; staying composed so others take confidence from you; helping people learn from their own reactions; modelling open conversation and speaking up.
Level 3 (senior manager/executive): what changes
Regulating your own emotions so your leadership is consistent; understanding how your leadership style affects people; shaping organisational culture, wellbeing and inclusion across the organisation.
We take ownership
Personal responsibility for what you do and for making policing better. Decisions should be appropriate to your level, with a clear rationale (the CVF mentions decision-making models), and you accept responsibility for your judgements. It also means seeking feedback without being defensive and recognising the limits of your own knowledge.
Level 1 (practitioner): used in recruitment
Approaching tasks positively and adapting quickly; owning your own actions and decisions; sticking with tough situations; asking for advice when you need it; keeping the people who rely on you updated; asking for feedback on the quality and impact of your work.
Level 2 (supervisor/middle manager): what changes
Owning team performance as well as your own: delegating with clear direction that uses people's strengths; monitoring progress and deadlines; dealing with problems promptly and openly instead of leaving them; actively supporting action against bias or prejudice some groups experience.
Level 3 (senior manager/executive): what changes
Promoting a culture of personal accountability and of learning from mistakes rather than blame; putting measures in place so others can take responsibility; taking an organisation-wide view of what needs to improve.
We collaborate
Delivering policing by working with others: colleagues across the force, other organisations and the public. It includes building strong partnerships, sometimes quickly and under pressure, sharing skills and information, avoiding silo working, and making partners feel valued.
Level 1 (practitioner): used in recruitment
Learning about people in other teams, organisations and the community so you can work with them; building rapport; working flexibly across levels, teams and backgrounds; willingly helping colleagues; learning from a diverse range of people.
Level 2 (supervisor/middle manager): what changes
Building and using relationships with a broad range of stakeholders; agreeing clear roles with partners; including others in your thinking; creating joined-up solutions across organisational and geographical boundaries; managing long-term partnerships; building teams that mix styles and backgrounds.
Level 3 (senior manager/executive): what changes
Finding common ground and negotiating with partners whose priorities differ; understanding how national policy and politics affect partners; anticipating conflict; creating a culture in which partnership working delivers real benefits.
We support and inspire
Understanding the organisation's vision and applying its values day to day, creating a climate of mutual respect and support, and helping others meet their objectives. The CVF says this is not restricted to managers: everyone contributes, including through coaching and mentoring.
Level 1 (practitioner): used in recruitment
Sharing your commitment to policing and its values; understanding how your work contributes to the purpose of policing and your force's priorities; working conscientiously and removing obstacles to good service; taking on challenging tasks; using resources efficiently.
Level 2 (supervisor/middle manager): what changes
Helping others understand aims and organisational change and adapt to it; managing resources in your area; finding out what support people need; making people feel safe raising concerns; developing others through knowledge sharing, coaching, mentoring and feedback.
Level 3 (senior manager/executive): what changes
Communicating clear goals that give a compelling direction to people from different backgrounds; linking the overall vision to specific plans; long-term strategic thinking about policing in its wider social and economic setting; anticipating and removing barriers.
We analyse critically
Using diverse information and the best available evidence to make decisions and understand the root causes of problems in complex situations, accepting that you will not always have every answer but still gathering facts.
Level 1 (practitioner): used in recruitment
Thinking critically and challenging your own assumptions; taking in information accurately and in good time, separating relevant from irrelevant; solving problems by understanding why they happen; using professional knowledge and decision-making frameworks with your own judgement; noticing gaps and inconsistencies; keeping clear, accurate records.
Level 2 (supervisor/middle manager): what changes
Sharing the best available information with others; asking incisive questions to test assumptions and separate opinion from fact; knowing when to act decisively on incomplete information and planning for contingencies; drawing conclusions from diverse evidence; weighing options for resources with business and financial sense.
Level 3 (senior manager/executive): what changes
Creating a working environment that values high-quality analysis; identifying root causes in ambiguous situations so the organisation goes beyond treating symptoms; using strategic context and long-term trends; introducing significant decisions in a way that earns support.
We are innovative and open-minded
Being inquisitive and outward-looking, searching for good practice (including outside policing), reflecting on how you work and being flexible enough to get the best outcome. For leaders it includes creating an environment where innovation can thrive.
Level 1 (practitioner): used in recruitment
Learning from new ideas and from other people's experiences; suggesting improvements to how things are done; reflecting on your experiences and acting on what you learn; being open to new ways of working; adapting to change and encouraging others to do the same.
Level 2 (supervisor/middle manager): what changes
Changing your plans to get the best impact; looking for good practice outside policing and applying it; giving others space to step back and review their approach; anticipating future challenges from trends inside and outside policing; generating creative responses to change.
Level 3 (senior manager/executive): what changes
Implementing, testing and communicating new ways of working that can change culture and performance significantly; leading complex initiatives from inception to impact; driving innovation across multiple stakeholders; being accountable for keeping the service up to date.
These are paraphrases, condensed from the College's example behaviours. The full lists are in the CVF on the College of Policing website, and it is worth reading the descriptions there in full, not just the bullet points, because the College says assessment should take account of the description as well as the examples.
Level 1 interview guides: we take ownership and we are innovative and open-minded (both assessed in the OAC interview), and the other four competencies, which the OAC assesses through the sift, written and briefing exercises rather than the interview.
How the CVF levels work
The three levels and the College's own labels are:
- Level 1: practitioner. Your own work, decisions and relationships.
- Level 2: supervisor/middle manager. Other people's work and wellbeing, a team's performance, partnerships.
- Level 3: senior manager/executive. Organisational culture, strategy and long-term direction.
| Competency | Level 1 focus | Level 2 shift | Level 3 shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| We are emotionally aware | Managing yourself: clear, compassionate communication; staying effective under pressure; asking for support | Looking after others: spotting when colleagues are affected, making sure support is in place without stigma, staying composed so others feel confident | Shaping culture: understanding how your leadership style affects people; promoting wellbeing and inclusion across the organisation |
| We take ownership | Owning your own actions and decisions, keeping people updated, asking for advice and feedback | Owning team performance: clear delegation, tracking progress and deadlines, dealing with problems promptly and openly, acting on bias some groups face | Building a culture of accountability that learns from mistakes rather than blaming, and taking an organisation-wide view |
| We collaborate | Getting to know people in other teams and organisations, building rapport, helping colleagues | Building wide stakeholder networks, agreeing clear roles with partners, joined-up solutions, long-term partnerships | Negotiating across different priorities, understanding national policy and politics, anticipating conflict, making partnership culture work |
| We support and inspire | Commitment to policing values, understanding how your work fits force priorities, conscientious work, efficient use of resources | Helping others understand aims and change, managing resources in your area, making people feel safe raising concerns, coaching and mentoring | Setting a compelling direction, linking vision to plans, long-term strategic thinking, removing barriers |
| We analyse critically | Checking your assumptions, interpreting information accurately, using decision-making frameworks, keeping accurate records | Asking incisive questions to separate opinion from fact, acting decisively on incomplete information with contingencies, weighing resource options | Valuing high-quality analysis across the organisation, tackling root causes in ambiguous situations, using strategic context and long-term trends |
| We are innovative and open-minded | Learning from new ideas and others, suggesting improvements, reflecting and adapting to change | Changing plans for better impact, bringing in good practice from outside policing, giving others space to rethink, anticipating trends | Leading and evaluating complex initiatives, embedding innovation in the culture, keeping the service current |
Four points about levels that are easy to miss:
- They are cumulative. Level 2 adds to level 1; it does not replace it. A sergeant still needs the level 1 behaviours.
- They are not ranks. The College's guidance says the levels are not assigned to specific ranks and can be applied flexibly to professional profiles. Its appendix gives a broad guide: level 1 for constables and equivalent staff grades, level 2 for sergeants, inspectors and equivalent staff grades, and level 3 for superintendents, chief superintendents, chief officers and equivalent staff grades.
- They apply to competencies only. The College says plainly that levels apply to competencies, not values.
- They fit frontline and non-frontline roles. The CVF says the levels can be used flexibly for both, which is why police staff roles have CVF levels set in their role profiles.
Devon and Cornwall Police lists "not the right CVF level" among common mistakes at its force interview, and tells candidates to check the level in the framework. For a constable applicant that means level 1: evidence of your own actions, not of managing others.
What level 2 and level 3 evidence looks like (promotion and staff roles)
Level 2 is what searches for "CVF level 2 examples" are usually after: sergeants and acting sergeants preparing for promotion, police staff applying for supervisory grades, and PDR conversations. The common thread is that level 2 evidence is about the effect you had on other people's performance, wellbeing and development, and on partnerships, rather than only your own tasks.
The snippets below show the same competency at different levels. Each is an illustrative example, not a real assessment answer, written by PolicePay to show the shift in scope. They are deliberately short; real evidence would also explain your reasoning and the result.
The College's guidance adds a fairness point for development and promotion assessments: when people are assessed at a higher CVF level than their current role, care should be taken that the assessment is fair given the experience and opportunities they have actually had. Acting or temporary roles are one way people gather higher-level evidence; see using acting-up evidence for a promotion board and how to get promoted to sergeant. Each force runs its own promotion process, so check its own guidance for how the CVF is used.
For a PDR, the College's guidance suggests reflecting on questions such as:
- Can you describe your own capabilities and behaviours using the CVF?
- Are the values fully visible in your actions and decisions?
- Which competencies have you shown well, and which do you need to develop?
- How might you develop towards the competencies at the next level?
It also says you do not need evidence of every single indicator, but should be ready to show the competency as a whole if your force assesses the CVF in PDRs. It suggests a self-assessment at your current and next level, and 360-degree feedback as one way to see how others perceive your behaviours.
Which recruitment exercise assesses which CVF area
The College publishes which values and competencies each national exercise assesses. The national sift guidance and the online assessment candidate guide both say these are assessed at level 1. The table below is taken from those two College pages as read on 1 October 2026.
| CVF area | Sift: SJT | Sift: BSQ | OAC: interview | OAC: written | OAC: briefing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courage | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Respect and empathy | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Public service | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| We are emotionally aware | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| We take ownership | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| We collaborate | Yes* | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| We support and inspire | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| We analyse critically | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| We are innovative and open-minded | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
* The College's national sift page lists this SJT competency under its 2016 name, "we are collaborative", while the BSQ list on the same page uses the 2024 name, "we collaborate". We treat them as the same competency.
What the map shows:
- The SJT assesses competencies only; the BSQ covers all nine areas. Both need no policing knowledge, and the College's advice on the BSQ is to answer honestly about your typical behaviour at work. More in SJT practice and the BSQ explained.
- In the OAC, courage is assessed only in the interview, and "we are emotionally aware" only in the briefing exercise.
- The written exercise is the only OAC exercise for "we analyse critically", "we support and inspire" and "we collaborate". See the written exercise explained.
- Ownership and innovation appear in two OAC exercises (the interview and the briefing). See the OAC interview and the briefing exercise.
The in-force interview (stage four) is run by each force to the national standard, and the College does not publish a national list of the areas it covers. Both force guides we read, Derbyshire (2022) and Devon and Cornwall (2024), describe CVF-based questions. Derbyshire's mixes past-focused, future-focused and motivation questions. Ask your force which areas and which CVF version its interview uses. See the in-person police interview explained.
The College does not publish how much each area counts towards a score, or a pass mark. How results are reported is covered in how the OAC is marked and how the national sift is scored.
Building your CVF evidence, step by step
The College's guidance gives candidates two pieces of advice: understand what each competency and value means, then think of examples of when you have shown those behaviours. This is one way to turn that into a plan. It applies to the OAC interview and to in-force interviews; the sift and the written and briefing exercises use scenarios instead, so for those, understanding the areas matters more than stored examples.
- Read the descriptions, not just the bullets. The College says assessment should consider the full description. Read the "what it means" and "why it matters" text for each area.
- Find out which areas you will be assessed on. Use the table above for the national exercises, and ask your force about its own interview.
- List real situations from any part of your life. The College says examples can come from work and personal life. Derbyshire's guide mentions school, college, work, home and family, clubs and volunteering.
- Map each situation to the areas it genuinely shows. One situation often shows more than one area. Be honest about which; stretching an example to fit a value it does not show tends to sound thin.
- Check the level. For constable recruitment, keep the evidence at level 1: what you did, decided and learned. You do not need to have managed anyone.
- Structure it. The College suggests STAR (situation, task, action, result) for the OAC interview, with most of the answer on your actions and the reasons for them. Use "I", not "we".
- Practise saying it, then put the notes away. Prepared notes or scripts are not allowed in any OAC exercise, and evidence of them may mean an automatic fail. Practise until you can talk through the example naturally. Some forces allow notes in their own interview preparation time; check with your force.
- Stay flexible on the day. The College's guide says interview questions may ask how you have dealt with situations in the past or how you would deal with them in the future. Answer the question asked, not the example you hoped to use.
Once you have drafted an example, the free STAR answer checker looks at its structure (whether situation, task, action and result are all there and in proportion). It cannot judge the content or predict a score. To practise saying it aloud, the mock interview has a free practice mode with example questions, OAC or in-person mode, CVF value selection and a 3-minute timer. Personal feedback on your own answers is a paid option.
For a wider preparation timetable, see the police OAC preparation plan, or try the free OAC readiness check, a two-minute self-check of preparation gaps (not an official assessment).
The College's own cautions about using the CVF
The CVF comes with warnings from the College that are useful to candidates and to anyone assessing others. Paraphrased:
- The behaviours are examples, not a complete list. There are many other ways to show each competency or value, as long as they fit the description.
- It is not a checklist. The College says the behaviours should not be used in isolation or as a checklist, whether in selection, assessment or a PDR.
- Context matters. When assessing competency behaviours, the College says to take account of individual circumstances, the specific requirements of the role, and the competency description, not just the behavioural examples.
- Differing abilities, including neurodiversity. People have different strengths, skills and preferences. The College says the CVF should be used in ways that allow for differing abilities, including those that stem from disability or neurodiversity, and that assessments should let candidates show strengths in different areas.
- Reasonable adjustments. The College says reasonable adjustments should always be made for people whose disability affects their ability to show the competencies, in line with equality law. Its guidance also mentions accommodations for things such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, injury or illness.
- Exercises should say what they assess. The College's guidance says candidates should be clearly told which competencies and values an assessment exercise measures, and that exercises usually measure more than one competency but not more than three or four in a large exercise.
If you have a disability or condition that may affect how you show the competencies, tell the force early in your application. The process, evidence and options are covered in OAC technical requirements and reasonable adjustments.
CVF myths and what the framework actually says
Myth
"If you say the CVF words, you score."
What the sources say
The College says the behaviours are examples and not a checklist. Devon and Cornwall Police's interview guide says buzzwords do not score and warns against CVF "bingo". Assessors can only mark what you describe yourself doing.
Myth
"Values have levels, so constables need less courage than inspectors."
What the sources say
Values are not split into levels. Everyone in policing is expected to show the same values. Only the six competencies have levels.
Myth
"Integrity, impartiality and transparency are CVF values."
What the sources say
They were 2016 values. The 2024 values are courage, respect and empathy, and public service. Honesty and integrity still matter: for officers they are a Standard of Professional Behaviour in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020, and much of the related behaviour now sits under courage.
Myth
"You need to hit every bullet point."
What the sources say
The College's guidance says it is not necessary to show evidence of every single indicator, and that assessors should be open to different ways of showing a behaviour that fits the definition.
Myth
"To stand out at recruitment, show leadership at level 2."
What the sources say
Initial recruitment is assessed at level 1. Devon and Cornwall lists answering at the wrong level as a common mistake. Strong level 1 evidence is about your own actions, judgement and reflection.
Myth
"Only policing or security examples count."
What the sources say
The College says you can use examples from work and personal life, and no policing knowledge is needed for the sift or OAC.
Myth
"The CVF is only for police officers."
What the sources say
The College says it applies to everyone working in policing, officers and staff. Police staff roles have CVF levels in their professional profiles.
Myth
"CVF questions are always about the past."
What the sources say
The College's CVF guidance says most interview questions should focus on past behaviour but hypothetical future situations can also be used, and its OAC guide says questions may cover past or future situations.
More mistakes candidates make across the exercises are in common police OAC mistakes.
What to ask, and who to ask
- Which CVF version (2024 or a force framework mapped to it) does your interview use?
- Which values and competencies does the in-force interview assess, and at what level?
- How long is the interview, and is there preparation time with the questions?
- Can I take notes into the interview?
- How do I request a reasonable adjustment or accommodation, and what evidence do you need?
- Will I get feedback if I am unsuccessful?
- If your OAC invitation has not arrived by 5pm on the first day of your window, the College's guide says to contact your force or recruit@college.police.uk.
- If you are heavily affected by an interruption during the OAC, the guide says to contact recruit@college.police.uk.
- For the sift and OAC platforms' technical support, use the routes in your invitation email.
- Which CVF level does my next role's professional profile set?
- How does my force's promotion process use the CVF, and in which stages?
- Can I get a development opportunity or acting role to build next-level evidence?
- Would 360-degree feedback be available through my force?
- Does my force use the CVF itself or a local framework mapped to it?
- What CVF level does the role I am applying for require?
- Is the CVF assessed in my PDR, and how?
More for staff on the police staff hub.
Not sure which force to apply to, or how long the stages take? The police force finder and the recruitment timeline planner are free. For how the stages differ by entry route, see the police assessment process by entry route.
What we could not verify
- The College does not publish how each value or competency is weighted in the sift or OAC scores, or a pass mark for either. We have not stated one.
- We could not confirm that every force has finished moving its own processes (in-force interviews, promotion, PDR, staff recruitment) to the 2024 CVF. The College gave forces until 1 May 2025 but also says using the CVF as a force framework is not mandatory. Ask your force.
- The College's national sift page names one SJT competency using the 2016 wording ("we are collaborative"). We could not confirm whether this is only a wording slip on the page or reflects the exercise content.
- Regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 refers to the College's "national standard" of competencies and values but does not name the CVF. The College's candidate guides say the national exercises assess CVF areas at level 1.
- We read in-force interview guides from two forces only (Derbyshire, 2022; Devon and Cornwall, 2024). Other forces' interviews may differ in length, format and the areas covered.
- The mapping of 2016 values to 2024 values in this guide is our reading of the two documents, not an official College mapping.
- We did not review how each force's promotion process uses CVF levels. Check your force's own promotion guidance.
PolicePay is independent of the College of Policing, the Home Office and every police force. This page paraphrases the CVF 2024, the College's CVF guidance and its candidate guides as read on 1 October 2026. The College may update the framework or its assessments; the College's own pages and your force's instructions take priority over anything here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the police CVF?
The competency and values framework (CVF) is the College of Policing's description of the behaviours expected of everyone working in policing, officers and staff, at every level. The current version was published in 2024. It has three values and six competencies and is used in recruitment, promotion, professional development reviews (PDR) and talent development.
What are the three CVF values?
Courage; respect and empathy; and public service. They come from the ethical policing principles in the College's Code of Ethics (first published 24 January 2024). The 2016 framework had four different values: integrity, impartiality, public service and transparency, so older prep material is out of date.
What are the six CVF competencies?
We are emotionally aware; we take ownership; we collaborate; we support and inspire; we analyse critically; and we are innovative and open-minded. In the 2016 version two of these had different names: "we are collaborative" and "we deliver, support and inspire".
What are the CVF levels?
Each competency is described at three levels: level 1 practitioner, level 2 supervisor or middle manager, and level 3 senior manager or executive. The levels are cumulative, so someone working at level 2 is expected to show the level 1 behaviours as well. The College says the levels are not assigned to specific ranks and can be applied flexibly to different roles.
What CVF level is used for police recruitment?
Level 1. The College's national sift guidance and online assessment candidate guide both say that for initial police recruitment the competencies are assessed at level 1. Values have no levels, so the same values standard applies to everyone.
What does CVF level 2 look like?
Level 2 moves the focus from your own work to other people's: looking after a team's wellbeing, delegating and monitoring progress, dealing with problems openly, building partnerships with clear roles, testing assumptions and acting on incomplete information, and developing others through coaching and feedback. It broadly matches sergeant, inspector and equivalent staff grades, but the College says levels are applied flexibly by role.
Do the CVF values have levels?
No. The College says the values are not split into levels because everyone in policing is expected to show the same values, whatever their role or seniority. Only the six competencies have levels 1 to 3.
Is integrity still a CVF value?
Not as a named value. Integrity was one of the four 2016 values. The 2024 values are courage, respect and empathy, and public service, and the behaviours that used to sit under integrity and transparency (honesty, accurate records, challenging poor behaviour, openness to scrutiny) now largely sit under courage. Honesty and integrity remains a Standard of Professional Behaviour for officers under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020.
When did the 2024 CVF replace the 2016 version?
The College published the 2024 CVF on 8 May 2024 and said forces had until 1 May 2025 to transition to it. College assessment processes moved across at their next design iteration, and the College told candidates to check which version their assessment guidance refers to.
Which CVF competencies and values does the OAC assess?
Per the College's candidate guide: the competency-based interview assesses courage, public service, respect and empathy, we take ownership, and we are innovative and open-minded. The written exercise assesses respect and empathy, we analyse critically, we support and inspire, and we collaborate. The briefing exercise assesses public service, we are emotionally aware, we take ownership, and we are innovative and open-minded.
Which CVF areas does the national sift assess?
The situational judgement test assesses the six competencies. The behavioural styles questionnaire assesses all six competencies plus the three values. Both are set at level 1 and need no policing knowledge.
Do I need to use the exact CVF wording in my answers?
No. The College says the listed behaviours are examples, not a checklist, and assessment should consider the competency description as a whole. Devon and Cornwall Police's interview guide warns that buzzwords do not score. Assessors are looking for what you actually did, in enough detail to see the behaviour.
Does the CVF apply to police staff?
Yes. The College says the CVF sets expectations for everyone working in policing, police officers and members of staff. The national policing professional profiles, which include staff roles, set out the competency level for each role. Some forces use their own framework mapped to the CVF.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- College of Policing: Competency and values framework (CVF), web page (first published 8 May 2024) — three values and six competencies; values not split into levels; three cumulative levels; not a checklist; differing abilities and neurodiversity; links to the PDF and guidance (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Competency and values framework for policing 2024 (PDF) — full descriptions and example behaviours paraphrased on this page; replaces the 2016 version; forces had until 1 May 2025 to transition (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Competency and values framework guidance 2024 (PDF) — what changed and why; clusters removed; levels not assigned to ranks; CVF in recruitment, assessment centres, PDR and talent; level-to-rank table (appendix 1); link to the Code of Ethics (appendix 2) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Competency and Values Framework for policing, overview of framework (2016, historical) — the old values (impartiality, integrity, public service, transparency), the three clusters, and the old competency names (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Ethical policing principles, Code of Ethics (first published 24 January 2024) — the three principles the CVF values are derived from (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online assessment process candidate guide (updated 21 July 2026) — level 1 for initial recruitment; CVF areas for the interview, written and briefing exercises; STAR suggested; no prepared notes (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: National sift candidate guidance (updated 1 June 2026) — level 1 for the sift; CVF areas for the SJT and BSQ; honesty in the BSQ (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Sift and online assessment process (updated 21 July 2026) — College suggests reviewing the CVF before the sift; overview of both stages (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Reasonable adjustments and accommodations guide for online assessments candidates (updated 25 August 2026) — adjustments and accommodations across the sift, OAC and in-force interview (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10, latest text — four-stage process since 17 March 2026; "national standard" defined as the College's minimum standard of competencies and values (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/4), Schedule 2 — Standards of Professional Behaviour, including honesty and integrity, and equality and diversity (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Devon and Cornwall Police: Force interviews, competency values framework preparation guide (2024, PDF) — one force's in-force interview: wrong CVF level and buzzword 'bingo' listed as common mistakes; warning about advice based on other frameworks (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Derbyshire Constabulary: In-force interview preparation guide (2022, PDF) — one force's CVF-based in-force interview with past, future and exploratory questions (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.