Is Police Now
Worth It?
An honest look at what Police Now gives you, what it asks of you and what the evidence actually shows, from Police Now's own pages, three published evaluations and official statistics, read on 19 October 2026. We do not use anonymous review sites as evidence.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 19 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
It can be, if you have a 2:2 or above, want a structured start with a national cohort and a coach and can live where the roles are. You are paid by your force from day one and the qualification is funded, so the real costs are flexibility: fixed windows, a few forces per intake and a residential academy. Independent evaluations of early cohorts found high satisfaction and good retention, but the first one found no measurable effect on public confidence or crime.
"Worth it" depends on what you want, so we have not scored Police Now. Instead we set out what you get, what it costs you and what the evidence says, with every claim sourced. Police Now's own outcome figures are labelled as its own. We used the three published evaluations of Police Now programmes, said who wrote and who paid for each and did not quote or paraphrase anonymous reviews from job sites or forums: they cannot be checked and are not a fair sample.
The short verdict
Police Now is a well-structured way into an ordinary police job. It does not pay more than other routes, it is not a promotion fast track and the evidence that it changes outcomes for communities is thin. What it does offer is a different experience of the first two years: a national cohort, a residential academy, a dedicated coach and, for detective routes, investigation from the start.
Likely worth it if you
- have, or expect, a 2:2 or above and level 3 qualifications
- want a cohort, a coach and a structured academy start
- are flexible on which force and region
- want detective, economic crime or counter terrorism work from day one
- are a career changer who wants a defined route in
Think twice if you
- need one particular force or must stay near home
- want to start sooner than the next Police Now window
- cannot be away for an 8 or 13-week residential academy
- are expecting higher pay or faster promotion than other routes
- have a third, no degree, or a professional policing degree
What you get
| Benefit | What Police Now says | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Pay from day one | Your force pays you from the first day of the academy: £32,256 to £43,689 to start, depending on location | The same force pay scale as any other constable route; Police Now does not add to it |
| A funded qualification | A fully funded level 6 or level 7 policing qualification, earned on salary | DHEP and PCDA are also funded by the force. In the Birkbeck evaluation some interviewees found the level 6 diploma about right, others too basic for graduates |
| A residential academy with a cohort | 8 weeks (Neighbourhood) or 13 weeks (detective routes), taught by seconded sergeants and inspectors | The first cohort rated their academy highly but most thought it too short; it was then six weeks and is longer now |
| A coach for two years | A Police Now Performance and Development Coach, alongside your force tutor and sergeant | The detective pilot evaluation found support depended partly on how well each force was set up for participants |
| A specialism from day one | Detective, Economic Crime and Counter Terrorism start as trainee detectives | Many forces also run their own detective degree holder route |
| A secondment (Neighbourhood) | A chance to apply for a four-week external secondment or internal attachment in year two | You apply for it; it is not guaranteed |
| A national network | Alumni support, promotion coaching and Fast Track support after the programme | Promotion still follows the national processes |
| A recognised graduate brand | Times Top 100 Graduate Employer listing and industry awards | Useful on a CV, but it says nothing about the job day to day |
Police Now's help hub sums up its own case as a not-for-profit focused on a more representative police service, which assesses cultural awareness and resilience in recruitment and promotes problem-solving policing in training. The Birkbeck evaluation supports part of that: supervisors and colleagues rated participants highly, particularly on their people skills.
What it costs you
Police Now costs applicants nothing in fees. Forces pay: a 2019 Northumbria police and crime commissioner decision records a 2020 fee of £13,950 per participant (including the university), with forces covering about two thirds of the full cost and Home Office and corporate grants the rest. The costs to you are in time, place and flexibility.
| Cost | The detail | Who it hits hardest |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed windows | The March 2027 entry has closed; the March 2028 start opens early 2027 (Police Now says "early next year"; no date published). If you decide today, your start could be well over a year away. | Anyone who wants to start soon |
| A few forces per window | Police Now has worked with 37 forces since 2015, but the March 2027 entry had roles in five and some forces are oversubscribed. | Anyone tied to one area |
| Residential academy | 8 or 13 weeks of residential training (home at weekends). | Parents, carers and anyone who cannot be away |
| Entry rules | A 2:2 or above, level 3 qualifications, no professional policing degree. | People with a third, or a policing degree |
| Relocation | Police Now says many participants relocate, with support. | People with a home, partner or job elsewhere |
| Study on top of shifts | The qualification runs alongside operational work. Both the Birkbeck and Canterbury evaluations flagged the strain of combining the two. | Anyone already short of time |
| Being labelled | In the first cohort, 54% reported a stigma attached to the programme (73% on the Met's earlier graduate scheme). | People who want to blend in |
| Shift work | Policing runs 24/7, with evenings and weekends. | Everyone, as on any route |
On carers in particular, the Birkbeck evaluation found that in the 2021 recruitment round candidates with caring responsibilities withdrew from the online assessment at a much higher rate than those without (50% against 30%). That is a finding about who drops out, not a rule, but it is consistent with a programme built around a residential start.
The money: does Police Now pay off?
Financially, Police Now is neither better nor worse than other routes into the same job. Your force pays you on its constable scale; Police Now does not top it up and does not charge you. What differs between Police Now officers is the force, because of location pay. The figures Police Now itself published for the closed March 2027 entry:
| Force | Specialism | Police Now figure | Pay year | On 2026/27 rates (PolicePay) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Wales Police | Neighbourhood | £32,256 | 2026/27 | £32,255 |
| Northamptonshire Police | Neighbourhood | £32,256 | 2026/27 | £32,255 |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary | Neighbourhood | £34,326 | 2026/27 | £34,325 |
| Metropolitan Police | Counter Terrorism | £42,210 | 2025/26 | £43,688 |
| North Wales Police | Detective | £31,164 | 2025/26 | £32,255 |
| Dorset Police | Economic Crime | £31,164 | 2025/26 | £32,255 |
The two £31,164 detective figures are last year's pay point 1, written before the September 2026 award. Detectives do not start below neighbourhood officers: every specialism is on the same scale.
| Point | Police Now's range | Pay year | On 2026/27 rates (PolicePay) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting salary | £32,256 to £43,689 | 2026/27 | £32,255 to £43,688 |
| Within seven years | £50,256 to £59,964 | 2025/26 | £52,015 to £62,094 |
| Sergeant, on promotion | £53,568 to £63,276 | 2025/26 | £55,443 to £65,522 |
Three points to weigh. First, the funded qualification has real value, but DHEP and PCDA officers get one funded too, so it is not a Police Now advantage. Second, if you relocate for a Police Now role, your living costs in that area matter as much as the salary. Third, for a career changer the comparison that matters is with your current take-home pay, which the Police Now salary calculator works out after tax, pension and student loan. The Police Now salary guide has the force by force detail. Weighing up what preparation is worth paying for? See police recruitment coaching costs compared.
The time cost, in dates
Because Police Now recruits in windows, the date you decide matters. Using only the timings Police Now publishes, a decision made in autumn 2026 plays out roughly like this:
| Step | Police Now's timing | Roughly when |
|---|---|---|
| Decide and register interest | Any time | Autumn 2026 |
| Applications open | Early next year | Early 2027 |
| Conditional offer | As little as two to three weeks from applying | Spring 2027 at the earliest |
| Final offer after checks | Typically two to four months | Summer to autumn 2027 |
| Academy starts | March 2028 | March 2028 |
| Programme ends | Two years, with probation | Around early 2030 |
That is around a year and a half from deciding to starting. Some of it is useful (fitness, finances, a driving test), but if you want to be in uniform sooner, a force DHEP or PCDA intake may start earlier. Police Now confirms you can apply to a force at the same time and choose between offers.
If you leave early or it does not work out
This is the question applicants most need answered and Police Now's public pages answer least. Here is what we could and could not establish on 19 October 2026:
- You are a force employee. Police Now's job description describes a permanent contract of employment and you are appointed and paid by the force.
- No tie-in or repayment terms are published. We found nothing on repaying training or qualification costs, or a minimum period of service, on Police Now's programme page, help hub, FAQs or job descriptions. That does not prove none exist: we could not see the participant contract.
- Resigning: as a police officer you can resign. Notice is handled under your force's procedures, so ask your force what it requires.
- If the force ends it: during probation a chief officer can dispense with a probationer judged unfit or unlikely to become an efficient or well-conducted officer, under regulation 13 of the Police Regulations 2003, with a month's notice or a month's pay in lieu.
- If you need to delay: Police Now says deferral requests are reviewed and suggests applying for the intake that fits your start date.
- If you have two offers: you can apply to Police Now and a force at once, but must choose one.
Before accepting a final offer, ask Police Now and your force in writing whether you would owe anything if you left during or after the programme and whether the answer is different for the qualification. A written answer is worth more than anything on this page.
What the evidence actually says
There are four kinds of evidence about Police Now and they carry different weight:
| Evidence | Who produced it | Independence | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outcome figures on Police Now's website and reports | Police Now | Its own figures | Recent cohorts, selected measures |
| MOPAC evaluation of the first cohort (2017) | Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime, Evidence and Insight team | Independent; funded by the Home Office Police Innovation Fund | The 2015 Met cohort over two years |
| Detective pilot evaluation (2022) | Canterbury Christ Church University | Academic, produced with Police Now research leads | The 2019 detective pilot cohort |
| NGLP 2021 to 2023 evaluation (2023) | Birkbeck, University of London | Academic; commissioned by Police Now | The 2021 neighbourhood cohort |
| Official statistics | Home Office, GOV.UK | Independent | Recruit numbers; no outcomes by route |
Police Now's own figures
| Claim | Figure | Where Police Now says it |
|---|---|---|
| Alumni still in policing | 87% | Why join page |
| Detective cohorts two and three still in policing at the end | 85% (88% of women, 80% of ethnic minority participants) | Partner with us page |
| NIE pass rate | 86.3% against a national 67% (2026); 83% against 70% for the 2022 cohort | News, June 2026; Partner with us page |
| Applications per place | 24 on average over ten years, against six for police officer roles; 200 for some recently launched specialisms | Ten-year report |
| Fast Track to Inspector | 25% of the 2024 intake were Police Now graduates, against 1.5% of all constables | Ten-year report |
| Young people's confidence where its officers work | Up 17% | Partner with us page |
| Officers recruited | 3,471 across 37 forces | Ten-year report |
| Never considered policing before | 58% of participants | Why join page |
These may well be accurate, but they come from Police Now, they do not say how each was measured and several compare Police Now participants (a selected group) with all officers. They tell you about Police Now's participants as a group, not about your chances. Note too that the 17% confidence figure is close to, but not the same as, the 15% rise among young people that MOPAC reported for the first cohort, which MOPAC itself treated with caution (below).
Police Now's ten-year report also puts a value on its work: an estimated 3,281 crime and anti-social behaviour incidents prevented in one year, £953.9 million in reduced social costs over its history and a return of £13.77 for every £1 invested (with components of £11.80 from crime reduction and £1.68 from widening the talent pool). It describes this as independent analysis, but the report page does not name the analyst or set out the method, so we cannot assess it. Treat it as Police Now's case for funding rather than evidence about your career.
The MOPAC evaluation of the first cohort
The only fully independent evaluation is MOPAC's two-year study of the first cohort, published in December 2017. It is old and the programme has changed a lot since, but it is the most rigorous look at whether Police Now delivers what it says. Its main findings, in our words:
- Who and how many: 67 graduates joined the Met in July 2015, did a six-week Summer Academy and became dedicated ward officers in some of London's most disadvantaged areas. 55 graduated from the two-year programme.
- Training: participants were highly satisfied with the academy and valued the syndicate structure, but most thought it too short and wanted more practical content. Fewer than half (43%) felt prepared to start as officers, a problem the evaluators saw in the Met's traditional recruits too.
- Life in the job: job satisfaction and motivation started high and declined over time, as is common in new recruits. A majority felt they lacked the resources to do the job and about half felt their work-life balance was poor; the evaluators saw these as Met-wide issues.
- Stigma: 54% reported a stigma attached to being on Police Now, lower than the 73% reported by the Met's 2013 graduate entry scheme.
- Attitudes: participants were strongly oriented to public service and more positive about the Met than staff overall, though their views of it declined over two years. They were less likely than other officers to want a whole career in the Met.
- Evidence-based policing: participants understood it, but few of their 100-day impact projects used research or measured results with a comparison group.
- Public confidence and crime: overall, Police Now wards showed no change in public perceptions compared with matched wards. Young people's confidence rose 15% in Police Now wards against 4% elsewhere, but other measures went the opposite way and the samples were small, so the evaluators drew no cause-and-effect conclusion. Crime trends did not differ.
Police Now's published response (January 2018) accepted that the results were early, pointed to the satisfaction and young people's confidence findings and said it had since added evidence-based policing masterclasses, changed its impact assessments and improved its academy. Both documents are on Police Now's own impact page, which is to its credit.
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The later evaluations
Detective pilot, Canterbury Christ Church University (August 2022). The 2019 to 2021 pilot selected 93 participants from 3,995 applicants. Retention was 97% at the end of the programme and 96% of those surveyed at the end meant to stay in policing (a small sample). The report also recorded heavy workloads and work-life balance problems linked to the national detective shortage, the strain of the university work alongside casework and the need to make clear to participants that they are not qualified detectives when they leave the academy. Support depended partly on how well each force adapted to the programme. The evaluation was produced with Police Now's own research leads named as contacts.
Neighbourhood cohort 2021, Birkbeck (September 2023). Commissioned by Police Now from a Birkbeck team. Its summary findings:
- Police Now attracted ethnically and gender diverse candidates and many people who would not otherwise have considered policing.
- The biggest recruitment drop-out came at the online assessment, mostly through withdrawal rather than failure.
- Module results were on average in the pass range; supervisors and colleagues rated participants highly, particularly on soft skills.
- Participants' views of the programme dipped over time (for example feeling less proud of Police Now and less sure what was expected of them), while self-rated knowledge and skills held steady.
- Stakeholder interviewees raised the workload of study plus operational duty, mixed views on whether the level 6 diploma suited graduates, participants being labelled as "Police Now" and a gap between how policing is marketed and the reality of the job.
Neither later evaluation compares Police Now officers like-for-like with DHEP or PCDA officers on outcomes such as retention or performance.
What official data can and cannot tell you
- How many: GOV.UK's May 2024 analysis of the Police Uplift Programme counts 1,591 recruits (3% of the total) joining through Police Now between November 2019 and March 2023 and describes its programmes as based on DHEP.
- Who leaves: the Home Office's police workforce statistics (31 March 2026, published 22 July 2026) count Police Now within "standard direct recruits" when people join, but do not break leavers down by entry route. So there is no official Police Now retention figure.
- National context: across all officers, the voluntary resignation rate was 3.2% in the year to March 2026 and 60.6% of those who resigned voluntarily had less than five years' service. Early-career resignation is a policing-wide issue, not a Police Now one.
The upshot: Police Now's retention claims can be neither confirmed nor contradicted from official data. Ask Police Now how its figures are calculated if they matter to your decision.
How to read the evidence
- It is mostly about early cohorts. The independent evaluation covers 2015 to 2017, when the academy was six weeks and the programme was Met-only.
- Selection makes comparisons hard. Police Now picks from a large field, so good outcomes may partly reflect who was chosen rather than the programme.
- Who paid matters. The Birkbeck evaluation was commissioned by Police Now; that does not make it wrong, but it is not the same as an independent study.
- Outcomes for you are personal. No figure here predicts whether you will pass, enjoy the job or stay.
- The criticisms are mostly about policing. Workload, resources and work-life balance problems recur in every evaluation, but the evaluators largely attribute them to forces and to policing generally, which you would meet on any route.
What has changed since the evaluations
Much of the evidence describes a programme that has since been redesigned. Comparing the evaluations with Police Now's current pages:
| When evaluated | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Academy | Six-week Summer Academy (2015 cohort) | 8 weeks (Neighbourhood) or 13 weeks (detective routes) |
| Forces | Metropolitan Police only (2015) | 37 forces partnered since 2015; a few per window |
| Programmes | Neighbourhood only; detective pilot from 2019 | Four specialisms of one National Graduate Programme |
| Coaching | Leadership Development Officers (detective pilot) | Performance and Development Coaches, which the detective evaluation notes replaced the earlier role |
| Qualification | University of Huddersfield partnership (by 2019) | Liverpool John Moores University diploma for joiners from 2022; programme page says level 6 or 7 |
| Evidence-based policing | Little practical use in early impact projects | Police Now says it added masterclasses and changed its impact assessments |
| Training delivery | A residential Summer Academy, then field training (2015) | A mix of residential, in-force and digital learning, which the Birkbeck report calls a hybrid model |
None of those changes has been independently evaluated, so the honest position is that the newer programme is probably different from the one MOPAC studied, but we do not know by how much.
What a good experience depends on
Across the evaluations, the same factors decide whether participants thrive and several sit with the force rather than with Police Now. Worth checking before you choose a force:
- Protected study time. The detective evaluation recommended protected learning time and found the better-prepared forces gave it; the Birkbeck report cites a College of Policing survey flagging cancelled protected learning time across new entry routes.
- A gradual workload. Forces that did best in the detective pilot did not hand participants a full caseload the moment they became operational.
- Line management. In the detective pilot, 92% of final-survey respondents agreed they had good support from their line manager; 60% agreed they had good support from their Leadership Development Officer (a role since replaced by Police Now's coaches), with 36% neutral.
- Clear expectations. Both later evaluations stressed explaining the programme properly to participants and to the officers they join, so no one expects a finished detective straight out of the academy.
- Your cohort. The Birkbeck interviews describe participants leaning on each other through calls, meet-ups and group chats long after the academy.
Ask your target force how it handles these. The answers vary and they matter more to your two years than anything in a brochure.
The arguments for and against, as the evaluations record them
Beyond the numbers, the evaluations record a real debate about Police Now among people who work with it. Summarised in our words:
The case for
- It brings in people who would not otherwise have considered policing: about two thirds of the 2021 cohort, by Birkbeck's survey.
- Participants are strongly oriented to public service and neighbourhood work (MOPAC).
- Supervisors rate their people skills highly (Birkbeck).
- Retention in the detective pilot was high despite heavy workloads (Canterbury).
- The cohort becomes a lasting support network (Birkbeck interviews).
The case against
- No measurable effect on public confidence or crime in the first cohort's areas (MOPAC).
- Marketing a group as different makes it harder to blend into a force (a Birkbeck interviewee).
- Graduate study on top of shifts is a heavy load and some found the diploma too basic (Birkbeck).
- Some participants found the reality harsher than the recruitment message (Birkbeck interviews).
- Few early participants turned evidence-based policing into practice (MOPAC).
One policy interviewee in the Birkbeck study also questioned degree-only entry in general and argued for a non-graduate route; that is a debate about policing education as a whole rather than about Police Now. The two later evaluations were broadly positive while recommending changes; MOPAC's findings were more mixed. Police Now publishes all three reports on its own site.
Who Police Now suits and who should choose another route
| If you | Police Now | Consider instead |
|---|---|---|
| Have a 2:2 or above and are flexible on location | A strong fit | Also apply to a force DHEP as a back-up |
| Must join one particular force | Only if that force has roles in the window | That force's DHEP |
| Want to start within the next few months | Not possible: the next start is March 2028 | A force DHEP or PCDA intake |
| Have no degree | Not eligible | PCDA or PCEP |
| Hold a professional policing degree | Not eligible | Pre-join degree route |
| Have a third-class degree | Not eligible (2:2 minimum) | A force DHEP, which sets its own rules |
| Want to be a detective from the start | Detective, Economic Crime or Counter Terrorism | A force's detective DHEP, if it runs one |
| Cannot be away for a residential academy | A real obstacle | A force route with local training |
| Are a career changer who wants structure and peers | A good fit, on Police Now's own description | Compare starting pay with your current salary first |
| Are a serving special, PCSO or staff member | Eligible | Your own force's internal or DHEP routes may be quicker |
DHEP, PCDA or Police Now?
| Police Now | Force DHEP | PCDA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who for | Graduates with a 2:2 or above | Graduates in any subject | People without a degree |
| Length | Two years | Two years | Three years |
| Selection | Police Now's own assessments | College of Policing process and force interview | College of Policing process and force interview |
| Training start | Residential academy with a national cohort | Force and university training | Force and university training |
| Paid from day one | Yes, by the force | Yes | Yes |
| Timing | National windows (next: March 2028) | Force by force | Force by force |
| Extra support | Police Now coach and alumni network | Force tutors and university | Force tutors and university |
The full comparison, with timings and which to apply for first, is in Police Now vs DHEP vs PCDA.
A decision checklist
Answer these honestly. The more "yes" answers, the stronger the case for Police Now.
- Do I have, or expect by the start date, a 2:2 or above in a subject other than professional policing, plus level 3 qualifications?
- Would I happily live and work in any of the forces likely to have roles in the next window?
- Can I be away for an 8 or 13-week residential academy, coming home at weekends?
- Am I comfortable waiting for a March 2028 start, or running a force application alongside?
- Do I value a cohort and a coach enough to accept less choice over force and timing?
- Have I worked out my take-home pay in the force I want, with our salary calculator?
- Can I fit graduate-level study around shifts for two years?
- Do I meet the residency, nationality, licence and fitness rules for my target force? (Try the eligibility checker.)
- Have I asked Police Now in writing about any repayment or tie-in terms?
- Would I still want this job if the programme branding were removed?
If you decide to apply
Give yourself the best chance by working through the stages in order:
| Step | What to do | Guide or tool |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm you meet every rule for your target force and specialism | Eligibility checker |
| 2 | Register interest and plan around the window | Application process |
| 3 | Learn what the online stage measures | Immersive assessment |
| 4 | Build examples against Police Now's own framework | Competencies and values |
| 5 | Practise with original scenarios | Practice test |
| 6 | Prepare each assessment centre exercise | Assessment centre and interview questions |
| 7 | Get fit for the bleep test before any offer | Bleep test guide |
| 8 | Ask about contract terms before accepting | The questions below |
If you decide against it
Deciding Police Now is not for you is not deciding against policing. The same job is open through other routes:
- You have a degree but want a specific force or sooner start: DHEP explained.
- You want to be a detective but through your own force: check whether it runs a detective degree holder route; see the NIE on direct entry detective routes.
- You have no degree: PCDA or PCEP.
- You want to try policing first: volunteering as a special constable keeps Police Now open later, since specials can apply.
- You are not sure which route: our entry routes comparison sets them all out.
Myths about whether Police Now is worth it
- "Police Now pays more." You are on your force's pay scale, like any other constable. The range Police Now quotes (£32,256 to £43,689) reflects location pay.
- "Police Now is a shortcut to inspector." It offers promotion support, but promotion follows the national processes.
- "You have to pay back the training if you leave." We found no such term published; equally, we could not see the contract. Ask.
- "It is easier than applying to a force." Police Now says it averages 24 applications per place (its own figure) and selection runs over several stages before vetting and fitness checks.
- "Independent research proves it works." The independent evaluation of the first cohort found high satisfaction but no overall effect on public confidence or crime.
- "Independent research proves it does not work." That evaluation covered one cohort over two years in one force and the programme has changed since.
- "Other officers resent Police Now officers." Some early participants reported a stigma, less than an earlier Met graduate scheme; there is no current, independent measure.
Questions to ask before you decide
- Is there any repayment, tie-in or minimum service term in my contract, for the training or the qualification?
- Which forces and specialisms will have roles in my window and how many places?
- What is the exact qualification, at what level and who awards it?
- How much protected study time will my force give me during the two years?
- How are the 87% and 85% retention figures calculated and over what period?
- What support is there if I fail an academy assessment or the National Investigators' Exam?
- If I need to defer, what happens to my offer?
- What do academy travel and weekends cost me and is relocation support financial?
Questions to ask your target force
Because your force employs you, some of the most important answers come from it, not from Police Now. Drawn from what the evaluations found makes the difference:
- How much protected learning time do student officers get and how often is it cancelled?
- How quickly do new officers take on a full workload or caseload after the academy?
- Who is my day-to-day tutor and how do they work with my Police Now coach?
- Where would I be posted and what shift pattern does that team work?
- Does the force take a Police Now cohort every year, or was this a one-off?
- What happens to Police Now officers after probation: same team, or open to move?
What we could not verify
- Leaving and repayment terms. Not on Police Now's public pages; we could not see a participant contract.
- How Police Now calculates its retention and pass figures, and whether they compare like with like.
- Current fees forces pay Police Now. The only figure we found is from a 2019 force decision.
- Retention by entry route nationally. Official statistics do not break officer leavers down by route.
- Any independent evaluation of current cohorts or of the Counter Terrorism and Economic Crime specialisms.
- Whether protected study time is the same in every partner force.
- Relocation support, which Police Now mentions without saying whether it is financial.
For everything else about the programme, from eligibility to the academy, start with the Police Now complete guide, or check the headline rules in the Police Now eligibility guide.
If you decide yes: what to do next
Applying to Police Now
Recruitment window alerts
Get told when Police Now opens the March 2028 window
The March 2027 entry has closed. Police Now says applications for the March 2028 start open early next year and has not given a date. Leave your email and we will tell you when the window opens, with the forces and the closing date we can find. You can add up to two forces too. Occasional emails, written by hand. Unsubscribe any time.
Choosing a force route instead
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Police Now worth it?
It can be, if you have a 2:2 or above, want a structured start with a national cohort and a coach and can live where the roles are. You are paid as an officer from day one and the qualification is funded, so the main costs are in flexibility: fixed windows, a handful of forces per intake and a residential academy. Independent evaluations of early cohorts found high satisfaction with training and good retention, but no measurable effect on public confidence or crime in the first cohort's areas.
Do you have to pay Police Now anything?
No fee to applicants appears anywhere on Police Now's pages and its programme page describes the qualification as fully funded. Forces pay Police Now a fee per participant: a 2019 Northumbria police and crime commissioner decision recorded a 2020 fee of £13,950 per participant, with Home Office and corporate grants covering about a third of the full cost.
What happens if you leave Police Now early?
You are employed by your force on a permanent contract, so you can resign as any officer can. We found no repayment or tie-in terms on Police Now's public pages, help hub or job descriptions on 19 October 2026, but we could not see the contract you would sign, so ask Police Now and your force in writing before accepting. During probation a chief officer can also dispense with a probationer under regulation 13 of the Police Regulations 2003, with a month's notice or pay in lieu.
Is Police Now better than DHEP?
Neither is better in general. Both lead to the same constable role, both pay from day one and both fund a graduate qualification. Police Now adds a residential academy with a national cohort, a dedicated coach and its own selection, but limits you to its windows and the forces recruiting in them. A force DHEP lets you choose the force and timing, through the College of Policing's process.
What did the independent evaluation of Police Now find?
The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime evaluated the first cohort (2015 to 2017). It found high satisfaction with training and that 55 of 67 officers graduated, but fewer than half felt prepared after the academy, around half reported a stigma attached to the programme and public confidence in Police Now wards showed no overall change against matched wards. Crime trends did not differ either.
What is Police Now's retention rate?
Police Now says 87% of its alumni remain in policing and 85% of two detective cohorts stayed to the end of the programme. Those are its own figures. An evaluation of the detective pilot reported 97% retention at the end of that cohort. There is no official national figure that breaks officer leavers down by Police Now, so you cannot compare these directly with other routes.
Is Police Now looked down on by other officers?
In the first cohort, MOPAC found 54% of Police Now officers reported a stigma attached to the programme, lower than the 73% reported by the Met's 2013 graduate entry scheme and the evaluators thought it might fall as Police Now became familiar. A 2023 Birkbeck evaluation also recorded interviewees describing participants being labelled. We have no current, independent measure.
Is Police Now good for a career changer?
Police Now says career changers are welcome and that 64% of participants are career changers (its own figure). The pay is a constable's starting pay on your force's scale, which may be a cut from a previous career, so run your own numbers with our Police Now salary calculator. The detective pilot evaluation noted that all its participants had worked for at least two years before joining.
Does Police Now help with promotion?
It offers alumni promotion coaching and support for the College of Policing's Fast Track programme and its ten-year report says 25% of the 2024 Fast Track to Inspector intake were its graduates. That is its own figure. Promotion itself follows the normal national processes.
Is it hard to get into Police Now?
Police Now's ten-year report says it has averaged 24 applications per place, against six for police officer roles generally and up to 200 per place for some newer specialisms; those are its own figures. The independent detective pilot evaluation reported 93 people selected from 3,995 applicants. Police Now does not publish pass rates by stage.
Is the Police Now qualification worth having?
Police Now's programme page says you complete a fully funded level 6 or level 7 policing qualification, depending on programme; its 2024 news names a Liverpool John Moores University graduate diploma. It is required for the role, like the qualifications on DHEP and PCDA, so it is not an extra Police Now gives you. In the Birkbeck evaluation some interviewees found the level 6 diploma right for the workload, while others felt it too basic for graduates.
Should I apply to Police Now and a force at the same time?
You can. Police Now's help hub says you may apply to both and must choose if you receive two offers. With the March 2027 entry closed and the March 2028 window opening early in 2027, some applicants run a force DHEP or PCDA application alongside so they are not waiting on one route.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 19 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.
- Police Now: National Graduate Programme : two-year programme; residential academy; funded level 6 or 7 qualification; salary ranges; coach; March 2028 start (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: application portal (March 2027 entry) : March 2027 entry closed (read 19 October 2026) (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Neighbourhood job description (March 2027 roles) : permanent contract of employment; pay from day one at the academy; leave; pension; no repayment or tie-in terms found (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now help hub : applying to Police Now and a force at once; deferral requests; shift work; relocation; secondment; how Police Now describes itself; no leaving or repayment terms found (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Eligibility : 2:2 or above; level 3 qualifications; Professional Policing in Practice degree excluded; driving licence (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Why join : Police Now's own figures: 87% of alumni in policing, 64% career changers, 57% female, 58% never considered policing, 3,500+ graduates (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Partner with us : Police Now's own figures: 85% retention for detective cohorts two and three; 2022 detective cohort NIE first-time pass 83% against 70%; 17% rise in young people's confidence; what forces provide (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now news: record results in national detective exam (26 June 2026) : Police Now's own figure: 86.3% NIE pass against a national 67% (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: 2015 to 2025, A Decade of Transformation report : Police Now's own figures: 3,471 officers; 24 applications per place against six; 25% of the 2024 Fast Track to Inspector intake; social value estimates (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Forces : 37 forces partnered since 2015; relocation; oversubscribed forces (accessed 19 October 2026)
- MOPAC Evidence and Insight (Yesberg and Dawson): Police Now Cohort 1 final evaluation report (December 2017) : independent, Home Office Police Innovation Fund; 67 placed, 55 graduated; academy satisfaction; preparedness; stigma; job satisfaction over time; public perceptions and crime against matched wards (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Reflections on our independent evaluation (25 January 2018) : Police Now's response to the MOPAC evaluation and the changes it made (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Canterbury Christ Church University (O'Neill): evaluation of the National Detective Programme pilot 2019 to 2021 (August 2022) : 93 selected from 3,995 applicants; 97% retention at the end; workload and work-life balance; support varied by force (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Birkbeck, University of London (McDowall and others): evaluation of the Police Now NGLP 2021 to 2023 (September 2023) : commissioned by Police Now; recruitment drop-out points; supervisor ratings; participant views over time; stakeholder criticisms on study workload, qualification level and labelling (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner: key decision PCC/394/2019 : force fee per participant in 2020; share of cost met by grants; contract for services (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 13 (discharge of probationer) : probationers may be dispensed with; a month's notice or pay in lieu (accessed 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Police Uplift Programme, entry routes of officer recruits (16 May 2024) : 1,591 recruits (3%) via Police Now, November 2019 to March 2023; programmes based on DHEP (accessed 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2026 (22 July 2026) : Police Now counted within standard direct recruits; no leaver figures by entry route; voluntary resignation rate 3.2%; 60.6% of voluntary resigners had under five years' service (accessed 19 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Police Now, the College of Policing or any police force. It does not recruit or assess applicants. Police Now sets its own eligibility, selection and programme content and changes them between cohorts: check Police Now's own pages and your invitation before relying on anything here. Practice material on this page is original PolicePay material, not Police Now's. Details are as checked on 19 October 2026.