Essex Police Jobs
Live vacancies, recruitment status and — the bit job boards leave out — what the job actually pays at Essex once regional allowances, tax and pension are accounted for.
Also searched as essex police, southend police, colchester police. Essex Police covers Essex, including Southend and Thurrock.
Essex vacancies right now
This force's recruitment system blocks automated checks, so we can't read it directly.
We can't read Essex Police's vacancy list directly, so there's no live advert list on this page. Their careers site is linked above, and you can ask us to alert you below.
What Essex actually pays
Police pay is set nationally, so the advert figure is the same almost everywhere. What changes between forces is the allowance on top — and no force advert tells you what lands in your account after the 13.44% pension contribution.
Starting salary
£36,969
£33,969 base + £3,000 allowances
Take-home
£2,180
per month, after tax, NI and pension
Top of scale
£55,015
constable, after 7 years
Against all 43
#3
top payer is the Met at £42,331
Allowances Essex pays on top
- South East Allowance +£3,000/yr Locally determined supplement for high-cost South East forces.
Constable pay scale at Essex
Effective 2026-09-01. You move up one point each year.
| Pay point | National base | At Essex |
|---|---|---|
| Point 0 (on appointment) | £33,969 | £36,969 |
| Point 1 | £37,648 | £40,648 |
| Point 2 | £39,688 | £42,688 |
| Point 3 | £41,976 | £44,976 |
| Point 4 | £43,228 | £46,228 |
| Point 5 | £44,544 | £47,544 |
| Point 6 | £48,258 | £51,258 |
| Point 7 | £52,015 | £55,015 |
How to join Essex
We don't hold a confirmed route list for Essex right now. These are the routes used across England and Wales — their careers site shows which are currently open.
PCEP
Police Constable Entry Programme
A non-degree route to becoming a police constable, with training delivered by the force and no university study attached.
Around two years to confirmation as a constable
PCDA
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship
An apprenticeship route where you earn a full constable salary while studying for a degree in professional policing practice.
Three years, ending in a degree and confirmation as a constable
DHEP
Degree Holder Entry Programme
A two-year route for people who already hold a degree in any subject, leading to a graduate diploma in professional policing practice.
Two years to confirmation as a constable
Detective
Detective Entry Routes
Direct-entry and degree-holder detective programmes that take you into investigative work without first spending years in uniform.
Two years to substantive detective constable, in most schemes
Transferee
Transferee (Serving Officers)
A lateral move for officers already serving with another Home Office force, keeping rank, pay point and pension scheme.
Typically three to six months from application to start date
Rejoiner
Rejoiners (Former Officers)
A route back into policing for officers who previously resigned or retired in good standing.
Often faster than initial entry — a shortened conversion rather than a full programme
Where you'd be policing
Essex Police covers Essex, including Southend and Thurrock, with headquarters at Chelmsford. New officers are usually posted to a division rather than a station of their choosing, so it is worth being realistic about commuting across the whole force area.
Essex recruitment questions
Is Essex Police recruiting right now? +
This force's recruitment system blocks automated checks, so we can't read it directly.
How much do Essex Police officers get paid? +
A new constable at Essex Police starts on £36,969 a year, which is the £33,969 national starting point plus £3,000 of regional allowances. That rises to £55,015 at the top of the constable scale after seven years. After tax, National Insurance and the 13.44% pension contribution, the starting figure is roughly £2,180 a month in your hand.
Which entry routes does Essex Police use? +
We don't currently hold a confirmed route list for Essex Police. Most forces in England and Wales recruit through PCEP, PCDA or DHEP, plus transferee and special constable routes. Their careers site has the live position.
Where would I be posted with Essex Police? +
Essex Police covers Essex, including Southend and Thurrock, with headquarters at Chelmsford. The main population centres are Southend-on-Sea, Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon. Posting is usually to a division rather than a station of your choosing, so it is worth being realistic about commuting across the whole force area.
Tell me when Essex opens
Essex Police windows can close in days. Register once and we'll email you when a new Essex vacancy appears — and, only if you tick the box, introduce you to their recruitment team.
Other forces in East of England
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