Police Pay
Police Staff Recruitment

Police Staff
Recruitment and Interviews

Guides to getting a police staff job: how forces shortlist and interview, the extra tests for control rooms and specialist roles, vetting and training, written from force adverts, careers pages and the College of Policing.

Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 18 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated

Short answer: how does police staff recruitment work?

You apply to a force for a specific post. Your application is scored against the essential criteria in the role profile, then shortlisted candidates are interviewed, usually against the College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework. Some roles add tests: typing and listening for control rooms, fitness for some detention officer posts, assessment centres for some CSI and analyst posts. A conditional offer is followed by vetting (recruitment vetting at minimum), references and a medical.

Contents
The GuidesHow It WorksRoles at a Glance FAQs Sources

The guides

Flagship How to Become a 999 Call Handler: The Full Recruitment Process Typing speeds by force, listening and call tests, the interview, training, shifts and pay. Flagship Police Staff Interview Questions and How They Are Assessed How staff interviews are scored against the Competency and Values Framework, with questions by type. Assessment 999 Call Handler Assessment: Every Test Forces Use Typing, audio typing, call simulations, role plays and interviews, force by force. Calls The Questions 999 Call Handlers Ask and Why Location first, then what is happening, then risk: the order and the reasons. Skills Police Phonetic Alphabet: A to Z, Numbers and Registrations The full list, how to read registrations and postcodes, and how to practise. Interview 999 Call Handler Interview Questions and Answers The questions control rooms ask, what a good answer shows, and worked example answers. Role Police Staff Investigator Interview and Recruitment What investigator adverts ask for, the assessment stages and the questions to prepare. Role Detention Officer Recruitment and Interview Custody detention officer selection, tests, training and the interview questions to expect. Role Crime Scene Investigator Recruitment How CSI selection works, the essential criteria, training and how to prepare. Role Intelligence Analyst Recruitment Analyst and researcher selection, practical exercises, training and interview preparation.

How police staff recruitment works

  1. Find the advert on the force's careers site. Many forces recruit in rounds, so sign up for job alerts.
  2. Read the role profile. It lists the essential and desirable criteria and, often, the CVF level. It is the marking scheme for everything that follows.
  3. Apply with evidence against each essential criterion, usually in STAR or a similar structure.
  4. Tests or exercises for some roles: typing and listening, presentations, in-tray or practical exercises, fitness.
  5. Interview, usually a structured panel of at least two people, with competency and values questions.
  6. Conditional offer and checks: vetting, references, medical, right to work.
  7. Training and probation, which vary by role and force.

The full process, scoring and practice questions are in police staff interview questions and how they are assessed.

Roles at a glance

Police staff roles: what is different about recruiting for each
RoleTypical extra tests or requirementsRecruitment guidePay and role guide
999 call handler / contact officerTyping test (published minimums 25 to 35 wpm), listening or audio typing, simulated callsBecoming a call handlerPay and role
Detention officerMedical; fitness test at some forces (the Met uses the bleep test); 5 to 7 weeks' trainingDetention officer recruitmentPay and role
Police staff investigatorEntry posts train to PIP 1; others need PIP 1 or 2; driving licence; often management vettingStaff investigator interviewCivilian investigator explained
Crime scene investigatorDriving licence; science qualifications vary; assessment centre at some forces; College stage 1 and 2 trainingCSI recruitmentPay and role
Intelligence analyst or researcherDegree or equivalent experience (analyst); Excel; IPP; vetting often SC or DVAnalyst recruitmentPay and role
PCSOForce-set eligibility and processHow to become a PCSOPCSO pay
Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a national recruitment process for police staff?

No. Unlike constable recruitment, each force designs its own police staff recruitment. Most follow the same pattern: an application scored against the role profile, an interview (often based on the College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework), then a conditional offer, vetting, references and a medical.

Do police staff need vetting?

Yes. The College of Policing's vetting guidance makes recruitment vetting the minimum for all police staff, and it looks for three years' UK residency before you apply. Some roles, such as intelligence and some investigator posts, need management or national security vetting.

What is the easiest police staff job to get?

We do not rank roles by difficulty, and no pass rates are published. What differs is the entry requirement: some roles need no formal qualifications (the College of Policing specifies none for detention officers), while others need a degree or equivalent experience (intelligence analyst) or accreditation (PIP 2 investigator posts).

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 18 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.

  1. College of Policing: Competency and Values Framework : applies to officers and staff (accessed 18 October 2026)
  2. College of Policing: Vetting APP (May 2025) : RV the minimum for police staff; residency (accessed 18 October 2026)
  3. College of Policing: Detention officer professional profile : qualifications none specified (accessed 18 October 2026)
  4. College of Policing: Intelligence analyst professional profile : level 6 or equivalent experience (accessed 18 October 2026)
  5. Local Government Association: Police Staff Council FAQs : national pay and conditions; forces outside the handbook (accessed 18 October 2026)
  6. Each guide in this series lists its own force sources : force careers pages and adverts read on 18 October 2026 (accessed 18 October 2026)
Police staff recruitment

More in this guide series

Flagship Becoming a 999 call handler Typing speeds by force, listening and call tests, the interview, training, shifts and pay. Flagship Police staff interviews How staff interviews are scored against the Competency and Values Framework, with questions by type. Assessment Call handler assessment Typing, audio typing, call simulations, role plays and interviews, force by force. Calls What call handlers ask Location first, then what is happening, then risk: the order and the reasons. Skills Police phonetic alphabet The full list, how to read registrations and postcodes, and how to practise. Interview Call handler interview Q&A The questions control rooms ask, what a good answer shows, and worked example answers. Role Staff investigator interview What investigator adverts ask for, the assessment stages and the questions to prepare. Role Detention officer recruitment Custody detention officer selection, tests, training and the interview questions to expect. Role CSI recruitment How CSI selection works, the essential criteria, training and how to prepare. Role Analyst recruitment Analyst and researcher selection, practical exercises, training and interview preparation.
Also on PolicePay

Practice, pay and roles

Free tool Call handler typing test Free timed typing test and mock-call note exercise. Original practice, results stay in your browser. Practice Mock interview (staff set) Record or type an answer to a police staff question and get a free practice score, no account needed. Pay Staff pay scales How staff grades and spinal points work, and where to find your force's figures. Role Call handler pay and role What the job involves day to day, grading, unsocial hours pay and the career path. Vetting Staff vetting Recruitment vetting for staff, and where the rules differ from officer vetting. Hub Police staff hub Pay, pension, unions, redundancy and careers for police staff.

Disclaimer

PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any police force, the College of Policing or the Police Staff Council. Recruitment processes, tests, pay and eligibility are set by each force and change, so always check the current advert and candidate pack for the force you are applying to. Practice questions, example answers and exercises on this site are original PolicePay material, not real or recalled test or interview content. Details are as checked on 18 October 2026.