Police Staff Investigator
Interview and Recruitment

A police staff investigator (PSI, also called a police investigation officer, civilian investigator or investigative officer) is a member of police staff who investigates crime: taking statements, interviewing suspects, gathering evidence and building case files. They are employees, not warranted officers.

Their powers come from designation by the chief officer under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002, which lets a chief officer designate a staff member as a "policing support officer". The Act requires the person to be suitable, capable and adequately trained. Schedule 3B lists powers that can never be designated to staff, including arrest and stop and search, so investigators work alongside officers for those. Exactly which powers a role holds varies by force. Our civilian investigator guide covers the powers in detail.

The single most important thing in a PSI advert is whether it is an entry post or a post for people already accredited under the College of Policing's Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP):

• PIP 1 (volume and priority crime). The College's investigation career pathway lists police staff investigator as a PIP 1 role. Entry posts train you to it: Staffordshire wants the PIP 1 qualification within your first 6 months, Lancashire accreditation within 12 months, and Hampshire runs a nine-week classroom programme followed by a portfolio to be completed within a year.
• PIP 2 (serious and complex crime). Posts for experienced investigators. Hampshire, Cheshire and Thames Valley were advertising PIP 2 staff investigator posts when we checked, and Cheshire's says applicants without PIP 2 will not be considered.

Patterns across the adverts:

• Driving. Staffordshire and Hampshire require a full driving licence; Lancashire requires you to pass its basic driver assessment.
• Vetting. Management vetting at Staffordshire and West Yorkshire (including financial checks); recruitment vetting with three years' UK residency at Lancashire.
• Qualifications. Hampshire asks for at least three level 2 passes (GCSEs) including maths and English, or relevant experience. Staffordshire says no previous policing or investigative experience is needed.
• Hours. West Yorkshire asks for flexibility including shifts and weekends; Hampshire's PIP 1 profile gives hours between 08:00 and 22:00.
• Wellbeing screening. Hampshire's profile includes mandatory psychological screening, and its PIP 2 advert says the role may include psychological assessment.

The adverts we read describe a standard police staff process: an application scored against the essential criteria, then an interview. Lancashire says the six Competency and Values Framework behaviours will be incorporated into the interview stage. Staffordshire's role profile scores criteria at application and interview, and its test column is not used for any criterion.

We did not find an official source describing a written exercise, role play or scenario test for PSI selection, so we cannot say forces use them. Some might: Norfolk and Suffolk's police staff recruitment policy, for example, allows forces to add work sample, scenario and written exercises to any staff recruitment. If your invitation mentions an exercise, it will say what it is.

After interview come the usual police staff checks: vetting (allow time, especially for management vetting), references and a medical. See police staff interviews for the full process.

The College of Policing's PIP 1 profile lists "successful completion of applicable entry training and PIP 1 registration", demonstrable experience of complex information gathering and problem solving, and a detailed understanding of the criminal justice system. Training is delivered by the force through PIP 1 learning, development and a portfolio of evidence.

Published timescales: Hampshire runs a nine-week classroom programme, then mentoring, with the portfolio within a year; Staffordshire wants PIP 1 within 6 months; Lancashire within 12 months. West Yorkshire moves PSIs to a higher pay scale and role profile once accredited. Hampshire's PIP 1 role profile also refers to interview accreditation (tier 2 or tier 3).

Good examples for an investigator interview often come from work that involved gathering facts and writing them up accurately: complaints handling, audits, insurance or benefit claims, HR casework, security or retail loss prevention, safeguarding, or academic research. What matters is showing an investigative mindset: open questions, checking information, keeping an open mind, recording accurately and seeing things through.

1. Check whether the post is entry-level or needs PIP 1 or PIP 2, and whether you meet the essentials (licence, vetting, any qualifications).
2. Read the College of Policing's PIP 1 profile so you can talk about what accreditation involves.
3. Learn the basics of how a crime is investigated and prosecuted in England and Wales (or Scotland or Northern Ireland, if you are applying there), at a general level: the role of the CPS, disclosure and why accurate records matter.
4. Prepare two real examples for each competency in the role profile, in STAR form.
5. Prepare a clear answer to "why staff investigator and not police officer?" that shows you understand the role and want it for itself.
6. Allow for vetting time, and get your address, employment and family history ready.