What does it mean to find your beat with Merseyside Police?

Merseyside Police is one of the UK’s top-performing forces. We achieve that excellence by pooling the massive range of skills and talents that every individual working here has.

While we all come from different backgrounds and have different expertise, our passion, dedication, and total commitment to putting our communities first are things that we all hold in common.

If you find your beat with us, whether it’s as staff or as an officer, in any role from finance to firearms, you’ll be part of a team committed to making the people of Merseyside feel safe and protected.

Finding your beat as police staff

Crime Scene Investigators, Police Community Support Officers and Dispatch Officers are all police staff. But did you realise we also employ graphic designers, solicitors, mechanics, nurses, accountants, psychologists, baristas, social media officers and porters?

It’s said that, on average, it needs 12 police staff to support the work of just one police officer. We employ thousands of full and part-time staff, so whatever your skills, there’s a beat for you at Merseyside Police.

To register your interest, or to see our vacancies, visit: Search Jobs – Merseyside Police Careers

Finding your beat as a police officer

We’re looking for people who are ready and willing to protect the people of Merseyside. Being a police officer is one of the most varied, challenging and exciting roles you can do.

There are a few different ways to become a police officer with us, depending on what qualifications you have and how you learn best.

The Police Constable Entry Programme

It’s a two-year programme where you’ll focus on learning the skills needed for the job rather than working towards a bigger qualification. It’s all about developing the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to be ‘confirmed in rank’ as an operational police officer.

As a student officer, you’ll be supported from day one by experienced trainers. You’ll get a good mix of working on the front line and time spent learning the theory. You’ll also get to experience working in different policing teams to boost your experience and give you a chance to apply your learning.

By the time you’ve completed your two-year probation period – demonstrating that you’ve gained and continually used your policing knowledge, skills and behaviours – you’ll be eligible to be confirmed in rank as a police officer.

You’ll be amazed at how many different roles there are in policing. When you’ve finished your training and been confirmed in rank, your first posting will be to either the Response and Patrol or Local Policing teams. This will give you a fantastic grounding in the nuts and bolts of policing and is the perfect starting point to figure out what direction you’d like your career in policing to take.

You can find out more here: Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) | Merseyside Police

The Degree Holder Entry Programme

If you want to join the ranks of Merseyside’s police officers and already have a degree or will be graduating before the proposed intake date, then the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) is the route for you.

Based on a curriculum from the College of Policing’s new PEQF framework, this intensive two-year course combines study with patrol work alongside frontline officers.

New recruits are assigned to one of our training policing departments where you will be appointed a Tutor Constable, who will chart your progress as you alternate between periods of study and full operational duties, putting theory into practice.

Once fully trained, all successful officers will be well qualified, both academically and operationally, to work within the modern policing environment.

This course will be delivered by Subject Matter Experts and experienced practitioners with a wealth of professional and subject expertise supported by a network of relevant subject specialists to prepare you with key transferable skills required for the role of Police Constable.

Your learning will be a mixture of face-to-face, remote, and digital learning inputs with access to both Merseyside Police and Liverpool John Moores University learning platforms. Such inputs will be delivered via a mixture of attendance at Academy premises at Mather Avenue, in the workplace at your designated operational police station or on occasion by studying from home.

Find out more, here: Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) | Merseyside Police

Reflecting Our Communities 

Building a force that understands our communities and who our communities can trust is a top priority. Our Inclusion, Wellbeing and Engagement team offers a variety of initiatives to ensure you have the support you need to start a career here. This includes providing advice and support through the recruitment process for those under-represented in our organisation.

To find out more about the support we provide, please email Inclusion@merseyside.police.uk.

So, whatever your background, wherever you want to take your career, however you want to specialise, find a career as unique as you are and join now.

To find out how to apply, click here.