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Detective

Job description

Start your career as a police detective via Police Now’s National Graduate Programme.

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Job title: Detective Constable

Starting salary: £29,907

Contract: Permanent

Application deadline: 31st July

Location: Humberside

Programme length: Two years

Programme start: March 2026

Job title: Detective Constable

Starting salary: £29,907

Programme length: Two years

Contract: Permanent

For every ambition, every action, every change. If you are ready to step into a role where your decisions shape real lives and communities, this is where your journey begins.

Our two-year programme is designed to develop diverse graduates, from any degree, who want to build trust and solve crime.

The role

On our National Graduate Programme, you’ll train to become a detective and be the most critical support for victims of crime. What you choose to do, working with policing with dedicated colleagues to change it from within, will affect lives and improve perceptions for generations to come. The challenge is great, and so is the need for talented graduates to step up to protect society’s most vulnerable.

Our programme gives you the opportunity to make our society better by developing skills to become a future leader in society.

Your salary is paid from day one when you start our training academy. Our programme prepares you to investigate crime, protect victims, and bring offenders to justice. There is no greater feeling than seeing the work you do impact someone’s life for the better. 

Eligibility

To apply for this programme, you must:

  • be over 17 years of age or older on application, (and 18 by the time of appointment)
  • be a British citizen, a citizen of a country that is a member of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, or a Commonwealth citizen or foreign national who is resident in the UK and has settled status or leave to remain and work without restrictions
  • hold a first, 2:1 or 2.2 in any undergraduate degree from a UK university (or equivalent from a non-UK university) and have completed all education by the programme start date (March 2026). This includes part time or distance learning.

Check your eligibility before you apply.

Training and Development

Our award-winning training sets the foundation for a successful and transformative career in policing. Throughout the 13-week residential training academy, you’ll have access to a Performance and Development Coach who will support you to navigate a new career and maximise your potential.

Career Progression

Once you successfully complete the programme, you will be a fully warranted police detective with a permanent role in policing. You’ll also join our Police Now alumni network.

Many of our graduates have gone on to be promoted or have explored other areas of policing.

Rewards and benefits

Salary

Your salary will start on day one of your training academy. You will receive a starting salary of £31,164 – £40,872.

Your salary will increase each year up to £50,256 – £59,964 within seven years. On promotion to the next police rank, Sergeant, you can earn a starting salary of £53,568 – £63,276.

Leave

You’ll start with 22 days per year (on top of public holidays), rising to 30 days depending on your length of service. You can also expect other forms of leave including adoption, maternity and paternity. 

Work-life balance

This is not your typical 9-5. Police officers work varied shift patterns which gives them flexibility and freedom to maximise their time outside of work. Different to your typical working week, you’ll often receive several days off in a row. It may take some time to adapt to shift pattern working, but once you do, you may find that the flexibility of the schedule allows you to better balance work and home life. 

Pension

You’ll automatically be enrolled as a member of the Police Pension Scheme 2015, which awards police officers for their dedication and service to the public. It offers a generous and secure retirement package, providing officers with financial stability and peace of mind. 

Financial services discounts

There are various partner organisations who work alongside the police to offer a variety of financial services including saving, investment and protection products, as well as discounts and subsidies. Many major high street stores, retail outlets and other national organisations offer discounts and special deals to police officers. Most police forces also provide access to a number of subsidised leisure and sporting activities. 

Application process

  • Online application. This is where you’ll provide your personal details, so we can see if you meet our eligibility requirements. It’s also a chance for you to make us aware of any adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.
  • Immersive assessment. If you are eligible for the programme, you’ll be invited to complete an immersive assessment where you will experience a number of scenarios which will bring the detective role  to life.  
  • Assessment centre. If you pass the immersive assessment, you’ll be invited to a digital assessment centre and offered dates to choose from. This is a chance for you to demonstrate your motivations for joining the programme and gain further insight into the role.  
  • Conditional offer. If successful at assessment centre, you’ll receive a conditional offer and be allocated a dedicated Recruitment Officer. They will be there throughout your onboarding journey and assist you with your pre-employment checks these include a fitness test, medical assessment, referencing and vetting. Your final offer will be dependent on you passing all these checks. 

A day in the life

Each day on the detective specialism of Police Now’s National Graduate programme offers challenging yet rewarding opportunities.
Discover how participants work on cases, investigate crimes, and create a lasting impact in their communities.

A day in the life of a participant during the training academy.

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Police Now graduate

A day in the life of a detective in the Immersion period of the programme.

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Police Now graduate

A day in the life of a detective while on rotation during the programme.

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Police Now graduate

What to expect on our programme

Programme details may evolve, as we review and refine each cohort to stay innovative and impactful.

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© Police Now . Police Now is a registered charity (1168427) in England & Wales

A Day in the Life - Training Academy

Morning routine

After waking up and having breakfast with other participants, I take the time to review some of my notes from previous sessions to refresh my knowledge before the day’s training begins.

Managing public protection incidents session

The day begins with a session focused on managing public protection incidents. These incidents involve cases where individuals are at risk of harm, and we learn how to respond to high-risk incidents, assess immediate risk and safeguard victims.

Crime scene management activity

For the rest of the morning, I take part in a practical crime scene exercise with other participants on the programme. We work through multiple crime scene scenarios and identify, label and collect evidence to learn how to properly document evidence while preserving forensic integrity.

Interviewing suspects session

After lunch, we have a session covering the key techniques for interviewing suspects, including how to structure interviews and build rapport. This ensures we gain key skills for conducting ethical interviews in the correct manner.

Introduction to problem solving session

In this session, I learn how crucial problem-solving skills are for detectives to help develop effective investigative strategies.

National Investigators’ Exam revision

I wrap up my day with revision for the National Investigators’ Exam (NIE), by spending time consolidating NIE content that has been covered in previous lessons.

Wellbeing and fitness

I use the on-site gym in the evening with a few participants to ensure I am maintaining my physical fitness, while also bonding with others on the programme outside of training sessions.

A Day in the Life - Immersion Period

Arriving at the station

When I arrive at the station in the afternoon, I quickly get into my uniform and prepare for my night shift. Being ready for any response or incident is essential.

Team briefing

I attend the daily briefing with my team where we receive updates on ongoing cases and any incidents we may need to respond to.

Patrolling the community

To support achieving Independent Patrol Status (IPS), my colleague and I begin patrolling our community, building community engagement and getting ready to respond to any incidents.

First responder to an incident

We are dispatched to a domestic assault incident. I arrive to find a young victim with visible injuries. The suspect has already left the scene.

De-escalating the situation and victim support

The victim is incredibly distressed, so I accompany them in the ambulance to the hospital where I collect a first account of the victim to be used for the case.

Arrest of offender

While I am with the victim, my colleagues locate and arrest the suspect. I inform the victim of the arrest, which helps calm them, but they remain emotionally distressed.

Referring to support services

I make sure the victim is referred to the necessary support services, including domestic abuse teams and mental health resources. Then, I safely transport them to their family member’s house.

Handover and paperwork

Before finishing the shift, I complete the necessary paperwork and hand over the case to a specialist domestic abuse investigation unit.

A Day in the Life - Detective Rotation

Arrival and briefing

I arrive at the station and attend a briefing, where my sergeant informs me of an attempted murder investigation and asks whether I would like to get involved. I agree and begin reviewing the investigation documents beforehand to familiarise myself.

Supporting the investigation

The Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) tasks us to go to the incident location and identify any lines of enquiry that will support the investigation, including locating the suspect’s phone and potential drugs at the scene.

Witness accounts

When I arrive, the officer sitting the scene explains that the suspect’s next-door neighbour witnessed the incident but has just left for a weekend trip. I make enquires to obtain his number and call him directly, explaining the importance of obtaining a witness statement from him urgently.

CCTV trawl

I take photographs of all CCTV cameras in the estate, identifying which would be most relevant to capturing the incident location. Some cameras are communal and therefore managed by the estate, but I leave a calling card to some residents whose independent cameras also overlook the incident location, asking them to contact us as a matter of urgency.

Locating potential evidence

I discover that one of the three drain grids at the incident site has bubbles rising, which could be indicative of something being dropped in the water such as the suspect’s phone. I pass this intel to the SIO.

Witness account

The earlier next-door-neighbour returns and provides an in-depth witness account of the incident. I take notes and pay attention to the witness’ body language.

Wrap up

After a successful day of obtaining valuable evidence and following through additional lines of enquiries, I pass all information on the case to the SIO.

Dorset Police

Police Now | Dorset Police
Scott Chilton - Dorset Police Chief Constable

Scott Chilton

Chief Constable

National Graduate Leadership Programme

National Detective Programme

Visit the Dorset Police website www.dorset.police.uk