Welcome to Ashview:
Police Now’s virtual neighbourhood
What does it mean to be a Trainee Detective Constable? What’s involved in the day-to-day role? What traits will you need to drive positive change?
Ashview is a community created entirely to provide you with a unique and fully immersive experience of life as a Trainee Detective Constable. You won’t find Ashview on Google Maps, but you’ll get to experience our virtual neighbourhood first-hand as you take on the role of a Trainee Detective Constable during your assessment centre experience.
You’ll get a snapshot of the role you can play in bringing about positive impact and change for vulnerable communities, as you experience a series of scenarios designed to give you the chance to showcase your character, mindset and skills.
You should expect to be challenged and inspired in equal measure, regardless of your background and previous experience you will be supported every step of the way. By the end of the assessment centre, you’ll have a unique insight into the challenges and opportunities involved in the role of a Trainee Detective Constable.
What to expect?
The assessment centre will immerse you in the role of a detective for the day and you will complete various tasks typical to the role:
Crime case interactions
You’ll play out real-life situations that you are likely to face as a Trainee Detective Constable on our National Detective Programme. You’ll interact with a suspect of crime and a member of the community who is concerned for the welfare of a victim. This is an opportunity to showcase your ability to provide support, build rapport, identify risk and safeguard.
Investigative report
You will write a report about an ongoing investigation. The report will involve compiling resources, identifying trends, and suggesting next steps.
You need to complete the report while also working on other exercises throughout the day, it’s up to you to manage your time and prioritise your tasks.
Interview
During your one-to-one interview, you’ll get the chance to tell us about your motivations for joining Police Now and how you connect with our mission. The interview questions wil focus on how you might respond to certain situations you will experience on the programme, and some of your previous experiences that are relevant to the role.
Debrief
In this session you will be given the opportunity to reflect on what you’ve learnt during the assessment centre and talk openly about the areas of positive performance and aspects you found challenging. We would encourage you to think about how you would do something differently next time.
What we’re looking for
We’re interested in how you think and respond in different scenarios, and your ability to reflect and learn from your experiences.
We’ll be looking at how you react to the challenges you’ll face, and how you respond in a fast-moving and ever-changing environment. We’ll also look at how you work collaboratively, your ability to interpret emotions, and how you learn and adapt throughout the assessment centre.
Remember, this is not a test of your current policing knowledge. We aren’t looking for specific answers. We are looking for your potential to become a Trainee Detective Constable by giving you the opportunity to experience what the role involves.
To ensure we recruit outstanding graduates who will thrive in their policing role, you’ll be assessed to see how aligned you are with Police Now’s mission, competencies, and values. We would recommend you spend time familiarising yourself with the competencies and values ahead of the assessment centre.
Tips on how to prepare for your assessment centre
- Read the assessment centre handbook that will be provided to you. The handbook will give you guidance on what to expect and more details on how to prepare.
- There are no right or wrong answers. This is not a test of your current knowledge. We are looking for your potential to become a police detective by giving you the opportunity to explore what the role involves.
- Familiarise yourself with Police Now’s mission and competencies and values, as we will be looking for you to demonstrate awareness of these and your motivation for joining us.
- Attend a coaching session prior to your assessment centre, with a Recruitment Officer. You will be able to sign up to one, once you’ve booked an assessment centre date.
- Lastly, try to enjoy the role play, for many people, it is a new experience.
Further information and assistance
What if I require any adjustments?
Ahead of the digital assessment centre you will be given the opportunity to share any adjustment you require, so we can put the right support in place. One of the adjustments we frequently make at assessment centre is extra time.
To discuss adjustments in confidence, please get in touch.
Do you need to chat with our recruitment team about the assessment centre?
Our team will be happy to support you with any queries.
What will happen afterwards?
We’ll be in touch within ten working days to let you know your outcome and to provide personalised feedback on your performance, related to the competencies you have been assessed against.
If you are successful, your dedicated Recruitment Officer will contact you directly and give you a run-through of what to expect during the onboarding process. They will be your main point of contact and will guide you to complete your pre-employment checks i.e. your fitness test, medical, vetting, biometrics and substance misuse test.
