About the PCSO application and selection process

You will complete a national application form which requires you to submit basic personal information such as contact details and eligibility information such as your right to work in the UK, tattoos you have, disability declaration and convictions and cautions.

Answer the questions on the form as carefully and as fully as you can.

Disability: please disclose any mental and/or physical disabilities so we can offer reasonable adjustments where possible.

A medical report will be required for dyslexia, please attach this when submitting your application.

Take a look at a sample Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) role profile (PDF, 166 KB) to see the competencies you’ll need to demonstrate in your application.

After you've applied, the next step is SIFT, a national online shortlisting that consists of a situational judgement test (SJT) and a behavioural styles questionnaire (BSQ).

The situational judgement test is used to assess judgement and decision-making skills related to the situations you will encounter as a Special Constable. It will take around 30 minutes to complete the 15 scenarios that you will be presented with.

The behavioural styles questionnaire is used to see if you will have the right attitude and behaviours for the role. It is untimed and usually takes around 20 minutes to complete, you will be given 80 statements and asked the extent to which you agree or disagree with each.

If you pass the SIFT process, the next step will be to attend an in-Force interview. This will last approximately 30 minutes and will consist of six questions.

The interview has been designed to test your motivations and values, relevant to the role you have applied for.

You will need to bring photographic identification (ID) with you to the interview, such as a passport or driving licence.

If you pass the interview stage, the next step is pre-employment checks.

These consist of a medical, five-year reference check and recruitment vetting, as well as completing a fitness test to level 5.4, DNA and Biometric Vetting (where a mouth swab and fingerprints are taken).

You will need to bring photographic identification (ID) with you to the fitness test, such as a passport or driving licence.

Your pre-employment checks including a medical, three year reference check and recruitment vetting will commence.

Prior to joining, you will be sent a mandatory e-learning course, which must be completed prior to your start date.

New Police Community Support Officers will take part in an eight-week training course, covering all the essential skills you’ll need as an effective PCSO.

Using a mixture of classroom and practical exercises, the course will teach you how to patrol effectively, respond to incidents and meet the needs of the community. To help you, you’ll receive a thorough grounding in personal safety, legal powers, first aid, radio procedure and gathering evidence.

This will include webinars, role play exercises and face to face classroom lessons

Your uniform and ID card will also be issued to you.

When you successfully graduate, there will be a ceremony in to celebrate in the presence of family, friends and dignitaries.

You’ll then continue your development ‘on the job’ within the Safer Neighbourhood Team with on-going with mentored, accompanied patrols.

At regular intervals during your career you’ll take part in further training ‘top-ups’.

Helpful information on SIFT can be found on the College of Policing website (opens in a new window).