Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP)
Do you have Level 2 English and Maths qualifications (regardless if you have a degree, these 2 qualifications are an eligibility pre-requisite), are you also a critical thinker who pays attention to detail and enjoys problem-solving? If so, you might be a potential candidate for our Detective Constable Entry Programme
The Detective Constable Entry Programme is an intensive two-and-a-half-year programme of learning approached from an investigative lens. It is designed to equip you with all the skills and training necessary to ensure that on completion of the programme, not only will you be a qualified police officer, you will also be a trained and competent Detective Constable.
What does the programme involve?
During your 24 month probationary period you will spend in uniform with some ‘protected learning’ phases back in the learning environment (see Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) | Merseyside Police for more information). During this period you will be supported by experienced police officers where you will learn all about law and procedure and how to deal wide variety of policing topics. You will develop your operational skills by policing within several ‘key’ areas of policing, notably Response & Resolution, Local Policing and Area Investigations.
At the end of your probationary period, all successful recruits will be signed off as an operationally competent police officer, where you will then be substantively posted to our Investigations Strand supported by our Academy where you will gain knowledge and skills specifically as a detective.
What does a detective do?
The role of a detective constable is not too dissimilar to the role of police constable; both are of the same rank but have different operational roles. As a detective you will deal with more serious and complex cases from fraud and domestic abuse to county lines and serious assaults, plus many more. Once qualified and accredited, there are also opportunities to specialise in other significant areas such as: Anti-Corruption, Professional Standards, Civil Litigation, Intelligence, Counter Terrorism, Roads Policing Investigations, Regional Organised Crime Units and potentially other secondment opportunities.
Do you have what it takes?
A career is suited to career-driven, decision-makers with excellent customer service skills and a high moral compass. It’s not for the faint-hearted, you will often be dealing with distressing situations, however working on serious and often complex criminal investigations is both challenging and rewarding. We're looking for individuals who have that curiosity and drive to follow every lead and ultimately discover the truth behind situations and get results.
How will I be assessed?
To ensure you’ve got the right level of knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes and behaviours, there’ll be a range of different kinds of assessments across the two years, including:
- Roleplay exercises.
- Tutor observations
- Portfolio work
- Discussions
- Knowledge checks
- Problem solving projects
Operationally you will also be formally assessed performing operational activities to ascertain whether you are a) able to patrol independently (year 1) and b) towards the end of year 2 be deemed to be fully competent to be ‘confirmed in rank. These are key assessments that you must pass.
Throughout the two-year period, developmental review meetings and coaching / mentoring sessions will assist in your development and an individual learning plan will be created to ensure suitable direction and support is available to you according to your own learning needs.
At the end of your probationary period you will be substantively posted into our Investigations strand where supported and prepared to sit the National Investigators Exam (NIE), once successful you will then be eligible to undertake the mandatory PIP2 courses.
If successful in your application (see ‘what happens when I apply?’) then as a DCEP student you will receive further information of the structure, learning requirements and assessments of the programme and your probationary period upon commencement of your employment with the force.
Unlike DC DHEP, DCEP is a non-accredited pathway into policing that is designed for candidates with or without an undergraduate degree. No academic award is granted at the end of the programme, instead the training combines practical “on-the-job” experience, classroom sessions, scenario-based training, virtual learning, and assessments, which will equip you with the skills and experience you need to meet the demands of modern policing.
As well as a starting salary of £29,907 a year - potentially rising to £48,321 within your first seven years – you can also expect:
- 22 days annual leave entitlement, rising in line with length of service
- Police Pension Scheme membership
- Lifestyle benefits, such as a range of sports clubs and on-site gym facilities, Blue Light discount scheme with dozens of online and high street brands
- Continuing professional development and career progression opportunities
To apply, you need to:
- Be over the age of 17 – although we will be happy to take your application, you will not be offered an intake date which starts prior to your 18th birthday (please bear this in mind when applying as this could make your application process quite long).
- You must be a UK, EU citizen with EU settled status, a commonwealth citizen or a foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the UK.
- Resident in the UK for the last 3 years (except for UK military or HM Government personnel working overseas).
- Have Level 2 English and Maths qualifications.
- Have not had a Police Officer application rejected by ourselves, or another Force, in the last 3 months.
- Not be a member of an extreme political organisation such as BNP, Nation Front or Combat 18.
- Not have any tattoos (irrespective of what they are) on the face or neck that are visible above the collar line or below the cuff line.
- Not have any tattoos that may be deemed inappropriate, offensive, or lewd in nature irrespective of placement on the body.
- Not have any charge or summons currently outstanding against you.
- Have not been sentenced to a custodial sentence.
- Not been registered as a sex offender.
- Not be currently registered as bankrupt.
We hold our officers and staff to rigorous standards of behaviour and conduct, and so the process between submitting an application and joining isn’t a quick one.
The different stages of the application process are:
- Basic eligibility check
- Application form submission
- National sift
- Online assessment -
- Situational judgement test
- Competency-based video interview
- Written exercise and briefing exercise
- Invitation to interview
- Pre employment checks -
- Fitness
- Medical
- Vetting
- Biometric
- Final reference checks
- Final offer confirming start date
We know the application process can be long, but it’s essential we do everything in our power to only employ the staff and officers our Merseyside communities deserve.
To help make Merseyside Police representative of the communities we serve, we have a dedicated Inclusion team who provide support and guidance throughout the recruitment application process to candidates from underrepresented groups. You can learn more about the support available here.
Hear from our detectives
Apply
Please click here to apply for the Detective Constable Entry Programme.