Are you ready to be a Police Officer?
There are three entry routes to becoming a Police Officer with West Yorkshire Police:
- The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) for people who do not have a degree or have not had any previous training in the role of a Police Officer.
This has a starting salary of £28,551 per annum increasing to a minimum of £30,957 after three years and £46,044 after seven years if you remain at Police Constable rank, (subject to performance).
- The Direct Entry Detective Constable (IPLDP+) route for people who want to be a Detective Constable through the Initial Police Learning & Development Programme Plus (IPLDP+).
This has a starting salary of £28,551 per annum increasing to a minimum of £30,957 after three years and £46,044 after seven years if you remain at Police Constable rank, (subject to performance).
- The Police Constable IPLDP Uniform route for people who want to be a Police Constable through the Initial Police Learning & Development Programme (IPLDP)
This has a starting salary of £28,551 per annum increasing to a minimum of £30,957 after three years and £46,044 after seven years if you remain at Police Constable rank, (subject to performance).
Read more and watch our videos of real officers talking about their job, to find out what it takes to join West Yorkshire Police :
It’s a big decision, joining the police family. So you’ll need to ask yourself a few important questions:
- Are you someone who thrives on two days never being the same?
- Will you run towards danger instead of away from it?
- Are you prepared to stand for hours in the rain protecting a crime scene as well as catching the criminal?
- Are you willing to put as much effort in to paperwork as the rest of your duties?
- Are you ready to be given a mouthful of abuse from the very person you are trying to protect?
- Are you a problem solver, a challenger, a motivator?
- Do you like to work as part of a team and make friends for life?
- Do you have the resilience to deal with verbal and physical conflict?
- Are you up to working for a Force that’s ambitious and aspirational?
If the answer is yes then you are ready to join West Yorkshire Police.
Being a police officer is fulfilling as well as challenging and two days really never are the same. On any given shift you could be carrying out a search warrant, arresting a drug dealer or being a reassuring face to a victim of domestic abuse. Your next shift you could be patrolling a public event, interviewing a suspect in custody or collecting vital evidence.
Policing is not purely about enforcement, your communication skills and ability to build relationships with the public will be key. You will need to be caring and compassionate as you will be dealing with victims of crime, witnesses and vulnerable members of our community. In a fast paced environment you will need to be prepared for the unexpected and stay calm under pressure, making split second decisions.
We are committed to creating a workforce that better represents the communities we serve to ensure we can respond to, and meet the needs of, our local communities.
Once you’re part of the family there are so many opportunities to progress through the ranks or specialise in an area of policing that interests you. You could become a detective, join our firearms or roads policing units or one of our public protection teams.
Wherever you decide to take your career, we will support you and help you develop to be the best officer you can be. Your development starts from day one and our training programme will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to be an effective police officer.
Follow the links above to find out more.
Not for you?
If you’ve decided that being a Police Officer isn’t for you, but you are still interested in a career with West Yorkshire Police, why not take a look at the other opportunities available.
Positive Action
West Yorkshire Police uses Positive Action, which is a range of measures and initiatives allowed under the Equality Act 2010, to actively encourage people from communities that are under-represented to bring their talent, experiences and expertise to our organisation when applying to join us. We also use Positive Action to support the retention and progression of our workforce.
Through the use of Positive Action, we do not seek to remove competition, lower standards or give someone an unfair advantage, rather, to help people from under-represented groups overcome disadvantages in competing with other applicants. It is not about lowering standards and giving some people favourable treatment just because of their protected characteristic; it is about getting everyone to the same starting line and still employing and promoting on merit. We treat all applicants fairly and in accordance with current legislation.
So there is no favouritism or advantage for some, but for under-represented groups there is Positive Action to help improve equality at work for both prospective and existing employees.
Find out more about diversity, equality and inclusion.
West Yorkshire Police is currently under-represented by people from Ethnic Minority backgrounds. If you are from one of these groups, click here for information about opportunities that are available to you.
West Yorkshire Police encourages applications to be representative of the communities it serves. Read our Equality in Employment page.
Page last reviewed August 2023.