Police Community Support Officer

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are on the front line of policing, supporting their operational colleagues to gather intelligence, be visible on patrols and make streets feel safer.

Why should you become a PCSO?

Our PCSO training programme blends practical experience with theory-based learning to give you the skills and confidence to connect with local communities, prevent crime, and build trusted relationships.
During the 12–15 month apprenticeship, you’ll earn while you learn and complete a Level 4 Diploma in Community Policing Practice.
Experienced officers, PCSO colleagues on your shift, and our training and assessment staff will support you throughout your journey.

What is a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)?

As a PCSO, you’ll work within a neighbourhood policing team to connect with local communities and partners, build positive relationships, identify local issues, and put solutions into action to keep people safe. You’ll respond to incidents in your area, carry out initial investigations, and preserve scenes when needed.

You’ll deliver a high-quality service to victims and witnesses of crime and anti-social behaviour, identify vulnerable individuals, and take steps to protect them. You’ll also take part in briefings, operations, and other policing activities.

Your role involves working closely with community partners to solve problems, prevent crime, and offer advice. Staying approachable and adaptable helps you build trust and become a respected presence in the community. To succeed as a PCSO, you need to be resourceful, diplomatic, motivated, and deeply connected to the people you serve.

Although you don’t carry handcuffs or have arrest powers, you’ll rely on your training, communication, and interpersonal skills to manage challenging situations. You’ll need to stand your ground and handle confrontations confidently, knowing that police officers and staff are always there to support you. The camaraderie in this role is unique, and invaluable during tough times.

What training will I receive as a PCSO?

You will take part in a 12-15 month apprenticeship programme combining practical and theory-based learning. Your training will start with two classroom phases, lasting around three months, held at Ponteland.

You’ll cover essential topics such as safety training, first aid, decision-making, and communication skills. Tutorials, role-plays, self-study, and e-learning will help you build the knowledge and confidence needed for the next stage.

After classroom training, you’ll move into frontline policing. You’ll be based at a station with your neighbourhood team, working one-to-one with an experienced tutor who will help you apply your learning in real-world situations. You’ll also shadow experienced PCSOs in the community.

Once you complete all elements of the PCSO qualification, you’ll earn a Level 4 Diploma in Community Policing Practice. This marks the final assessment and successful completion of your apprenticeship.

What about my wellbeing?

To take care of your mental wellbeing we’ve invested in a welfare advice line that covers professional and personal issues, from finances to stress, bereavement or family matters. To complement this, we offer occupational health services, several peer-led support programmes, and a 24/7 crisis telephone line. If you’ve been exposed to trauma on the job, such as attending a distressing scene or incident, you can access a specialist resource for additional support.

When it comes to physical health, many of our stations have on-site gyms, and there’s a range of sports & social clubs available for you to join, whatever your interests. You can learn more about our range of police staff benefits available to you from day one.

It’s important to note that those serving in front line roles can face confrontation and aggression, but being physically assaulted is not something that we accept as ‘part of the job’. If you’ve been assaulted in the course of your duty, we have rigorous processes in place to ensure your line manager provides wrap-around support and that a crime is recorded.

What will I learn during my apprenticeship?

The key areas of learning within the apprenticeship programme are:

Valuing difference and inclusion
Maintaining professional standards
Decision making and discretion
Communication and teamworking skills
Wellbeing and resilience
Managing conflict
Vulnerability and risk
Problem solving and evidence-based policing
Supporting communities and partnership building
Dealing with minor crime

Alongside gaining the specific skills that will set you up for your role as a PCSO, we will also help you to build transferable skills that you can use throughout your future career.

How will I be assessed during my apprenticeship?

Your knowledge, skills and behaviours will be continuously observed and assessed throughout the classroom phases of your apprenticeship programme by a variety of methods, including: