The role of a PC is varied and you will encounter circumstances that you will not previously have been exposed to. It’s much more than blue lights and fast cars. You will be protecting the vulnerable; giving evidence in court; supporting victims of domestic violence; investigating burglaries and working in partnership with communities.

To equip our PCs to feel ready for these situations, we provide new recruits with a high standard, structured and rigorous training programme.

While we make every effort to ensure police officers are afforded flexibility in their roles and have sight of shift patterns in advance, the nature of the role means working a variety of shifts over evenings, nights and weekends.

The best way to understand what’s involved in being an officer at #TeamNP is to join one of our engagement events. Keep an eye out for the events on our website or our Linkedin page.

In your interview there is a very good chance that you will be asked questions that will test your knowledge of the police service and our force. So make sure you’re up to speed with our vision and mission.

It’s equally important that our workforce understands and reflects our #TeamNP values. Make sure you’re familiar with these values as you consider submitting an application.

• Nobody is more determined than us to keep our communities safe.
• A supportive inclusive culture is everything to us. Full stop.
• Our region is amazing. It’s in our DNA to be passionate about what we do.
• We are brave and bold. We are dynamic in our thinking so bring on innovation!
• We are a team like no other. Proud of who we are and what we do.

If you want to know more about what the different teams across Northumbria are involved in right now, or hear from more of our serving officers, see the latest updates from our social media channels.

It’s vital that you have an understanding of the area that Northumbria Police serves. Head to Northumbria Police website where you can learn more about the current issues in your community.

One of the requirements of the police assessment process is to pass a fitness test. This means achieving level 5.4 on the ‘bleep test’. Your fitness will also be tested throughout your training and ongoing career.

This means having a reasonable level of fitness but our requirements are not nearly as demanding as is often assumed. If you undertake some form of regular exercise, there should be no issue.

If exercise isn’t currently part of your lifestyle, it’s a good idea to start to build up your fitness with some form of activity two or three times a week.

You can read more about our fitness criteria in the Eligibility Requirements.

Our in-house Positive Action team is on hand to offer support, whether you’re considering an application or are already going through the recruitment process. They’re here to help those from under-represented groups, including those from ethnic minority communities or those with a disability.

The team will work with you to understand any barriers you believe you face to joining our force. You’ll also be invited to sign up for a workshop to dispel common myths about policing, give you a good idea of what to expect from the job and the recruitment process and help you feel confident to apply.

To help you prepare for the role you can get in touch with our Positive Action team by emailing positiveaction@northumbria.police.uk.

The College of Policing online assessment process is a key stage in your journey to becoming a PC. It is a series of exercises that test the key competencies and values that are important for police constables.

The situational judgement test measures your ability to choose the appropriate action in situations similar to those you are likely to face on duty.

In the competency based interview you will be asked a series of questions about how you have dealt with specific situations in the past.

The written task involves you assuming the role of a police constable completing a written task for your line manager. You will be provided with four
items of information to help you with this task.

In the briefing task exercise, you will assume the role of a police constable and will have responsibility for dealing with some issues presented to you. You will be tasked with providing a verbal response to a number of questions in relation to this issue. You will be provided with preparation materials to consider your answer.

To find out more about the assessment centre stage of the recruitment process, view this useful guide and these frequently asked questions