Graduate Detective Programme (GDP)

In the 2 year programme, you’ll be trained in investigation techniques including interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects. Your day to day work could see you undertaking search warrants, making arrests or pushing a case through the courts. At the end of the scheme you’ll become a qualified detective without having to complete the standard two years of response officer training.

The training programme will begin with an initial 17-week period of class-room based learning at our Coach Lane campus focusing on areas including law & legislation, understanding police powers, and elements of effective communication. Following this, you’ll work alongside experienced officers as part of a shift in a response team. You’ll have a dedicated tutor to guide you through your first 12-15 weeks, who will help you build your skills and offer practical and pastoral support. You’ll also complete a training module with one of our CID teams and experience life as a detective at TeamNP.

You don’t need any previous policing knowledge or experience, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve never previously considered a career in policing. But, you must have a degree in any discipline before you start the programme.

Take a look at our general eligibility requirements for officers.

As a detective your mantra should be: ‘assume nothing, believe no-one and challenge everything’ – your decisions should be based on evidence. So, you’ll need first-rate attention to detail to maintain an accurate record of the lines of enquiry.

It’s essential that you can work on your own, take responsibility for an investigation as well as working as part of a bigger team. To thrive in an investigative role you’ll need flexibility, tenacity and the mindset to question ‘why’ something has happened.

In return, you will be supported with the material to pass the exam, and work in an inclusive and supportive team with access to specialists and advisors throughout the graduate detective scheme.

No, the academic costs of this degree are covered by Northumbria Police.

From day one, the starting salary for new officer is £28,551. Within 7 years you can earn £46,044. To find out more about the pay scales for police officers, visit the pay and benefits page.

Being a qualified detective opens so many doors to a varied career in policing. Once you’ve completed your two year training, you have the option to take up more specialist roles. The detective role is varied and includes Major Crime Investigation (Homicide, & Cyber Crime), Intelligence (Priority & Organised Crime and Special Branch) and Safeguarding (Child Abuse/Protection of Vulnerable adults, Rape and Multi Agency Risk Assessment roles).

The role of a detective is a challenging one, and you can be dealing with upsetting crimes such as violent murders, victims of rape and sexual assaults. You will of course be given the support you need and there is always someone to seek advice from and to collaborate with.

We continue to invest in trained mental health first aiders onsite, an employee advice service offering 24/7 access to trained counsellors and a peer-led support programme.