Special Constable Eligibility Requirements
We welcome applications from all backgrounds, but you must meet certain eligibility requirements to become a Special Constable.
Check your eligibility
The purpose of this is to ensure business interests and additional occupations do not conflict with the work of the police, undermine public confidence or adversely affect the reputation of the police officer or Northumbria Police. You must also declare voluntary roles working with children or vulnerable adults (e.g., scout leaders) on appointment as.
Police Officers, and certain police staff roles, are restricted from taking an active part in political activity, such as stand as a member of parliament/local authority or be an officer of a politically party.
Certain occupations are not eligible to become a special constable, or are eligible with approval from the Chief Constable.
Occupations which are ineligible (but with some variations as described):
- Armed Forces Personnel
- Armed forces reserve members: RN Reserve, RM Reserve, Territorial Army, RAAF, are eligible but their reserve commitments take priority over police duties.
- Police staff investigators (PIP 1 and PIP 2)
- Traffic wardens, civil enforcement officers, and school crossing patrols.
- Neighbourhood and street wardens, and other uniformed patrol wardens.
- Some Highways Agency Traffic Officers (includes Welsh Assembly Traffic Officers) – those employed in an ‘on road’ capacity are ineligible.
- Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).
- Members of Employer’s police forces and private constabularies.
- Certain roles concerned with the administration of the law.
- Magistrates, Judges, Justice’s clerks, CPS employees.
- National Crime Agency (NCA)
- Members of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Office may be considered for appointment as special constables in a different area to where they are a member of the police authority, with permission of the authority and at the discretion of the Chief Office of the force.
- Immigration Officers.
- Occupations with client privilege are eligible but at the discretion of the Chief Officer of the force, and where necessary, subject to approval of the employer.
- Members of medical and health professions are eligible provided their local NHS Trust or Health Authority has no objections.
Occupations/interests where appointment as a special constable is at the discretion of the Chief Constable of the Force;
- Holders of premises or personal licences, designated premises supervisors, and licensees of betting/gaming premises.
Bailiffs. - Warrant Officers.
- Private Detectives.
- Inquiry Agents.
- Employees of Security Organisations.
- Security Personnel, guards and door supervisors: Persons involved in the private security industry will be ineligible to become a special constable if their job involves the potential for them to use their position as a constable for their own advantage or that of their employer, e.g. contact with the public, patrolling/guarding buildings, etc.
- Members of the Fire Service – Now eligible for appointment as special constables, subject to agreement between the Chief Officers of the police force and the relevant Fire Service.
Cautions or convictions will not necessarily preclude you from joining Northumbria Police. It will depend on the nature and the circumstances of the offence. However, an applicants honesty and integrity will be brought into question if information is considered to have been purposely withheld during the vetting process.
Each case will be considered on its individual merits.
Circumstances that will prevent you from passing our vetting process include:
- offences were committed as an adult or juvenile which resulted in a prison sentence (including custodial, suspended or deferred sentence and sentences served at a young offenders’ institution or community home).
- the applicant is or has been a registered sex offender or is subject to a registration requirement in respect of any other conviction.
The following circumstances may also result in rejection:
- offences where vulnerable people were targeted.
- offences motivated by hate or discrimination.
- offences of domestic abuse.
You do not have to disclose protected convictions or cautions as per the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Spent cautions and convictions must still be declared unless they are protected. More can be found at the Gov.UK website. View further information and the documentation to support the professional standards for vetting issued by the College of Policing.
During recruitment, we conduct a thorough health screening and medical assessment. If you have previous or ongoing health conditions that pose a risk in the role, your application may not succeed. We offer support to our colleagues, but recruitment standards exist to protect you, your colleagues, and the public—and to ensure long-term success in the role.
We can’t assess your medical history before making a conditional offer. Please read the Home Office Medical Standards and Annexes A & B to check whether your medical history or current conditions could affect your eligibility. These documents reflect the latest medical advice on fitness for police work. We review each application individually, but you may not be eligible if you’re receiving mental health treatment, recovering from a major operation, or have recently experienced an epileptic seizure.
As part of the medical checks, you must pass a BMI analysis. The recruitment standard range is 18–30. Everyone’s journey to fitness looks different, but with determination, practice, and support, you can reach the required level.
You will need to look smart and clean at all times when representing the Force on any duty. Religious or cultural clothing can be worn, provided it is suitable for the purpose.
Headwear – If you wear a turban or an Imama Shareef a force badge must be on display. Anyone wearing a hijab or skullcap must wear their headwear over it when on foot patrol.
Facial hair – operational officers should not have a long beard, because of health and safety risks; although we can make exceptions for religious reasons.
Jewellery – Religious requirements to wear jewellery, are judged on their own merit. They are only allowed if not a significant health and safety risk and unobtrusive.
Police officers and staff hold privileged access to sensitive information and must be protected from potential corruption. While many people have debts like mortgages or student loans, applicants should not be under pressure from unmanaged or undischarged debts.
You’re unlikely to pass vetting if you have:
- An outstanding County Court Judgment (CCJ).
- If you’ve been declared bankrupt, clearance is typically not granted until three years after discharge. Debt Relief Orders (DROs) are treated similarly.
- If you’re under an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), you’ll need to provide documentation and proof of consistent payments over several months.
We recommend running a free credit report before applying to identify any defaulted accounts or CCJs that may affect your vetting outcome.
Having an inappropriate association does not necessarily mean that you won’t be granted a vetting clearance.
The College of Policing advises us to review publicly available social media accounts for inappropriate comments, behaviour, or views. This ensures applicants’ online conduct aligns with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Behaviour.
We therefore carry out social media checks on all applicants, including platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and others.
The fitness test allows an assessment to be made of your endurance to ensure you are able to meet the demands of operational policing.
The test focuses upon aerobic capacity. You will carry out a shuttle run over a 15 metre area and run in time with a bleep. At the end of each level the time in between the bleeps is shortened and you therefore have to run faster to keep up with the pace. The Special Constable pass mark is level 5.4. This involves running for approximately 3 minutes 40 seconds. If you do not think you can achieve this level, you should ensure you start improving your fitness levels as soon as you can (please check with your doctor before making any big changes to your fitness regime).
We have a policy to prevent officers and staff from becoming members of organisations or groups whose aims, objectives or pronouncements may contradict our duty to promote equality (e.g. BNP, Combat 18, National Front etc.). Therefore, if you are a member of a proscribed organisation or other group, you will not be accepted.
To be eligible for appointment, you must be a British citizen or resident in the UK free of restrictions (e.g., under the EU Settlement scheme or through the UK’s post-Brexit points-based immigration rules).
If you are not a British citizen, you must provide proof during the recruitment process that you have no restrictions on your stay in the UK and that you have the right to work in the UK. Information on UK immigration rules can be found on the government visa and immigration website.
Residency criteria depends on the vetting level of the role applied. You must have been continually resident in the UK for the three or five year period immediately before an application is made. This is to satisfy the requirement to vet all applicants in an equitable manner. If you have travelled overseas on a gap year or similar, we consider that to be on an extended holiday and you have therefore maintained residency in the UK (generally considered 12 months or under).
You are only able to apply to become a Special Constable at one police force at a time.
You can also apply to become a Police Officer to either the same force or another force at the same time as you apply to become a Special. However if either application is successful and you are invited for an interview, we would ask you either withdraw from the other applications or place them on hold.
You must meet a national police eyesight standard. You are permitted to wear contact lenses or spectacles to meet the standard.
During the recruitment medical process, we test for substance misuse. We may also carry out substance misuse testing at any point during your time with us.
- undermine the dignity and authority of the office of constable;
- cause offence to members of the public or colleagues and/or invite provocation
- indicate unacceptable attitudes towards any individual or section of the community
- indicate alignment with a particular group which could give offence to members of the public or colleagues; and
- be considered inflammatory, rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic, violent or intimidating
Although tattoos will not prohibit applicants from joining Northumbria Police (subject to the above), it is recommended they are covered when at work to maintain a professional image. The dress and appearance protocol outlines that officers should wear appropriate work wear which covers tattoos as far as possible when at work, which will be issued accordingly.
If your tattoo is determined as not acceptable, your application will not be progressed.
Many people claim they were told by the police officer that dealt with them that there would not be a record of the event. You should presume that everything is recorded and failure to mention it will have an adverse effect on your application.
If you declare something which is not relevant, the Force Vetting Unit will discount it.
Frequently asked questions about our vetting process
To avoid common vetting mistakes and ensure your application is processed smoothly:
- Read carefully: Take your time to review each question and any guidance provided.
- Be honest: If you’re unsure whether to include something, declare it. The vetting unit will disregard anything not required.
- Explain gaps: If you can’t recall specific details, provide a clear rationale.
- Include full address history: Don’t forget student accommodation or temporary residences.
- List all family members: Include half-siblings, stepfamily, and full details of your partner or spouse.
- Clarify relationships: Only include partners you live with or are married to/civil partnered with under the spouse/partner section.
- Provide complete details: Include maiden names, dates of birth, and addresses for everyone listed.
- Declare all police interactions: This includes convictions, cautions, and motoring offences. Omitting details may raise concerns about your integrity.
- Know your disclosure obligations: Police staff and volunteers don’t need to declare protected cautions or convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
- Mention criminal associates: Include friends, family, or housemates with known criminal involvement.
You must inform the Force Vetting Unit of any changes to your personal circumstances during and after the vetting process. It is your responsibility to report these changes.
Please notify the Force Vetting Unit if any of the following apply:
- You change your name or address
- Someone over the age of 10 moves in or out of your residence
- You change your partner
- Your financial status changes significantly (e.g. receiving a windfall over £9,000, defaulting on an account, receiving a county court judgment, or entering a debt management plan)
- You become involved in any criminal legal proceedings (including convictions, cautions, and motoring offences such as speeding fines)
- A civil matter results in an adverse finding (e.g. child contact restrictions, non-molestation orders, bankruptcy orders)
- Anyone listed on your original vetting or application forms receives a conviction, caution, or becomes involved in a criminal investigation
Applicants may be refused for many reasons, and wherever possible, we will explain those reasons. However, in some cases, we cannot disclose the details because the information may involve a family member, a criminal associate, or fall under an exemption in the Data Protection Act.
Yes. You may appeal a vetting decision where you believe one or more of the following factors apply:
- Further information is available that was not considered by the decision maker.
- The vetting rejection was disproportionate considering the circumstances or details of the case.
- The decision was perverse or unreasonable.
- No explanation was given for the decision.
Any appeal must be in writing and must clearly set out the grounds for appeal. Appeals are dealt with by a senior officer or member of staff who is independent of the original decision-making process and has not been previously involved in the case. Applicants should address their appeal to the Force Vetting Unit in the first instance who will pass the appeal, along with any rationale for the decision, to a senior officer or member of staff who will look into the case and respond directly to the applicant.
Each case is treated on its merits and therefore it depends on what information is found during the checks. Sometimes it is necessary to call the applicant to interview so that their personal circumstances may be discussed and sometimes it is necessary to make enquiries in other forces or with other bodies. Therefore, we do not give a set time to complete a vetting file but deal with them as quickly as possible.
TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS INTO POLICING
Join a mandatory information event before applying to become a Special Constable.
The event gives you insight into what volunteering at Northumbria Police is really like, find out more about the application process, eligibility requirements, benefits, and you’ll have the opportunity to speak to current serving special constables, and members of the training and talent acquisition team.
Choose your preferred date below and sign up to an upcoming Teams, online event.
If you can’t make these sessions, don’t worry – we run regular events or get in touch with the talent acquisition team.