Wiltshire Police opens recruitment for officers via the non-degree entry route

We are open for police officer recruitment and for this intake we invite candidates to join us through the Initial Police Learning Development Programme (IPLDP) non-degree entry route.  

The IPLDP entry route is for individuals who may wish to become a police officer, but who do not wish to work towards a degree level qualification alongside becoming a police constable.  

The recruitment intake is open to anyone who may wish to apply, and we particularly welcome applications from existing police officer candidates who may wish to transfer their applications over to Wiltshire Police and candidates from a wide range of careers including Special Constables, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and those from military backgrounds. 

Candidates who are successful following their application and vetting process will begin the two-year training programme in November 2023. Training starts with 20 weeks in our Learning and Development Department at Devizes Police Headquarters before being posted to one of our Community Policing Teams in the county.  

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills QPM said: “Following on from successfully meeting our national uplift figures, we continue to actively recruit police officers into Wiltshire Police. This recruitment campaign does differ slightly to our normal approach, as it enables people to join us through the non-degree entry route. The campaign is open for anyone to apply, and we are particularly keen to hear from candidates who have already applied with another police force but who may wish to transfer their application to Wiltshire, alongside candidates from other service type careers, such as the military or police staff operational roles - for example Police Community Support Officers and Specials.  

“We want to attract the very best of our communities, people from all walks of life, the problem solvers and solution-finders, those who are calm under pressure and those who really want to make a difference in our communities.  

“I would encourage anyone who is considering a change in career to have a look on our website for more information and to apply” 

The starting salary will be £23,556. For those who have successfully already completed their initial training Independent Patrol Status, the starting salary will be £26,682.  

Applications close at 11.55pm on Sunday 21 May 2023. 

 Eligibility- All applicants must meet the following criteria: 

• Be at least 17 years of age upon application but must be 18 years of age by the time you start in the role  
• Be a British citizen, or an EU/European Economic Area (EEA) national, Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with indefinite leave to remain or pre-settled/settled status and no restrictions on your stay in the UK 
• Have been a UK resident for the last three years 
• Have passes in both English (language or literature) and mathematics GCSE (A*-C/9-4) or equivalent level 2 qualifications (for example O-levels or CSEs Grade 1) If you do not have either the maths or English GCSE’s but do have a higher level qualification in any subject, these will be considered on a case-by-case basis 
• Hold a full manual UK or EU driving licence by the time of formal offer 
• Not have served any time in prison or youth detention (if you have a criminal conviction, it may lead to your application being rejected – we will take into account the date, nature of offence plus evidence of good character since the offence) 
• Be in good health and able to physically and mentally perform your duties 
• Not have any piercings or tattoos which could cause offence. 
   

The IPLDP course, which enables applications from individuals who may wish to become a police officer but who do not wish to work towards a degree level qualification alongside becoming a police constable, is the first of its kind delivered in Wiltshire since the College of Policing introduced the three-year Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, the two-year Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP), and the graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice.  

The decision has been made to deliver this IPLDP course in Wiltshire as an interim option, ahead of the introduction of a new national non degree entry route into policing which will be introduced by the College of Policing in 2024.  

Wiltshire Police is working hard to improve representation, whether that is gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion or community. The Force’s dedicated Positive Action Team helps those from under-represented groups through the application process to compete on equal terms with other candidates. They can be contacted at [email protected]. 

To find out more about becoming a Wiltshire Police Officer, including eligibility criteria, entry routes, the realities of working on response, initial training, and to apply, visit our police officer recruitment page:

Become a Police Constable at Wiltshire Police | Wiltshire Police

We look forward to hearing from you!