Police officer entry routes
Becoming a police constable is a career like no other. Not only will you be taking on challenges that will change your life, but you’ll be working to protect the people and communities of South Yorkshire. This is a career where you’ll travel between urban cities and rural towns, meeting people from all walks of life.
You’ll be on the front line, detecting and preventing crime, while providing support and protection to the communities of South Yorkshire. This is your chance to take on a challenge that will change lives.
It is a responsibility reserved for those with the integrity and commitment to build a career in the service of the community around them. This role comes with the power to make autonomous decisions. We’ll prepare you with the knowledge, skills and support to make legal, ethical and appropriate judgements when it counts.
Constables need to meet, and maintain, the highest professional standards required of their role, by conducting all actions in a legal, balanced, proportionate and justifiable manner to uphold the law and achieve the best outcomes in a wide range of situations/incidents. This means you’ll always have the guidance, and the drive, to keep making progress, to be the best version of yourself, and be the future of South Yorkshire.
We welcome applications from individuals at all stages of their careers – whether you're looking to take the next step, return to work after a break, or transition into a new field. We value the unique perspectives and transferable skills that you can bring, and we’re committed to supporting your development as you grow with us. Whatever your background, we encourage you to apply and explore the opportunities we offer.
The police officer role
The role is much more than blue lights and fast cars. You will wear a uniform with over 190 years of history. You will be protecting the vulnerable, giving evidence in court, supporting victims of domestic violence, investigating burglaries and working in partnership with the communities of South Yorkshire to tackle serious and organised crime.
You will deal with different situations every day, building confidence and trust with the public. It's demanding, unpredictable, but rewarding work and you can make a real difference to your community. You will need to see things from others’ perspectives, tailoring your approach to address their needs and fears.
Being a police officer is challenging but highly rewarding. You need to be enthusiastic, dedicated, resilient, a problem solver and someone who can be confident enough to take control of situations. This role involves shift work and you will be required to work on a rota which covers weekends, nights and bank holidays.
Not only will you be representing the diverse communities we serve, you’ll be part of one big inclusive family where you’ll make a difference, every day.
We want to represent our public, and need people at every stage of the experience spectrum.
Policing will enable you to work in partnership with the public and other organisations and make a difference to the local community.
This can be a tough and unpredictable job, but it is also an extremely rewarding position. You will need to be a person who thrives on challenges, be willing to work hard to learn the skills necessary for this difficult but critical role. Every day when you put on your uniform and go to work, you will be making life safer and more secure for your friends and neighbours, and making your area a better place to live.
Entry routes for police constables
There are two entry routes to join us as a new police constable or detective constable in South Yorkshire Police.
Your training will set you up with the skills and experience you need to succeed as a police constable, all while earning a competitive starting salary of £31,164 (from 1 September 2025).
If you aren’t sure which entry route to apply for you can get in touch with us for more information.
Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP)
Our new Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) blends classroom learning at our in-house training centre with learning ‘on the job’. You'll spend the majority of your time working alongside experienced police officers out on South Yorkshire’s streets.
It’s a two-year programme that counts as your probation. The training is based on the national policing curriculum and focuses on preparing you for a hands-on policing role. You will spend the first few weeks of your training learning the law and specialist policing knowledge, ready to join your team out in our communities. While you will learn and develop your policing knowledge and practice you will not gain an academic qualification.
We welcome applicants both with and without a degree onto this programme. You can read the eligibility criteria for the PCEP here.
Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP)
Like the PCEP, our new Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP) blends classroom learning at our in-house training centre with learning ‘on the job’. You'll spend the majority of your time working within our investigation teams, based across South Yorkshire.
It’s a two-year programme that counts as your probation. The training is based on the national policing curriculum and focuses on preparing you for a hands-on detective role. You will spend the first few weeks of your training learning the law and specialist policing knowledge, alongside officers on our uniform entry route.
This learning will get you ready to join detectives based in our investigation teams across South Yorkshire. While you will learn and develop your policing knowledge and practice you will not gain an academic qualification.
We welcome applicants both with and without a degree onto this programme. You can read the eligibility criteria for the DCEP here.
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
A three-year apprenticeship which combines the opportunity to work and learn the role of a frontline officer whilst gaining a degree in Professional Policing Practice. This route is not currently available with South Yorkshire Police, however we would encourage you to apply for the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) or the Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP) if you are interested in becoming a police officer or detective and do not hold a degree, as we welcome applicants both with and without a degree onto these courses.
Police Constable Degree Holder Entry Programme (PC DHEP) / Detective Degree Holder Entry Programme (Detective DHEP)
A two-year academic and practice-based programme for those who already hold a degree in any subject. These routes are not currently available with South Yorkshire Police. We have previously offered these entry routes but have now changed to offer Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) and Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP). As a graduate you can still apply through these new routes.
Professional Policing Degree (PPD)
If you want to study first, you can do a three-year degree in professional policing at your own expense and then apply to a force and follow a shorter on-the-job training programme. If you hold a Professional Policing Degree (PPD) we would encourage you to apply for our Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) and Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP).
Police volunteers and staff
Not sure if you want to become a regular constable? There are lots of other careers you can consider here at South Yorkshire Police.
From joining our Special Constabulary as a volunteer to working in essential police staff roles, our career pages have all the information you’ll need.
If you already work for us as a paid member of staff or as a volunteer, or have previously volunteered for a police force and would like a change in career, we’d love to hear from you. If you would like to join us as police officer, please review the entry routes that would be of interest to you and if you still need help, please contact the Recruitment Team.
If you aren’t sure which to apply for you can get in touch with us for more information.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining the force, see all of our current vacancies.
If you have any questions, please email our recruitment team.