With this route available to candidates once again, we take a look at the unexpected doors it opened for James.

“I thought I’d missed my chance to get a degree - but policing gave me my opportunity. It was something I wanted to do personally, but I also thought it might benefit me longer term,” James says. “You’re learning things others joining the force won’t be learning about policing.”

The opportunities didn’t stop there. James had the chance to visit 10 Downing Street as part of his work on neurodiversity, and his dissertation – which focussed on how policing can utilise the diverse skills of people who are neurodivergent – is set to be sent to academic journals, with the chance to influence best practice in policing.

Studying for a degree has had other benefits for James’ policing career – something he hopes will help with his long-term ambition to become a detective. “It definitely improves your writing skills, so when I’m writing things for cases I’m working on, it comes more easily,” he says. “You also have to find everything out for yourself when you’re studying – that’s a really useful skill for policing.”

While the route is hard work, James feels it’s worth it – and he recommends it for people who want to take their careers in different directions. “Policing is one of those jobs where the possibilities are endless, there are so many different specialisms you can home in on,” he says. “It opens so many doors.”

If you would like to get a degree while you train to become a police officer, join one of our 'spotlight on police constable sessions' to find out more. You'll get the link to apply after the session.