Recruitment process | Police & Detective Constables

Once this is submitted, you will receive an email invitation with a link which takes you to the National Sift platform which you will need to register your details.

There are two tests that every applicant must complete (regardless of qualifications) within the National Sift. These are a Situational Judgement Test and a Behavioural Style Questionnaire. Both must be passed in order to continue to the next stage of the process. Guidance on this is provided via email and on our recruitment portal.

You need to complete the National Sift as soon as you can, so we can progress you to the next stage.

We are able to accept national sift scores providing you meet the following requirements:

• National sift score is a pass, this must have been completed within the last 18 months from the date of submission of your application.
•  You will need to provide proof of your score (either confirmation from another force or College of Policing) and submit it to us with your online application form.  

The national recruitment process does not allow applicants to take more than one national sift in any three-month period.

If you are successful pass the National Sift process you will be invited to complete the full online application form.

If you have any tattoos, please ensure you enclose a photograph of them as per the application form guidelines. This is where you must also declare any spent or unspent convictions and details of your financial history. Its important to be honest!

You will be required to upload and attach any relevant qualifications before you submit your application. If you do not have a copy of this you will need to obtain one from the appropriate educational establishment. If you are in your final year of study, please make us of aware of this. Please check you meet the qualifications requirements prior to applying as this will not be checked until you have attended an interview/assessment.

We understand the benefits of using AI in work. However, if you are thinking of using AI to support your application, we ask you to think carefully about what value it adds. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. Therefore, we encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice. The evidence you provide within your application or at interview should be your original work and thinking only. If at any point it is identified that AI has been used, your application will be rejected based on a breach of the Code of Ethics.

The Job Related Fitness Test (JRFT) looks to see whether you are fit for the job and are ready for Officer Safety Training, where you learn to protect yourself and others. You will be required to undertake a running test (known as a multi-stage shuttle run or bleep test) to level 5:4

TO PASS - improve your fitness before your medical. For the bleep test, aim for a hard run for 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week.

A medical assessment will generally be carried out by our Occupational Health Team. They will check your eyesight, colour vision, lunch function & hearing.
You will be asked to complete a confidential medical history questionnaire. Depending on your medical history, we may have to contact your GP/specialist for further information. Once you have been declared medically fit we will progress your application to the next stage.

A commonly asked question we get is around certain conditions. All medicals are conducted on an individual basis and therefore, its really to give a definitive answer.

For example, if you have epilepsy, this does not automatically disqualify you from joining the police force. As long as your condition is stable, well-controlled, and you have been seizure-free for at least 12 months prior to your start date, you can still apply. However, certain adjustments or restrictions may be necessary under the Equality Act to ensure your safety, which is our top priority. The fit-to-proceed panel may review your condition and any reasonable adjustments required. This is particularly important due to the necessity of holding a full manual driving license and meeting the DVLA Group 1 medical standards for non-response driving whilst on duty.

To understand the medical process in more detail, watch the video below:

The Medical Assessment - Police Officer Recruitment - West Yorkshire Police (youtube.com)

We send reference requests to your current employer and all previous employers in the last five years. We also ask for a character reference. If you haven't been employed for five years, please speak with your dedicated recruitment officer and we will look over the options.

Our attendance criteria: Our strict absence policy sets a criteria of no more than nine and/or more than three separate occasions of sickness absence in the previous 12 months. This will be looked at upon receiving your references and during your medical appointment.

The force has a strict absence policy set of criteria of no more than nine and/or more than three separate occasions of sickness absence in the previous 12 months.

The vetting process is entirely confidential and the outcomes (other than pass/fail) are not shared with anyone else in the organisation (including future line managers or fellow trainees) or anyone outside of the organisation (including family).

We will carry out security checks on you and your:
 

• spouse/partner
• father
• stepfather/mother's partner
• mother
• stepmother/father's partner
• brothers/sisters (full/half/step)
• children/children of your partner (only those aged 10 years and over)
• any other adult living at your address

To understand the vetting process in more detail, watch the video below:

Vetting stage of selection process - info for candidates (youtube.com)

Applicants will have their financial status checked. These checks are carried out because police officers have access to privileged information, which may make them vulnerable to corruption.

Applicants with outstanding County Court Judgements (CCJs), Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVAs) or who have been registered bankrupt with outstanding debts, will be rejected. If you have discharged bankruptcy debts then you will need to provide a Certificate of Satisfaction with your application. At least three years will need to have passed since the date of discharge.

Applicants with cautions/convictions/reprimands, other than some motoring offences, may not be accepted.

We will need to take fingerprints and DNA samples to carry out some final vetting checks against the national police database.

As part of our pre-employment checks, we undertake drug screening. This is conducted by an external company called Abbott. The process involves samples of hair being collected and analysed to determine whether any of the following six core substances are present:
 

• Cannabinoids (cannabis)
• Amphetamines (including ecstasy)
• Cocaine Opiates (e.g. morphine and heroin) Benzodiazepines
• Methamphetamines

Before this you will be required to complete a consent form to confirm that:
 

• you consent to the screening taking place
• you accept that a positive screening will be recorded on your medical file (if applicable)
• you have declared if you have taken any medicines within the period relevant to the history
• you understand that a positive result could affect a successful application.