Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)

Joining the Met as a new Police Constable is just the beginning of the journey – this could be the start of an exciting and varied career. During your probationary period, you'll be working alongside experienced officers and gaining a wide range of practical and on-the-job knowledge to compliment your in-classroom training. The foundation you gain will stand you in good stead for the rest of your police career. 

Once you have successfully completed your probationary period, you'll then have plenty of opportunities to continue your professional development. The Met offers:

• Ongoing training through courses, mentoring and coaching
• Promotion and development opportunities into different police specialisms
• A focus on your continued professional development through a performance review process

As the largest police service in the UK, the Met has a wide variety of specialist units and career progression opportunities available. Wherever you choose to take your career as a police officer, you'll see a new side to London, learn new skills and discover new strengths within yourself. Some roles include:

• Neighbourhood policing
• Policing major and public order events
• Carrying a firearm
• Specialist and major investigations, such as homicide
• Dog handlers
• Mounted branch
• Marine Support Unit
• Counter Terrorism

As a new full-time police constable in the Met on the PCDA entry route, your total starting salary package will be circa £36,775 (including London allowances) increasing to circa £37,975 on successful completion of your probationary period. Base salary increases annually and typically police constables with seven years’ service can expect to earn circa £54,000 (including allowances).

Part-time officers' salaries will be based on the pro-rata equivalent of a full-time officer.

• Access to the Met's dedicated discount site, offering money off a host of high street shops, grocery shops, days out, and gyms
• Eligibility for Blue Light Card
• Free London travel from week 1 of your training programme, including London Underground, trams and buses
• Access heavily discounted rail travel for up to 75 miles from London
• Interest free season ticket loans

The Met offer a comprehensive wellbeing service including:

• Free physiotherapy 
• Health check service
• 24-hours free confidential helpline
• Counselling 
• Specialist support from their Occupational Health team
• Free eyesight tests and a range of frames

To help you stay fit, they offer:

• On-site gym facilities in their buildings across London
• Four sports club houses, which offer free or very low cost access to sporting facilities for officers and their families

Your annual leave will include:

• 22 days paid holiday each year, rising to 30 days the longer you work here
• Public holidays and rest days, on top of leave, are built into your shift pattern
• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Special leave, both paid and unpaid
• Carers leave, both paid and unpaid
• Armed forces reservists leave 
• Unpaid career breaks for up to five years

For support you will be able to:

• Become a member of the Police Federation, a national body representing all police officers, through which you can access a range of support
• Join one of a range of staff support associations in the Met, to support and represent your needs, beliefs and values

• Introduction to the Role of the Police
• Introduction to Policing Practice
• Vulnerability and Risk
• Operational Policing Skills
• Research Methods and Evidence-Based Policing

• Developing Professional Practice
• Safeguarding, Public Protection and Vulnerability
• Crime Investigation and Intelligence Management
• Community Policing, Problem Solving and Confidence
• Response Policy, Patrol and Policing the Roads
• Evidence-Based Policing and Researching the Police

• Specialist Policing Modules to be agreed with the Met (Response, Community, The Roads, Information and Intelligence, Conducting Investigations)
• Policing, Leadership and Professional Development
• Evidence-Based Policing Project and End Point Assessment

Your training will also include officer safety and emergency life support skills to fully prepare you for your operational role.

Your training will begin with an initial period of classroom-based learning, however, these won't just be passive sessions. You'll have access to crime scene simulations, a mock court set up, and various role play scenarios to help you hone your skills before heading out onto the streets of London.

Your learning will cover a wide range of policing topics including Public and Personal Safety Training, Emergency Life Support, Safeguarding, Crime Investigation and Operational Policing Skills (based on a national policing curriculum). 

In your final year, you'll undertake an Evidence Based Research Project, which will focus on a practical policing problem with a solution that makes a difference to helping keep London safe. Some of our previous students' projects have actually been implemented in their BCU, so you really can help make tangible changes. 

Throughout your training you’ll undertake work-based learning, fully supported in applying new skills and knowledge as part of your operational duties, as well as self-directed study and reflective learning. You’ll be immersed in day-to-day policing. This will let you contextualise what you are learning and develop the skills and experience you need for this challenging role, while actively contributing to policing priorities in your area as a fully employed police officer from day one. 

You’ll need to successfully complete both operational and academic assessments before being awarded a degree and becoming a fully-fledged police officer. All assessments have been specifically designed to develop the skills, knowledge and qualities required to be an officer.

Traditional academic assessments have been tailored to reflect the practical experiences and encounters you will have as officers, such as digital artefacts in the form of community briefings. 

Alongside academic assessments, you will also need to compile an Operational Competence Portfolio over the duration of the apprenticeship and pass a number of operational assessments against a range of critical policing skills, including; providing effective initial response to a critical incident, engaging proactively with communities, conducting effective evaluation of intelligence and providing support to vulnerable people, victims and witnesses. 

In your final year, you will be required to complete the End Point Assessment, which will be made up of the following:

• A professional discussion based on your Operational Competence Portfolio 
• A 10,000-word evidence based research project around a current area of policing
• A presentation and panel discussion around your research project

You will be supported through this process by your Academic Supervisor and a team of Independent Assessors. 

You will also be required to evidence operational competence in several areas such as:

• Providing effective initial response to a critical incident
• Engaging proactively with communities
• Conducting effective evaluations of intelligence

GCSE grade C, or 4 or above, in English and Maths (or equivalent level 2 qualifications). If you don’t already hold a level 2 qualification in Maths we’ll support you to achieve this.

Plus one of the following:

• 64 UCAS points (e.g. 2 A-levels at Grade C)
• An academic or vocational qualification gained outside England & Wales equivalent to 64 UCAS points
• Training or work experience, equivalent to 64 UCAS points
• 12 months service as a special constable having achieved IPS
• 12 months service as a community support officer having passed probationary period

If you would like to complete the PCDA but do not meet all the requirements, a recruitment panel will consider your performance throughout the recruitment process, along with your education and any employment history – helping to select the right learner journey for you.

For our complete entry requirements including age and residency requirements, please refer to www.met.police.uk/pcpathways for latest details

When you have finished your apprenticeship, you will be awarded the degree BSc (Hons) Professional Policing Practice.