PSNI Recruitment Drive Launches

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched a fresh recruitment drive for a new intake of student officers.

The service hopes to take on as many as 600 trainees over the year, with applications open for the next three weeks.

Submissions from females, Catholics, young people, ethnic minorities and members of the LGBT+ community will be particularly welcomed.

Prospective new recruits must be aged 17 or over at the time of application and must have reached the age of 18 by the time they are appointed. Applicants can be no older than 57 years old.

Once the application stage is closed, applicants will be invited to sit an initial selection test before some are tasked to an assessment centre.

The recruitment process also includes vetting, physical competence assessments, medical and substance misuse tests and an online learning stage.

Candidates should have a minimum of five GCSEs or equivalent at grade A* - C, including English Language. The requirement to have a Maths GCSE has been removed for the 2020 recruitment phase.

Evidence of all academic achievements is required at application stage.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne encouraged those considering a career in the service to apply.

"Becoming a police officer gives you the opportunity to tackle crime, take criminals off our streets and keep our communities safe.

"I have been a police officer for 36 years and I have always loved it. It is a challenging and rewarding career where no two days are the same.

"As a police officer, you have a real opportunity to serve, protect and support your community. This is particularly true here in the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

"I want our Service to be representative of the communities we serve. It's important for sustaining public support and public confidence."

Successful applicants will undertake a 23 week training course at the Police College in Garnerville.

Chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board Professor Anne Connolly commented: "Policing offers many exciting roles and opportunities for promotion. So we are encouraging people who haven't considered policing as a career choice in the past, to take that first step and find out more about how to make policing their future."

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 25 February at 12 noon.



(JG/CM)