GUIDE TO BECOMING A
Fast-Track Detective
Have a career which matters.
surrey.police.uk/jobs
GUIDE TO BECOMING A
FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE
Being a detective is demanding, diverse and incredibly fulflling.
From cyber-crime, domestic abuse and child protection,
through to homicide, high level drugs importation and serious
organised crime; you will help solve some of the most serious
crimes possible. Analysing the evidence, interviewing suspects,
taking a case to court – you will uncover the truth and seek
justice for victims.
This guide aims to provide you with all you need to know
about the role, the recruitment process and to answer the more
commonly asked questions we receive.
1. BEING A DETECTIVE
2. ELIGIBILITY
3. APPLICATION PROCESS
4. WHERE YOU WILL WORK
5. CONCERNED ABOUT APPLYING?
6. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
1. BEING A DETECTIVE
As a detective, it is your job to uncover the truth. • Interviewing suspects
• Liaising with partner agencies i.e. courts,
You will manage and conduct complex
schools, social care and health teams
investigations which require you to talk to
• Participating in and/or conducting raids,
witnesses, analyse evidence and build trust with
searches and arrests
those around you. You could be working in Major
Crime dealing with homicides, Public Protection • Preparing and submitting case papers and
as part of a safeguarding investigations unit, evidential fles
POLIT or cyber-crime; protecting our most • Working with crime scene investigators,
vulnerable from abuse and/exploitation. You may search, local prevention teams and media,
fnd yourself in Serious Organised Crime, tackling among others, making a diference, together.
high-level drugs importation and dealing, or as
part of our Intelligence and Investigations teams; You’ll work closely with your uniformed
solving some of the most serious crimes possible. colleagues and while it’s not always like what
you see on the TV, you will deal with some
Typical duties involve: interesting and challenging situations. You’ll
need compassion to build relationships and
• Acting as the point of contact for victims
the tenacity to see a case through from start
of crime; seeking justice for them
to fnish – from the crime scene to the court
• Analysing and interpreting data, examining where through your investigation, justice could
records and documents be served. The desire to seek results for victims
• Attending court, providing evidence and and the emotional resilience to keep calm, yet
waiting for the verdict confdent are also critical. We’re looking for the
• Handling forensic material and dealing problem-solvers, the curious, the observers and
with its submission the ones with dogged determination.
• Identifying witnesses and obtaining If that’s you, then an detective career could
statements be for you…
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2. ELIGIBILITY
To apply for the role, you will need to meet our eligibility • Have lived in the UK for three continuous
years, immediately prior to application.
criteria:
• Have leave to enter or leave to remain and
• Have successfully completed, and be able to
work in the UK for an indefnite period.
evidence, a UK undergraduate honours degree
(360 credits) in any subject. Applicants with • Have a full UK manual driving licence (by the
non – UK degrees can be considered if their time of appointment) and not more than six
degree is recognised as equivalent by UK penalty points.
NARIC but will need to provide evidence of • Not be a member of the British National Party
an acceptable English language qualifcation (BNP) or other relevant organisations, such as
if their degree was not taught and assessed in Combat 18 or the National Front.
English. • Not have tattoos which could cause ofence.
• Be aged 18 years or over (on the day you • Not have served a prison sentence.
submit your application).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I don’t have a degree… Can I apply without a driving licence?
Unfortunately you can only join the fast-track
Yes, as you do not need a driving licence to
detective development programme if you are
apply. However you will need to hold a full UK
able to evidence completion of a UK or non-UK
manual driving licence in order for us to ofer
degree. If you do not have a degree, why not
you a start date so start taking those lessons!
consider joining our police constable degree
apprenticeship (PCDA) or police community I have motoring ofences…
support ofcer apprenticeship (PCSOA). We assess motoring ofences on an individual
basis. However, if you have more than six
I think I’m too old to apply…
penalty points within three years prior to the
The typical retirement age for police ofcers
application date then you will not be eligible
is 60. Therefore the upper age limit for a
to apply to join Surrey Police as a learner
successful applicant to start training would
detective.
be 56 due to the time it takes to go through
the application process and the required If I have a disability, can I still apply?
probationary periods for the fast-track Yes. We welcome applications from people
detective development programme. We ask with disabilities. If you consider yourself to
people to declare if they are 56 or over to have a disability, please inform us within your
ensure there is a reasonable chance for them application form of the type of reasonable
to complete the recruitment and probationary adjustments you might need to assist you in
period before reaching normal retirement age. participating in the recruitment and selection
process. We will make these wherever we can.
I’m not a British Citizen, can I still apply?
You can as long as you are an EEA national or Is there a height restriction?
a Swiss national. Commonwealth citizens and No, there is no minimum or maximum height
foreign nationals are required to have leave restriction.
to enter or leave to remain in the UK for an
indefnite period and unrestricted permission to
work in the UK.
04 | GUIDE TO BEING A FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE surrey.police.uk/jobs
3. APPLICATION PROCESS
To ensure we recruit the very best, we adopt a five-stage recruitment process for our fast-track detectives.
Because of this, the average time from application to appointment is between eight to 10 months.
Stage one: application form. Stage fve: pre-employment checks including
Stage two: online assessments. medical, vetting, bio-metric vetting, substance
Stage three: national assessment centre. misuse testing and a ftness test.
Stage four: in-force interviews at the Surrey For more detail, visit the Surrey Police careers
Police Headquarters in Guildford, Surrey and website - surrey.police.uk/jobs
detective assessments.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ASSESSMENT RELATED MEDICAL RELATED
Do you use SEARCH or Day One for the I have a medical condition, is that an issue?
national assessment? If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you
We use the Day One Assessment Centre which can still apply. You will need to pass the medical
is held in Reading. Here you’ll undertake an assessment to be eligible to join Surrey Police,
immersive experience which places you as but reasonable adjustments can be made. We
a police ofcer on the frst day of your new also look at each case on its merits and take
team. You’ll complete a number of exercises guidance from our occupational health team.
based upon realistic policing scenarios. More Your doctor may be asked to supply a medical
information can be found here. report for clarifcation.
I applied to another force but was What does the medical involve?
unsuccessful… You will be asked to complete a confdential
If, in the past three months, you’ve applied medical history questionnaire which has been
unsuccessfully to another police force or service signed of by your GP. Depending on your
in England and Wales which requires candidates medical history, our occupational health team
to undertake the Police Assessment Centre, your may have to contact your GP or specialist for
application will not be accepted. further information. Our occupational health
team will also see you for a formal medical where
I already have an application in to become a
they will check your BMI, eye sight, colour vision,
Surrey Police ofcer, can I apply to both?
lung function and hearing.
Unfortunately not. However, if would like to
apply for the fast-track detective development What is the lung function level?
programme instead, please contact resourcing@ It is dependent on clinical judgment but, as
surrey.pnn.police.uk to discuss your options. a guide, the occupational health team uses,
according to normal graphs based on age, sex
I have recently passed the National
and height, 75% of predicted for forced vital
Assessment Centre while applying to join
capacity (the determination of the vital capacity
another force. Can these results be used in
from a maximally forced expiratory efort) and
my application to Surrey Police?
FEV1 (volume that has been exhaled at the end
Yes, as long as you undertook the full SEARCH or
of the frst second of forced expiration).
Day One assessment, reached our required pass
mark and have passed in the last 24 months. I wear glasses/contact lenses…
There is no longer an unaided eyesight
You can also by-pass the online tests and be put
requirement however as part of the recruitment
through to the in-house force interview. If you
process you will be required to undergo an eye
wish to transfer results, please contact :
test. For distance vision, you must have at least
resourcing@surrey.pnn.police.uk
05 | GUIDE TO BEING A FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE surrey.police.uk/jobs
3. APPLICATION PROCESS (CONTINUED)
6/12 vision in the right or left eye with or without VETTING RELATED
glasses or contact lenses or at least 6/6 in both
What does vetting mean?
eyes with or without contact lenses. For near
We will carry out security checks on you and
vision, you must have 6/9 with both eyes with or
your:
without glasses or contact lenses
• Spouse/partner
I am colour blind…
• Father/stepfather/mother’s partner
Those with colour blindness may be restricted
• Mother/stepmother/father’s partner
from fulflling certain posts, such as roads policing
ofcer or frearms ofcer. Unfortunately, if your • Brothers/sisters (full/half/step)
colour blindness is monochrome you are not • Children/children of your partner (only those
eligible to apply. aged 10 years and over)
What if I have hearing issues? • Any other adult living at your address
The hearing standard required is hearing loss of • Financial circumstances
more than a total of 84 dB over the 0.5 – 1.2 KHz • Social media accounts.
range or more than a total of 123 dB over the 3.4
and 6 KHz range. The routine medical includes a I have a relative who has convictions…
hearing test to determine if this standard is met. If your friends or family members have criminal
convictions, you must disclose this when asked on
What does substance misuse testing entail? your vetting application. Your application will not
We will invite you in to attend an appointment be automatically rejected and consideration will
where we will collect a sample of hair – be given on a case-by-case basis.
approximately 50 to 100 strands from the
crown of the head – to test for the presence of Can I still apply if I have a criminal record?
inappropriate substances. Applications will be rejected in all cases where:
Ofences were committed as an adult or juvenile
Is there a specifc weight / BMI I need to be?
which resulted in a prison sentence (including
People who are overweight are more likely to
custodial, suspended or deferred sentence
struggle with the ftness test, and to get knee
and sentences served at a young ofenders’
pain and other problems that make it hard for
institution or community home) or the applicant
them while on patrol. Underweight people can be
is a registered sex ofender or is subject to a
short of muscle bulk so they are also more likely
registration requirement in respect of any other
to fail. Your BMI, which is calculated from your
conviction.
height and weight, needs to be in the healthy to
overweight range. If your BMI is above 32 you will For all other convictions or cautions, there is
not be accepted unless your body fat is less than a rebuttable presumption that they should be
30% for men or 36% for women. If it is likely you rejected.
will need several months to lose the weight/body
In particular, the following would result in
fat required, your application will be rejected on
rejection: ofences where vulnerable people
medical grounds. It is never too soon to review
were targeted; ofences motivated by hate or
your lifestyle, so make sure that you have a
discrimination; domestic abuse ofences.
healthy diet and take regular exercise.
Although the rebuttable presumption is that these
I’m nervous about the ftness test…
should lead to rejection, there will be cases where
We understand that some people may feel
this may be disproportionate in the circumstances.
nervous when it comes to the ftness test,
For instance, where the ofence was committed as
however you don’t need to be a professional
a juvenile, it was not serious and the individual has
athlete to succeed. Click here for more
demonstrated a commitment to help individuals
information.
or communities in the subsequent years. In these
cases, vetting acceptable may be justifed.
06 | GUIDE TO BEING A FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE surrey.police.uk/jobs
3. APPLICATION PROCESS (CONTINUED)
Do I have to declare if I was arrested but not is an IVA repayment plan in place and that you’ve
charged? maintained regular payments over a signifcant
Yes. You must declare if you have ever been number of months.
subject to a criminal investigation whether or not
Can I continue with my other business?
this led to a prosecution. Failure to make such
You must declare any other employment for
declarations will lead to your application
hire or gain or any other business interests that
being rejected.
you intend to maintain. A decision on whether
I’ve been bankrupt… it is considered that your business interests
You can still apply but only if it is three years after are compatible with performing the role of
bankruptcy debts have been discharged. police ofcer will be made on the basis of the
information you provide during application.
How about County Court Judgments (CCJ)?
If the judgment has been discharged then Do you ask for references?
you can be considered however if you have We may send reference requests to all your
an existing judgment your application will be previous employers in the past three years. If you
unsuccessful. haven’t been employed for three years, we may
ask for a character reference or an educational
I have an Independent Voluntary Agreement
reference.
(IVA)…
Applicants with current IVAs will be considered.
However, you will be required to show that there
07 | GUIDE TO BEING A FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE surrey.police.uk/jobs
4. WHERE YOU WILL WORK
By successfully completing the recruitment policing teams, to PIP2 level ofences such
process, you will be one of the frst people in as robbery, serious assaults, drugs death
the county to join Surrey Police as a fast-track investigations, frauds and drug supply ofences.
detective. CID teams also
Initially, you will be employed as a police lead the majority of domestic abuse investigations
ofcer, gaining valuable experience of the role where the risk identifed is either standard or
while studying towards your accreditation medium risk. They will also investigate hate crimes,
as a detective and your graduate diploma in indecent images, and certain non-penetrative
professional policing practice. sexual ofences which do not fall within the public
protection remit.
Training will initially be at Surrey Police
Headquarters in Guildford, where you will gain PUBLIC PROTECTION – SAFEGUARDING
the fundamental skills and knowledge you need INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
to succeed. You will then be posted to a division
Public Protection work closely with partners
where you will spend a short period of time
and other Surrey Police teams to protect both
working within our Neighbourhood Policing
children and adults who are vulnerable.
Teams. Following this you will then work in either
This department also has strategic force
Investigations or within one of our Safeguarding
responsibility for the management of some of
Investigations Units. Here you’ll apply what
the most dangerous ofenders in Surrey. The
you have learnt and, with the support of your
department is made up of the following teams:
coaching and development ofcer, take on your
frst cases. • Safeguarding Investigation Units (SIU)
• Police Single Point of Access (PSPA)
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
• Sexual Ofences Investigation Teams (SOIT)
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) teams • Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT)
are allocated a broad spectrum of PIP2 crime.
• Violent Sex Ofender Register Team (ViSOR)
This ranges from PIP1 volume crime outside of the
seven crime types investigated by neighbourhood • Complex Abuse Unit (CAU)
• Strategic Safeguarding Unit
08 | GUIDE TO BEING A FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE surrey.police.uk/jobs
4. WHERE YOU WILL WORK (CONTINUED)
When you frst join Public Protection, you will SIUs also work closely with partner agencies
be assigned to a divisional SIU. SIUs have the through the Police Single Point of Access (PSPA).
following investigative remit with regards to both
children and adults; PROGRESSION
• Any rape or penetrative serious sexual Once you are accredited as a detective, there’s
ofences plenty of opportunity to progress.
• Sexual assault where the ofence is considered
particularly serious or has aggravating factors You can work in a range of investigative
departments in addition to divisional
• Sudden and unexpected deaths of children
investigations and safeguarding investigation
(up to and including 17 years old)
units; including major crime, serious and
• Child protection ofences requiring a multi- organised crime, cyber-crime and economic
agency response to protect the child crime. You can also choose to progress through
• Review of any child or adult safeguarding the ranks within the investigative feld.
referral, and attendance at subsequent
meetings If you wish to progress we encourage you to
frst speak with your line manager. To ensure
• Domestic abuse ofences identifed as high
you’re ready for progression, we will support you
risk from the domestic abuse, stalking, and
with ongoing training, as part of your continued
harrassment (DASH) assessment
professional development, and specialist training
• Adult protection ofences that are an abuse (where required). If you’d like to know more
of position of trust such as those committed about the career pathway, further information can
by carer, hospital worker, or care home worker be found here.
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Child abuse, neglect or cruelty ofences for
which SIU have accredited Specialist Child
Abuse Investigator Development Programme
(SCAIDIP) trained ofcers
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5. CONCERNED ABOUT APPLYING?
You’d like to apply but something’s holding you back… to be able to run at a good pace for around four
minutes over a distance of about 700 metres. The
Application process required pass level is 5.4 which means completion
We appreciate that the application process is of fve levels and four shuttles. The College of
lengthy. However, it’s this rigorous approach Policing ofers additional guidance which can be
which ensures we select people who will make seen here.
great detectives. If you fail the test you will be given the
Diversity opportunity to re-take it twice more as part of the
We are committed to promoting equality and recruitment process. Should you fail both of these,
respect for diversity in the way we serve Surrey your application will be rejected.
in delivering policing and also as an employer. Perceptions
We welcome applications from everyone in the Policing faces both positive and negative
community; particularly people from black, Asian perceptions. As a force, we subscribe to the
and minority ethnic (BAME) and white other highest ethics and request our people to do
backgrounds. We also encourage applications the same. The majority of our ofcers and staf
from women, the LGBT community and people demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism,
with disabilities. integrity and standards. By joining us, we will
Fitness expect you to also demonstrate these values and
While we don’t expect you to be a professional help us improve confdence in policing generally.
athlete, we do require a reasonable level of ftness Potential danger
to become a detective. You will need to complete With policing, you cannot predict what you will
the ftness test as part of your application, again respond to and sometimes this does mean putting
as part of your initial training and on an annual people into challenging situations. However,
basis once as an ofcer. through our in-depth training and ongoing
We test endurance through a ftness shuttle support you will be well prepared to deal with
commonly known as the ‘Bleep Test’. A good whatever you are faced with. You’re also not
indicator of the ftness level needed for this test is alone – we are a team and will always have each
other’s backs.
10 | GUIDE TO BEING A FAST-TRACK DETECTIVE surrey.police.uk/jobs
5. CONCERNED ABOUT APPLYING? (CONTINUED)
Tattoos Working hours
Having tattoos will not necessarily stop you The normal working week is 40 hours in shifts that
becoming a detective however if they are visible cover 24/7 on a rotational pattern of 2 earlies,
you may be required to cover them up, for 2 lates, 2 nights and 4 days of and does include
example by wearing long sleeves. evenings, weekends and bank holidays. All shifts
are available in advance, meaning you will always
If you have visible tattoos on your head, neck,
know when you will be working and we always try
hands or arms then you will need to make a
to accommodate staf requests, as long as they ft
declaration within the eligibility section of the
in with operational demands.
application form and attach two digital pictures
of each tattoo (one distance photograph clearly We also recognise the benefts of fexible working
showing where on the body the tattoo is located, and are committed to equality of opportunity
and a second close-up photograph). These will and the promotion of work-life balance. We will
be viewed individually and your application will support opportunities for fexible working within
be rejected or progressed based on their content the organisation where practical and suitable
and coverage. Tattoos that are on the face, or to promote a work-life balance and enable the
are perceived to be aggressive, ofensive or not recruitment and retention of a workforce which
representative of our values may also cause the is representative of the diverse communities we
application to be unsuccessful. serve. We aim to ofer part-time options and are
currently reviewing how this can be done, both
during training and when on section.
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ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
If you have any other questions, or would like
to know more about the role and /or Surrey Police
please contact the recruitment team on
resourcing@surrey.pnn.police.uk who will be happy
to arrange a conversation with you.
If your application has been successfully submitted,
you will receive an email confrming it has been
received and providing your candidate ID. If you do
not receive a notifcation, please check your spam/
junk folder before emailing the recruitment team,
providing them with your full name, telephone
number and the date you submitted
your application.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING
YOUR APPLICATION.
