Live Life Team
A police officer needs to be physically fit, calm under pressure and able to deal with fairly nasty situations.
There are many branches of the police that you can progress to. However, all police start in the same way; they start at the bottom and work their way up. However, it is always worth having an idea of where you may want to end up: do you see yourself as a traffic cop, A dog handler, Or maybe a beat cop is what you aspire to be.
In the UK, there are no formal educational qualifications required to join the police. However, you will need to meet a series of criteria before you can even think about applying, and then if selected to go further in the recruitment process you will be put through a series of tests, including the all important fitness tests.
You must be 18 before you can even think about applying, and you must meet the minimum height standard and eyesight standard. You should not have a criminal record, as this will severely hinder your progress through the application procedure and ultimate chance of success. However, there is a possibility that minor (and they do mean ‘minor’) offences would be overlooked, but a clean record is best. You also have to be financially stable, not in massive debt or declared bankrupt, so you may need to take some time to sort yourself out financially before you apply.
