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Frequently asked questions

Appointing the most talented individuals is essential in helping us in the fight against crime and protecting our communities in North Yorkshire.

To help make your recruitment journey as easy and stress-free as possible, we’ve listed some frequently asked questions below to ensure you get all the information you need.

• Starting your career

  • Is a role at North Yorkshire Police right for me?

    North Yorkshire Police is responsible for policing England’s largest county of over 8,600 square kilometres – the area includes two national parks, cities, towns, villages and the stunning Yorkshire coast, all connected by 6,000 miles of roads from motorway to unclassified country lanes.

    North Yorkshire and the City of York are some of the safest areas in the country and have one of the lowest crime rates in England and Wales. The combined area has a population of around 800,000 which is boosted by millions of visitors who flock to the area to enjoy its natural beauty, culture and hospitality.

    We are a large organisation and offer opportunities for both Police Officers and Police Staff (including volunteers). We often look to recruit people with experience in Marketing, Finance, ICT, HR, Admin, Customer Service … to name just a few!

    If you are looking for a challenging yet rewarding career then North Yorkshire Police could be the right employer for you.

    Whether you’re a school leaver, a career returner, career changer or are looking to upskill you will always be supported – we are a family.

  • Am I eligible to join North Yorkshire Police?

    All candidates must meet the following criteria:

    • Applicants should be aged 18 or over
    • A British Citizen, an EC / EEA national or a Commonwealth citizen, or a foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the UK
    • Have had a minimum of 3 years continuous residency in the UK (some roles will require five years continuous residency), with less than 12 months spend abroad in the last three years (with some exceptions for those living on a UK military base). An individual who has spent a significant period of time overseas without returning to the UK, but with the intention of doing so in the future, such as an individual who takes a gap year prior to or following university or an individual who goes travelling for a year, is considered to have taken an extended holiday. As such, they will maintain residency in the UK and therefore be eligible for consideration under the Residency Criteria.
    • Every candidate will be subject to security vetting checks and your application may be withdrawn if you have a criminal offence. All declared offences will be judged on a case-by-case basis and if you are concerned that a past conviction may affect your application please contact HR to discuss.
    • If you have any outstanding County Court Judgments (CCJs), or declared bankrupt you will not be eligible to apply
    • We will contact your employers and character referee for a reference to cover a five year period.
    • Attendance of work is fundamental to the ability of NYP to effectively meet the needs of the community. Applicants will therefore need to provide information on sickness and absenteeism for the last 2 years.
    • You can still apply if you live outside the North Yorkshire area. However please consider how far you may have to travel as North Yorkshire Police will not pay for travel expenses outside the force area.

    For those applying to become a Police Officer you must also:

    • To undertake the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) you will need to have achieved a minimum of GCSE grade C / Level 2 in English Language and Mathematics prior to entry. To complete the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) you will need to have achieved an Honours Degree; Third Class and above.
    • Before you complete your training you will need to hold a relevant full driving licence allowing you to drive vehicles in the UK.
    • Applicants are not limited to any particular age group – in fact, we welcome those who are looking for a career change. The minimum age to apply is 18, and there is no upper age limit, though you should bear in mind that the normal retirement age for police constables and sergeants is 60. You should also be aware that all new recruits, whatever their age, are required to undertake a two-year probationary period.
    • Any tattoos that can be considered offensive or inappropriate may stop your application from progressing and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
    • A minimum standard of reaching level 5.4 on a 15 metre bleep test must be achieved in an endurance shuttle run. To become a Police Officer, your Body Mass Index must be under 30.
    • Special Constables – Not currently undertaking a restricted occupation (https://recruit.college.police.uk/Special/Documents/npia-01-20112835.pdf)
    • No specific qualifications are required to enable you to become a Special Constable.
    • You must be at least 18 years old to become a PCSO with North Yorkshire Police. There is no upper age limit.

  • What are the benefits to joining North Yorkshire Police?

    There’s something special about working for North Yorkshire Police. If you decide to join our policing family, you are able to access a fantastic range of benefits as listed below (some benefits are dependent on role, location and length of service). Here’s what you can expect:

    • Competitive salary
    • Local government pension scheme
    • Option to sign up for our Upbeat benefits scheme which gives you access to offers and discounts on a whole range of things – from holidays to shopping.
    • A focus on your continuous professional development which includes a structured Performance Development Review (PDR);
    • Unison (recognised Trade union)
    • Some roles offer flexible and agile working
    • Modern office environments across North Yorkshire
    • A well-established wellbeing programme ensuring that you are supported in everything you do – this includes our Welfare Services, Occupational Health team and staff support networks for underrepresented groups including our Race, Faith, Disability, Gender, LBGT and Neurodiversity networks;
    • Cycle to work scheme
    • The option to join a number of NYP Sports teams

  • Can I transfer from another force?

    Getting the balance of knowledge and experience right in our workforce is really important so for some roles we actively recruit transferees from other Forces*

    Click on our transferring to North Yorkshire Police page for upcoming opportunities, eligibility and the recruitment process for Transferees.

     

    *Does this include transfer applications from British Transport Police (BTP) Officers?

    Unfortunately, we can only accept Transferees from a Home Office force and don’t accept applicants from BTP.

  • What is positive action?

    Positive Action is about creating a level playing field and the same starting point for everyone.

    North Yorkshire Police aim to recruit talented people with as diverse a range of skills and experience we can, which can make a real difference to all the communities that we serve.

    Recruiting from the widest pool of people will mean we recruit individuals who can speak other languages, understand other cultural and minority groups, other lifestyles, religions and beliefs and are willing to use those skills to the benefit of the community and the organisation.  A more diverse workforce will build trust and confidence across communities, will improve engagement and sharing of information and provide both officers and staff with the skills to deliver a more confident and professional service.

    North Yorkshire Police is currently under-represented from black and minority ethnic backgrounds including Eastern European and Chinese communities, from those with disability, from women and from the LGBTQ+ communities.

    We are very keen to encourage applications from these groups and to support them through every stage of the process.

    For more details about our ongoing commitment to positive action click here.

  • Where will I be based?

    Police Officer roles cover the whole of North Yorkshire; from Skipton to Scarborough, York to Harrogate.

    Our HQ is in Northallerton, our Force Control Room is in York and we also have police stations and offices across the county.

     

     

  • Does North Yorkshire Police offer work placements?

    Unfortunately at the moment North Yorkshire Police do not currently provide individual work experience placements, for health & safety and security reasons. If we are able to offer placements in the future further updates would be announced on our website and social media channels.

  • Does North Yorkshire Police offer any graduate schemes?

    At the moment we don’t offer any Graduate schemes for Staff roles but may do in the future. Please sign up for job alerts here.

    At the moment for Officers, we are running the PCDA (Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship) program, the first intake is due to be June 2020.

    We’ll be running the DHEP (Degree Holder Entry Programme) in 2021.

  • I’ve already studied Policing at University – is this the same?

    The new pre-join degree in Professional Policing is based upon a brand new College of Policing licensed curriculum.

    As such your degree in policing might have covered some areas of legislation and practice but not everything will have been covered.

    We would sign post you to undertake the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) to ensure all aspects of the curriculum are covered, although some of your learning already gained would likely be eligible for Recognised Prior Learning and may reduce the amount of learning you need to undertake.

  • Do I need a Driving License to apply?

    You must hold a full manual UK driving license for Police Constable and PCSO roles (candidates must not have more than 6 penalty points from within the last 5 years). Some Staff roles will require a driving license, which will be specified in the vacancy advert. A driving license isn’t mandatory for Special Constables but is advantageous.

  • If I have a disability can I apply to become a Police Officer?

    North Yorkshire Police welcomes applications from people with disabilities as defined by the Equality Act 2010. If you consider yourself to have a disability, please inform us of the type of reasonable adjustments you might need to assist you in participating in the recruitment and selection process. North Yorkshire Police will make relevant reasonable adjustments as required.

  • Can I apply if I’m ex-military?

    Yes, you can apply if you are ex-military, even if you have a pension. You just need to be retired or be working through your resettlement.

  • Can I apply if I have recently lived abroad?

    North Yorkshire Police adhere to the recommendations of the ACPO Vetting Policy which states that individuals require a minimum residency of three years to be vetted for RV clearance (five years for MV clearance). Where an individual has resided abroad whilst serving in the British Armed Forces or on UK Government Service, they are considered to have been resident in the UK.

• Applying to join us

  • What is the process?

    What’s the process? It all depends on the role.

    So before you start to complete your application, take a look at the application guidance, and for roles such as Police Officer, PSCO and Specials, have a look at the specific pages for these roles.

    Once you have completed your application be sure to check into the Applicant Tracking system to keep a track of your progress and read our hints and tips on how to be the best you can be in your interviews with us. For some roles applicants will be invited to attend familiarisation events or workshops prior to interview so you know what to expect.

    Summary of process

    Application ➡️ Assessment (e.g. Interview) ➡️ Pre-employment checks ➡️ Offer and Contract – Start with NYP

  • What are strengths based interviews?

    The main aim of a Strengths Based Interview (SBI) is to find out if a candidate has the natural strengths needed for the role in question.

    The theory is that by identifying your strengths and matching them to the role you’ll be happier in your work, perform better, learn quicker and stay with us for longer.

    Unlike competency-based interviews, strengths interviews are more personal and allow us to gain a genuine insight into your personality and to see whether you’d be a good fit with us. They also allow you, as the interviewee, to be selected on the basis of your natural abilities.

    Here are some examples of strength-based interview questions:

    • What do you like to do in your spare time?
    • What energises you?
    • How would your close friends describe you?
    • Do you most like starting tasks or finishing them?
    • Do you prefer the big picture or the small details?
    • Describe a successful day. What made it successful?
    • What are you good at?
    • What are your weaknesses?
    • What did you enjoy studying at school or university?
    • When did you achieve something you’re really proud of?
    • What do you enjoy doing the least?
    • Do you find there are enough hours in the day to complete your to-do list?
    • What tasks are always left on your to-do list?
    • How do you stay motivated?
    • How do you feel about deadlines?
    • Have you ever done something differently the second time around?
    • Do you think this role will play to your strengths?

  • Will I have to submit a CV?

    Some roles will require a CV submission, others will be an application form. Please take you time to answer all questions accurately and honestly.

     

     

  • I am having problems with my application form, what should I do?

    Please contact our recruitment team by emailing HRTalent&Resourcing@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or call 01609 643522.

  • What do I need to bring for interview?

    We require 2 forms of identification, which will be taken and verified at interview. You are also required to bring a passport style photo to the interview with you. This will ensure there are no delays with your vetting if you successful after interview.

    Suitable forms of identification include; Passport, Driving License, Original UK Birth Certificate, Utility Bill (gas, electric, satellite television, landline phone bill) issued within the last 3 months (mobile phone bills are not accepted).

  • I’ve applied for a role and not had an update?

    The Talent and Resourcing team aim to provide regular updates throughout the application process. You will be able to access status updates via your online application. Also, please check you inbox and junk mailbox for updates.

  • Will I have to do a fitness test?

    No fitness test is required for Staff role.  Police Constable, PCSO and Special Constables will undertake a fitness test prior to successful appointment. The fitness test is similar to the bleep test.

     

• Next steps

  • I’ve been offered the job, what next?

    We verify identification at interview stage, then conduct vetting and reference checks. Some roles will also have medical and biometric appointments and fitness tests.

    Vetting checks

    We will carry out internal and external vetting checks on you and your spouse/partner, members of your family including step-parents, step brothers and sisters and half brothers and sisters. We will also check your partner’s children if they are aged over 10 years and any other adults who reside at your address.

    Financial checks will also be carried out on all candidates. Those with outstanding County Court Judgements (CCJs), Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVAs) or who have been registered bankrupt will be rejected. If you have discharged bankruptcy debts, you will need verification from the court of this and three years must have lapsed since the date of discharge.

    Applicants must have UK residency for the last 3 years (some roles 5 years).

    References

    We will seek references from each of your previous employers for the last 5 years. Any gaps in employment will need to be explained and verified.

    If you have not been in employment, we will ask for a character reference or an educational reference.

    Medical Appointments

    A medical assessment is required for some roles. Prior to your appointment you will need to complete a set of forms which may require visits to your opticians and GP to obtain information. Attendance at work is fundamental to the ability of NYP to effectively meet the needs of the community. Applicants will therefore need to provide information on sickness and absenteeism for the last 2 years.

    Once all the pre-employment checks are completed as satisfactory you will receive your offer letter and contract. Prior to your first day you will receive a welcome email from the Talent and Resourcing team detailing what to expect on your first day and some background information on NYP.

    Timeframes

    Our Talent & Resourcing team will keep you updated throughout the process. For some roles pre-employment checks can take up to 2 months to complete, but we will aim to complete as quickly as possible.

    For those applying to become a Police Officer:

    We have pre-determined start dates across the year. Our Talent & Resourcing team will need your support in ensuring we complete all the relevant pre-employment checks. Please therefore ensure you have availability to attend appointments such as medical, fitness and uniform fittings.

• Key recruitment dates

  Click here to see our latest job vacancies.

  Over the next year, we will be recruiting Police Officers and PCSOs. To be the first to find out when recruitment is open please click on the relevant links below to register your interest.

  • Register your interest for our Police Officer recruitment
  • Register your interest for our PCSO recruitment
  • Register your interest for Staff roles

  You can also sign up for job alerts here.

• How do I contact North Yorkshire Police about my application?

  Everything you need to know about the joining North Yorkshire Police should be available to find on this page. If you still have questions then you can email our dedicated recruitment team at HRTalent&Resourcing@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or on 01609 643522.