Would you like a career like no other? If so… JoinUs
South Wales Police brings together thousands of people with the same aim – to keep South Wales safe.
We want to be the best at understanding and responding to our community’s needs. To do this we need the very best candidates from a wide range of backgrounds to become part of our policing family.
A career in policing demands skill, compassion, leadership, initiative, and a genuine desire to make a difference to society. We work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across an area of about 800 square miles from Swansea to Merthyr Tydfil to our capital city, Cardiff. It’s a job but where no two days are the same – and it offers a variety of fulfilling and exciting career.
The role can be challenging, and you will need to be resilient and resourceful, but we are here to support you. You will need to be committed to a journey that requires balancing academic requirements and a new role within a 24/7 policing service. It is a job like no other and we are looking for people with diverse skills and experiences to join our successful team.
There are now more options than ever to become a Police Officer in #TeamSWP:
Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP)
South Wales Police is offering a fourth non-degree entry route called the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP).
To be eligible for this route, candidates must have three years allied experience within the last five years from the date of application in one of the following sectors: -
- Criminal justice sector/CPS/courts/ Probation
- Border forces
- Armed forces
- Prison service
- Customer Service
- Emergency services
- Fire
- Ambulance
- Special Constable
- Police Community Support Officer
- Custody Detention Officers
- Coast Guard
- Public Service Centre
- Cyber/digital and financial fraud/crimes
- Specialist roles in banking and financial sector
- Digital Investigations
- Specialist investigative roles within the policing sector
- Health and Social Care sectors
- Social work
- Youth work
- Social care work
- Justice and law enforcement
- Local Authority experience involving close working relationships with police
In addition, you will need to have already achieved a GCSE Grade A-C in English and Maths, or a Level 2 Equivalent in these subjects. If you do not hold this qualification, you will need to complete an online English and Maths competency-based assessment.
The aim of the PCEP route is to provide skills and knowledge needed to give those on the route ‘the best possible start to your career in policing’. The programme uses operational, common-sense policing that will give officers the tools they need.
The route is a Level 5, non-accredited learning programme that combines theoretical and work-based learning delivered internally by South Wales Police. The duration of the programme is 2 years and officers will not achieve any qualification at the end of their probationary period although there is an option to accredit in year 3 if eligible.
The starting salary is £31,164. Further information on the numerous benefits to working for South Wales Police available using the following link: -
Pay, Benefits and Rewards
If successful in your application, you will receive the highest level of training and support, and you can expect excellent career prospect and benefits.
Your first 6 months will be spent in Initial Training based at the Police Learning Centre (Ty Morgannwg), South Wales Police Headquarters, Bridgend, where you will be trained in legislation, South Wales Police policies / procedures and essential policing skills, such as Personal Safety Training and First Aid. Throughout the 6 months Initial Training Phase, you will be regularly assessed in relation to your legislative knowledge and practical policing skills, which you will be required to successfully pass to continue your training into your Tutorship Phase.
Within your Tutorship Phase you will be deployed to a uniform response team, where you will be paired with and learn from an accredited tutor until you achieve Independent Patrol Status at the end of year one of your PCEP Programme by successful completion of your year 1 Occupational Competency Portfolio. The shift pattern you will follow during your Tutorship Phase will be a rotating shift pattern of days (0700-1700), onto afternoons (1500-2300 or 1600-0300 on Friday / Saturday) and onto nights (2200-0700), across 7 days of the week followed by 4 rest days. This will include Public Holidays.
During year 2 of your PCEP Programme, you will be required to return to the Police Learning Centre (Ty Morgannwg), to continue with your level 5 training programme to undertake further legislative learning / training and assessments.
During your 2-year probationary period, you will continue to be required to evidence your operational competence by dealing with a variety of different Police incidents and by the end of year 2 have successfully completed your Occupational Competency Portfolio.
Applicants must successfully achieve both the operational and the academic elements of the programme to be retained past your probationary period.
We will be holding our assessment centre between 06/08/2026 - 13/08/2026, there are no alternative dates for this campaign.
All applicants need to meet the Eligibility criteria for the role of police constable which is set in the attached Pre-employment Guidance.
South Wales Police encourages individuals from under-represented groups to join so we can achieve a workforce representative of the communities we serve. For more information, please contact PostiveAction@south-wales.police.uk
Think you’ve got what it takes? Here’s what else you need to know.
The applications process will close at 12 noon on 14th July 2026. Please note the response for this advert is anticipated to be high and South Wales Police reserves the right to close early when we receive sufficient applications. Only completed applications will be accepted at that point, therefore applicants should consider this, and early completion and full submission is advised.
Please note our current vacancies are within Cardiff and Vale and Mid Glamorgan sectors, please see attached map. As a result, we may prioritise applications from those areas as required.
As part of the application process will be invited to compete the national sift, please note this needs to be completed within 7 days of your invitation or by the closing time/date of the advert whichever is the soonest. Please also note the online tests may not be compatible with handheld devices e.g. tablet or mobile phone so must be completed on a desktop/Laptop computer. It is also advisable to register and complete the application process on the same device to avoid compatibility issues.
Applicants requiring reasonable adjustments for the assessment centre must be able to provide evidence to support the request at the time of application. Applicants enquiring about additional reasonable adjustments should do so via the HR Recruitment team (email as below).
All prospective police officers will be required to participate in Biometric Vetting e.g., to provide samples of fingerprints.
Candidates who are successful at the eligibility-sift stage will be invited to attend a fitness test session we will provide you with more detail closer to the time but please view the following link in relation to the national standard: -
Prepare for the police fitness test
South Wales Police reserves the right to restrict the candidate numbers attending the assessment centre and subsequent intake numbers in line with organisational requirement.
Please note the assessment centre is part of the national recruitment standards set by the College of Policing. Please refer to our website for full details about what the role entails, eligibility criteria, the application process and answers many of the frequently asked questions you may have.
More information is available by entering the attached link: -
College of Policing Assessments
If you have any questions or need additional support don’t hesitate to contact us at HR-Policeofficercampaigns@south-wales.police.uk or call 01656 869225.
Opening hours for queries are Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am – 4.30pm.
Don’t miss this excellent opportunity, apply today and join #TeamSWP
