Following the pre-application questionnaire, you’ll be invited to fill in the online police inspector application form. As you might have guessed, this will be an application form that requires you to enter extensive personal details, as well as answering a series of competency-based questions.
The police inspector application form is an extremely important stage, so you need to take it seriously. This is your first point of contact/chance to create a first impression, so make it count! It’s a good idea to study the eligibility criteria before you fill in this form. That way, you’ll know if your personal details and background match against the core requirements for the role. In this chapter, we’ll give you a run through of exactly what you’ll encounter in the Police Inspector application form, and how to answer the competency-based questions!
Police Inspector Application Form
These are the personal details you will need to supply:
Title –
First name –
Surname –
Middle name –
DOB –
Town and country of birth –
Nationality –
Sex –
Ethnic Origin –
National Insurance Number –
Address Line 1 –
Address Line 2 –
(Is this your current address? Yes/No)
Town/City –
County –
Postcode –
Country –
Home telephone number –
Mobile telephone number –
Mobile country code –
Email address (Please note that this email will be used for all application correspondence, therefore it is essential that you provide us with an email which you can regularly access.) –
Driving licence number and category –
Station of Preference
The following forces are all participating in the Direct Entry Inspector Programme. In order of preference, please rank these forces, with number 1 being your preferred choice. If there are any forces from which you would like to categorically exclude yourself from working, please select N/A.
*Please note that in order to be considered for Gwent, you must be able to speak Welsh to a Level 2 standard. In order to join the Metropolitan Police, you must be able to meet the London residency criteria.
• Cleveland
• Derbyshire
• Dorset
• Gloucestershire
• Greater Manchester
• Gwent
• Hampshire
• Humberside and South Yorkshire
• Lancashire
• Metropolitan Police
• North Wales
• Northamptonshire
• Northumbria
• Suffolk
• Thames Valley
• Warwickshire and West Mercia
• West Midlands
• West Yorkshire
Further Eligibility Questions
Can you confirm that you meet the nationality requirements that are expected of an applicant to this course?
Yes/No
Have you resided in the United Kingdom for a continuous period, for 3 years prior to your application?
Yes/No
Have you ever been convicted for an offence, or received a formal caution by the police? This includes any bind-overs which have been imposed by a court of law, traffic convictions, motoring or disorder penalties, anti-social behaviour orders, appearances before a court martial and any juvenile cautions.
Yes/No
Are you the subject of any impending prosecutions?
Yes/No
Have you ever been involved in a criminal investigation, or been associated with criminal individuals?
Yes/No
Do you have any tattoos, which could be deemed offensive or contradictory to the police regulations on tattoos/body ink?
Yes/No
Are you currently or have you ever been a member of the British National Party, Combat 18 or the National Front?
Yes/No
Do you currently play an active role in politics?
Yes/No
Do you, your partner or any relatives currently participate in any business activities, which could prevent or cause problems with your application?
Yes/No
Have you been declared bankrupt during the three years prior to this application?
Yes/No
Are you the subject of an ongoing Individual Voluntary Arrangement, or are there currently any existing Country Court judgements against your name?
Yes/No
Competency-Based Questions
Along with the above eligibility questions, you may also be asked to provide details of previous employment, and your education. Following this, you’ll need to answer the competency-based questions.
Competency-based questions are a series of questions that are designed to test how well you understand and have researched the core requirements of the police. As we’ve mentioned, the competencies are extremely important, and therefore it’s no surprise that you are being tested on them even at this early stage. Although it’s obviously essential that you can meet the core eligibility requirements, this is also your first chance to create a great impression with the assessors, and show them that you are the right person for the role.
Don’t be surprised if you are expected to answer several questions on these topics. For example, you might be asked a question focusing around leadership. Leadership isn’t a core competency of the role, but it does fall under almost every single one of the competencies, and is something that will expected of you when working as a police inspector. Likewise, you could be asked questions focusing around qualities such as organisation, teamwork, resilience or financial awareness. Make sure that before you complete the application form, you have read through the requirements of an inspector thoroughly, so that you won’t be blindsided by anything on there.
Now, let’s look at a sample competency-based question:
Q1. In 200 words or less, describe how impartiality is integral to the role of a police inspector.
How To Answer
As you might have noticed, this question requires you to answer in 200 words or less. This is standard practice for many police application forms, including the police inspector application form. Although the inspector form won’t always ask you to do this (depending on the year that you are applying) there is a good chance that you will need to provide short and succinct answers to these questions, so be prepared! When you answer this question, remember not to just ‘answer the question’.
Along with explaining why impartiality is important for police inspectors, you also need to give a (brief) explanation of how you meet or can demonstrate this value, and why it’s important to you. The key to a good response is in linking your own behaviour with the core expectations of the force. Let’s look at a good sample response to this question:
Sample Response
Having conducted thorough research into the role of a Police Inspector, I fully understand the importance of impartiality. As employees of the police, we have a duty to treat every person that we meet in a fair and unbiased manner. This doesn’t just apply to the public, but also to our own staff members. As leaders within the police force, it’s important that inspectors can operate in an impartial manner. Only by treating everyone fairly, can we gain the respect of the public and our colleagues. The police are there to protect everyone, and not just certain members of the community. For this reason, it’s essential that we can demonstrate impartiality in all areas of our work.
Personally, I am someone who believes strongly in this. I am of the belief that everyone deserves to be treated in a fair and equal manner, and am always ready to challenge discrimination or bias when I see it. My rule is to treat others as you would like to be treated, and I exercise this view in all areas of my life.
Now that you’ve looked at the above two responses, have a go at completing your own answers to the next few practice questions.
Before we move onto the next section, take a look over the following top tips for completing a fantastic application form!
Final Tips for Completing a Successful Police Application Form
Whilst some of the following tips have already been provided within this section, it is important that we provide them again. Your success very much depends on your ability to do the following:
• Read the Police Inspector application form and the guidance notes at least twice before you complete it.
• If possible, photocopy the application form and complete a draft copy first. This will allow you to make any errors or mistakes without being penalised.
• Obtain a copy of the core competencies and have them at your side when completing the form.
• Take your time when completing the form and set aside plenty of time for each question. I recommend that you spend five evenings completing the application form breaking it down intomanageable portions. This will allow you to maintain high levels of concentration.
• Be honest when completing the form and if you are unsure about anything contact the Police Service for confirmation.
• Try not to make any spelling or grammar errors. You WILL lose marks for poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Try to use keywords and phrases in your responses to the assessable questions that are relevant to the core competencies.
• Try to submit the form well before the closing date.
• If your form is unsuccessful ask for feedback, if available. It is important that you learn from your mistakes.
What happens after I have sent of my police inspector application form?
Once you have completed and sent off your Police Inspector application form, there will be a wait period before you find out whether or not you have been successful. Then, you’ll find out their decision via email! Of course, if you have been successful, you will move on to the rest of the application process!
For more information on Police application process, follow this link.
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