Explore Our Roles
Keeping our communities safe takes a huge number of people from all kinds of backgrounds with a wide range of skills and experience. There is so much more to consider than meets the eye when choosing a career at Lancashire Police.
As with any large organisation, there are many cogs required to keep the wheel turning, and our constabulary is no different. Whilst we have over 3,000 officers and staff providing a visible service, away from the frontline is a business run by over 2,300 officers and staff, from HR managers and vehicle maintenance engineers to digital communications officers and solicitors.
Do you have what it takes to be one of them? Find out if a career with us is just the change you’re looking for, and what kind of challenges, experiences and rewards are in store for those who join us.
Volunteering Opportunities – If you’re already happily employed but would like to use your spare time to make a difference to local communities, volunteering with us gives you the opportunity to share your skills, enhance your CV, meet new people and improve the quality of service we provide to our communities.
Voluntary work is interesting and varied, for example, our Specials Constables work with Neighbourhood Policing Teams to develop close relationships with the public, monitoring media coverage, gathering information and providing updates on the progress of police investigations. For other volunteering opportunities with us, visit the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership site.
Police Officer – Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP)
The Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP) is a route into policing based on your previous work / life experience. This route is a traditional entry route into uniformed policing. The IPLDP programme suits those who are not looking to complete a degree qualification and are looking to concentrate their time on developing into an excellent police officer.
Police Officer – Degree Holder Entry Programme
If you’re a compassionate, critical thinker looking for a graduate programme, then applying for our Degree Holder Entry Programme run in conjunction with UCLan could be the best decision you’ll ever make. This entry programme combines high calibre training with operational duties on the frontline. It’s intense and challenging (in a good way!), both physically and mentally, but you will finish every day knowing you’ve helped keep the people of Lancashire safe.
Police Officer – Bsc Professional Policing Degree holder entry
You have already completed the BSc Professional Policing degree so you are pretty sure that a career in policing is the right path for you. Joining on this route is the fastest way to operational policing and you will be out on patrol in your teams after a short period of initial training. This new route (we welcomed our first cohort in the summer of 2022) combines high calibre training with operational duties on the frontline.
Police Officer – Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship
Are you a school or college leaver wanting to go straight into a profession? Or perhaps you’re looking for a change of career? The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship is the ideal solution for those without a degree to learn on the job and study alongside patrol duties as they train to become a fully-fledged police constable. It’s an intense three-year programme, and an exciting opportunity to combine the academic with the practical whilst operating as an officer from day one.
Police Control Room Operator
Are you a good communicator who can stay calm and make informed decisions under pressure? You might want to consider a career as a Police Control Room Operator (PCRO). Taking incoming calls from the public, a PCRO must quickly gather information, prioritise incidents and take appropriate action. It’s a fast-paced job with a lot of responsibility as the first point of contact for emergency calls, but also an incredibly rewarding one where what you do makes a difference every day.
Custody Detention Officer
One thing you can be sure of as a Custody Detention Officer is that every day is different. Working closely with officers in one of our custody suites you will be responsible for looking after those who’ve been arrested and detained and carrying out the associated administration. This can be a challenging role, so the ability to maintain control and keep an open mind whilst dealing with detainees with empathy and respect is essential.
Police Community Support Officer
Are you approachable and a good listener? A people person who can deal calmly with all kinds of situations in a firm but fair manner? You could be the perfect fit for our community teams out on patrol. Providing a reassuring police presence in local neighbourhoods, our Police Community Support Officers work hard to make people feel safe and keep them safe, with duties ranging from dealing with anti-social behaviour to guarding crime scenes and gathering intelligence.
Corporate Functions (Police Staff roles)
Making a difference to the people of Lancashire isn’t all about being on the front line. There are many more roles behind the scenes that ensure the smooth running of our constabulary, enabling and supporting officers to do their very best to keep our communities safe. In fact there are over 2,300 members of non-uniformed police staff, from a huge range of backgrounds with varying levels of qualifications, all bringing an extensive range of skills and experience to our force. Could you be one of them?
Special Constable
Special Constables are a vital and valued part of the Constabulary, with the same uniform and powers of arrest as Police Officers. Special Constables are known to come from all walks of life – they are teachers, taxi drivers, accountants and secretaries, or any number of other careers. Could this role be perfect for you?
Police Cadet
Are you aged between 13 – 18 years old and feel motivated by the motto ‘Let’s Go Out and Do Some Good’? If so, a place on our Police Cadet Scheme might be the perfect opportunity for you.
It might be that you would like to see if a career in the police service is for you, or perhaps you really want to make a difference in the community where you live/ You can be a shining example of the positive contribution young people can make to keep Lancashire safe.