If you want to join the police, the most important thing you need to know is that as of 2020, the College of Policing, the professional body for policing in the UK, requires a degree level qualification to join most of the police forces.

Serving your community by joining the police force isn’t just a great career, it’s a meaningful and fulfilling way to help improve your community and the lives of the people in it. Great community police officers are at heart of law enforcement in the UK, preferring close and friendly relationships where possible, instead of the aggression and force we see all too commonly in other places.

We all observed with shock and sadness what has happened in the USA recently, where the product of a bad police culture and the excessive use of force led to the tragic death of George Floyd. That wasn’t just the failure of one officer, it was the failure of an entire institution to properly train its police in how to serve the people.

The aftermath of George Floyd’s death only showed us more examples of why good police are so important. Riots started to break out in some towns where the community was met with a stern response from their police force. In other places, displays of solidarity and understanding brought us some of the most heartwarming images you could see.

When those officers engaged with protestors, and words were used and embraces exchanged, the hints of violence disappeared and the demonstrations were positive and constructive acts of democratic engagement.

That’s the power of policing. When done right it can protect and heal communities. When done wrong, it can break them. So make no mistakes, policing isn’t just a job, it’s a calling. And if you’re the right person, who wants to work with people and help build up society, you should listen to that call.

Part of the UK’s approach to ensuring that only the best can take up these roles of great influence and responsibility has been to change the rules of qualification. This is to help ensure that officers can be trained to manage the variety of distinct challenges that police face, from dealing with situations that require great emotional sensitivity to ones where confronting and managing aggression are necessary.

The police should be the best of the best in our society, and studying towards this career is now a really good option. Crime and Criminal Justice courses offered by the University of Bolton are specifically designed to prepare future officers with the skills and qualifications needed to succeed in policing.

We work in collaboration with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Home Office, Police services, UK Border Force, Ministry of Defence, Civil Nuclear Constabulary and third sector organisations making the best and latest legal practices within the criminal justice sector accessible for you to study.

Ranked 1st in the North West for Student Satisfaction in the Complete University Guide for the last three years, and Top 5 in the UK for Teaching Quality in the The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020, the University of Bolton puts its students first.

Learn more about BA Crime and Criminal Justice at the University of Bolton and find out how you can apply now.