We expect a high standard from applicants and there are several essential criteria which must be met for you to successfully pass the paper sift. If any of your answers to the questions below is 'no', your application will be rejected. These questions are only intended as a guideline. All staff employed by the Constabulary will be subjected to a vetting process as set out in the National Vetting Policy for the Police Community 2004.

Age

Are you aged 18 or over?

The upper age limit is currently 57, this is due to the fact that the normal retirement age for police constables is 60 years and new recruits are required to undertake a two year probationary period.

Residency

Have you resided in the UK for 3 years immediately prior to this application? All applicants and their family are required to have 3 years residency in the UK prior to application.

Nationality

Are you a British citizen, a member of the EC or other states in the EEA (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein)? Or are you a Commonwealth citizen, or a foreign national who is a resident in the UK, free of restrictions?

Criminal record

Convictions or cautions will not necessarily preclude you from appointment. It will depend on their nature and the circumstances of the offence. Failure to disclose convictions or cautions will, however, result in your application being terminated.

You must declare all convictions for any past offences, formal cautions by the police (including cautions as a juvenile, ie under 18 years) and any bind-overs imposed by any court. You should include traffic convictions such as speeding, drink-drive offences, fixed penalties for motoring or disorder offences and any appearances before a court martial.

You must also declare any charge or summons currently outstanding against you.

You must include spent convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (by virtue of the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975) or any involvement with civil, military or transport police.

You must also declare if you have ever been involved in any criminal investigation whether or not this led to prosecution (either of yourself or others).

If you believe you have been involved in a police investigation please let us know. Some applicants do not declare information which they believe is no longer held on record. However, our enquiries will reveal incidents from long ago and failure to disclose these will lead to your application being rejected. If you have any doubts, include the details and let us decide if they are relevant.

We will also want to know whether any of your close family or associates are involved in criminal activity and we will therefore search for any criminal convictions or cautions recorded against your family. You must advise them that these enquiries will be made. The police service cannot disclose the result of these enquiries to you.

Financial status

Will you be able to manage your financial affairs on the student officers basic salary?

Police Officers are in a privileged position with regard to access to information and could be considered potentially vulnerable to corruption. Applicants to the Police Service should not therefore be under pressure from un-discharged debts or liabilities and should be able to manage loans and debts sensibly.

Police Regulations also state that a member of a police force shall not willfully refuse or neglect to discharge a lawful debt. Applications will therefore be checked to determine and verify your financial position.

Physical fitness

Are you physically fit?

Applicants need to be physically fit enough to perform the duties of a constable safely and effectively and to handle police equipment. There are two elements to the test and must pass both before an offer of employment can be made. The two elements to the test are: Dynamic Strength (Upper-body Strength) and Endurance Fitness (Multi-stage shuttle run). Information about the fitness tests and fitness training can be found on www.policecouldyou.co.uk

Medical fitness

Appointment is subject to satisfactory medical clearance by the force medical officer. You will be required to complete medical history documentation and you may be asked to undertake other medical tests, eg hearing and lung function. Information about the medical test can be found on www.policecouldyou.co.uk

Eyesight

There are minimum vision standards which must be met. All applicants will have their eyesight examined at the medical assessment stage. Failure to meet the standards means you cannot be appointed. Information about the eyesight standards can be found on www.policecouldyou.co.uk

Tattoos

Tattoos are not a bar to appointment. However, some tattoos could potentially offend members of the public or colleagues, or could bring discredit to the Police Service. It depends on their size, nature and location and sometimes on the extent.

If applicants have tattoos on their face, neck, forearms or hands they should describe their nature, words used, extent, size and location.

Tattoos are not acceptable if they:

• Undermine the dignity and authority of the office of constable.
• Could cause offence to members of public or colleagues and/or invite provocation.
• Are garish or numerous or particularly prominent.
• Indicate unacceptable attitudes towards women, minority groups or any other section of the community.
• Indicate alignment with a particular group that could give offence to members of the public or colleagues, and/or
• Are considered to be rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic, violent or intimidating.

Business Interests:

Unless the chief officer decides otherwise, applicants will not normally be eligible for appointment as a police officer if the applicant, their spouse or any relative living with the applicant holds or has a financial interest in any licence or permit relating to liquor licensing, refreshment houses, betting and gaming or the regulation of places of entertainment.

However the chief constable may decide to allow the business interest, if he/she thinks it is compatible with being a member of the force.

Education and Skills

Qualifications are not a requirement of appointment.

Working patterns

Are you prepared to work a 24-hour shift system, weekends and bank holidays?

Equal opportunities

Having read the constabulary's equal opportunities statement, which can be downloaded below, are you prepared to comply with it?

Postings / location

Are you prepared to serve anywhere within the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area? (This may entail moving house) Are you prepared to meet all initial removal expenses?

Personal life

Are you prepared to avoid any conduct likely to bring the constabulary into disrepute and to limit personal activities, eg not taking an active role in politics?

Driving licence

If you do not hold a full current licence, are you prepared to obtain such a licence at your own expense by the completion of your probationary training?