New entrants from other police forces

Step 1 – Initial eligibility and suitability check for Authorised Firearms Officer posts

Policing status: To join us as a new entrant from another police force, you must have completed your probation period (with a minimum of 2 years’ service) as a regular Constable with a UK Home Department Police Force or other UK Civilian policing organisation (i.e. BTP/CNC/Ports/PSNI/Police Scotland). You will be required to provide evidence that you have successfully completed your initial training, if you have less than 4 years’ service.

If you meet the criteria outlined above and you have left the police service, including service with the MDP, no more than 3 years ago, you may also apply to join us.

Driving licence: You must hold a full UK manual car driving licence with no more than six penalty points.

Qualifications: Although we welcome applications from currently qualified AFOs, you do not need to be a currently qualified AFO to be eligible to apply, unless the job listing specifies otherwise. Full training will be provided.

Residency: You must have resided continuously in the UK for a minimum five-year period immediately prior to your application to join as a new Police Constable with MDP, with any absences from the UK being no more than six months cumulative during this time. The qualifying UK residency is ten years for postings to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) and any location requiring Developed Vetting clearance. If you have resided abroad due to serving in the British Armed Forces or on UK Government service, you are considered to have been resident in the UK.

Nationality: We are unable to accept applications from anyone with foreign or dual nationality status. To be employed, all applicants will be required to achieve full security clearance without restrictions.

To be employed, all applicants will be required to achieve full security clearance without restrictions.

Fitness: To join the MDP as an AFO or NFI, you must pass the MDP Physical Employment Standards Job-Related Fitness Test (PES-JRFT). You will then be tested to that standard throughout the training process, and upon completion of training, officers will be required to meet the Force fitness standard for AFOs on an annual basis, as a contractual requirement.

Financial status: You must not be registered bankrupt with outstanding debts or have any outstanding County Court Judgements against you. If you have previously been registered bankrupt, at least 3 years must have passed from the date the debt was discharged and you must be able to evidence this.

Further questions will follow, to confirm your eligibility to apply, as part of the full application process. Take a look at Entry Requirements for more information.

Step 2 – Apply to join us

If you consider yourself eligible to apply, you can now request an application form by emailing: MDP-Resourcing@mod.gov.uk.

Complete the form electronically and return it, with copies of required documentation to: MDP-RecruitmentEnquiries@mod.gov.uk.

Once we receive your application form, you will be sent an acknowledgement email. Add MDP-Resourcing@mod.gov.uk and MDP-RecruitmentEnquiries@mod.gov.uk as favourites or trusted contacts on your email account, to avoid correspondence being moved automatically to your Junk Mail folder.

It may take up to 6 weeks before you will hear back from us. If you do not hear from us within that timeframe, contact MDP-RecruitmentEnquiries@mod.gov.uk.  Please also remember to check your Junk Mail folder.