3. Your DC entry programme

Our Detective Constable Entry Programme (DCEP) blends classroom learning at one of our Met in-house training centres with learning ‘on the job’. You'll spend the majority of your time working within our investigation teams, based across London.

It’s a two year programme that counts as your probation. The training is based on the national policing curriculum and focuses on preparing you for a hands-on detective role. You will spend the first few weeks of your training learning the law and specialist policing knowledge, alongside officers on our uniform entry route. 

This learning will get you ready to join detectives based in our investigation teams across London.  While you will learn and develop your policing knowledge and practice you will not gain an academic qualification.

The starting salary is over £38,269. On successful completion of probation you'll earn £40,789. All salaries include allowances. 

Eligibility criteria

You must meet the eligibility criteria to be a detective constable set out in Who we are looking for. You will also need, or be working towards:

• a recognised UK degree (level 6) qualification or,
• an equivalent overseas degree supported by an ENIC statement of comparability (to confirm the UK level 6 equivalent of your overseas qualification) and a functional English Language level 2 qualification.

You’ll need to share evidence of your qualifications with the Met before we will make you a formal job offer.

Training and assessment

This is a two year programme in which you’ll learn at one of our own Met training centres, and on the job working in one of our investigation teams.

Our training centres are at:

• Colindale in north London
• Sidcup in south London

After a three day introduction to the Met, you start 16 weeks classroom learning. The training follows a shift pattern on alternate weeks:

• Early: 7am to 3pm
• Late: 2pm to 10pm

This covers policing and the law, it will give you the basic knowledge and skills to be a detective constable.  It will bring to life for you the Met’s principles and values and our current investigative priorities.  It’s the same learning as our Police Constable Entry Programme, giving you a solid foundation in policing. 

The next two months you will spend working in a policing team, based on a London borough. This will be alongside a dedicated experienced police officer acting as your ‘detective tutor constable’. This is called 'Street Duties'. You’ll follow this up with six weeks focusing on developing your investigative skills. 

The remainder of your two years will be spent building on your learning and experience.  You’ll be part of a team specialising in investigations including:

• safeguarding children or vulnerable adults
• tracing someone who has gone missing, or
• proactively tackling those criminals that cause the most harm

You'll study for investigative qualifications – Professional Investigation Programme and sit the National Investigators Exam (NIE).   

You’ll return to your training centre for other short blocks of classroom learning. Upon successfully completing your two year programme and your investigative qualifications you’ll be a fully qualified detective constable. 

More on becoming a detective constable