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If you would like to join us as a police constable read on to learn more about who we are looking for.
London is one of the most diverse cities in the world. That's why in the Met we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who are committed to making a difference for the communities we serve.
The Met is working hard to restore Londoners’ trust and confidence. We aim to drive more trust, reduce crime, and maintain high standards. You can come and join the thousands of dedicated, honest, committed, hard-working officers and staff in our team.
We are looking for people who share our values of integrity, courage, accountability, respect and empathy. And who share our high standards of behaviour.
Change is happening within the Met. Whilst that takes time, we want people like you to join and help to make a big difference.
Policing is a 24 hour job and that means once you join you’ll need to work shifts, including through the night and at weekends.
In addition to the above you’ll also need to meet our standard eligibility criteria:
This varies dependent on the entry route you choose:
You must be 18 or older to join us, but you can apply when you are 17.
Typically the upper age limit is 57.
You need to tell us about other jobs or business interests you want to keep up after you join us, so we can check these do not conflict with working for the Met. This is all part of maintaining our high standards.
Policing isn’t easy. Whilst you don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to join you do need to be relatively fit and healthy to cope with the demands of the job.
Fitness
You will need to pass a fitness test. It’s called the 'bleep test'. You will be required to run up and down a 15-metre track beating a ‘bleep’. At the end of each level the time between bleeps gets shorter, meaning you have to run faster. The whole test takes three minutes and 35 seconds and covers a total of 525 metres.
Start preparing now by watching our YouTube video for tips and download the Met's six week training programme. If you fail on your first attempt, don’t worry you can try twice more. Find out more on the College of Policing website.
Medical conditions
Some medical conditions can prevent you from being able to cope with the physical and mental demands of the job. HM government medical standards information gives full details on illnesses, injuries and disorders that will affect your ability to work as a police officer.
Eyesight
You must meet the police eyesight standards. These are the same no matter which force you join. Your eyesight is tested as part of your medical, which takes place during the application process.
If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain.
If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.
You can apply to join more than one police force at once, but you can only start the online assessment in the recruitment process with one force.
Everyone joining the Met must be vetted. Vetting checks are an important way to maintain our high standards and reassure Londoners that appropriate checks are done on people who hold a position of trust, such as our officers and staff.
Find out more about the vetting process here.
If you’ve got a tattoo you’ll need to tell us about it when you apply. We’ve got a tattoo policy that you’ll need to meet.
You can’t join with tattoos that are on:
You also can't join with tattoos that are:
You can join if you have tattoos on:
Sometimes we will require you to cover up your tattoos for policing events such as ceremonial events.
Everything we do is underpinned by our values. We are looking for those who share in these values to join us:
Integrity
I will always try to do the right thing. I will be fair and consistent in everything I do, being mindful of the impact of my actions. I will actively challenge those whose behaviour falls below public and the Met's expectations.
Courage
I will show courage by making tough decisions when needed. I will always challenge racist, homophobic, misogynistic and any other discriminatory and inappropriate behaviour. I will show humility.
Accountable
I will strive to build trust with the public, colleagues, and partners, by being open, honest and taking ownership for what I have done and why. I will admit when I make mistakes, learn from them and improve.
Respect
I will respect the rights of everyone I meet. I will listen to individual perspectives and needs. I will try my best to understand a diverse range of views and achieve the best possible outcomes for the public.
Empathy
I will care about communities and colleagues and try to understand their perspectives and experiences, at all times. I will be kind and listen and understand without judgement. I will take time to clarify and explain my decisions.
Read about pay, pension, flexible working, healthcare and more.
Read what serving officers say about working in the Met
Read about the wide variety of units and specialisms available.
Read about the two entry routes we offer to become a PC.
Find out how the recruitment and application process works.
Make your application to join the Met as a PC.