Rejoiners
Police Scotland accepts applications to rejoin the police service based on organisational needs.
In order to be eligible for a rejoiner application and the subsequent process you must have previously served in Police Scotland.
We do not currently accept applications to rejoin from those applicants who have served with any other force however we would consider your application in our standard police officer vacancy.
Eligibility
In order to meet the criteria for a rejoiner application please check the essential criteria
- Previously served with Police Scotland
- Completed your probationary period.
- You must be physically and mentally able to undertake police duties
- You must possess a full driver’s licence (manual).
- Your Body Mass Index should be between 18 – 30
- You should also have been resident in the UK for a minimum of three years immediately prior to application.
- You must meet the mandatory national eyesight standard. Candidates' eyesight will be not be assessed until the medical stage at the very end of the selection process. Failure to meet the standard means you cannot be appointed. Therefore to minimise disappointment applicants may wish to consider consulting with a qualified optician.
Selection process
In general, the selection process can be broken up into the following stages, each of which is designed to test your aptitude, character, and physical suitability for the role.
We would encourage you to inform us of any adjustment that you may need during the recruitment process which will allow us to support your recruitment journey.
Application Form
The application form is based on the competency and values framework ( CVF) You will be expected to evidence your values and evidence of competencies. Your application will be sifted to the same high standards expected for any applicant to this organisation.
Background and reference checks
As part of your application we will seek references from previous line management.
Interview
You will be invited to attend a competency based interview using the Competency and Values Framework(CVF). Please click here for further information on the CVF.
Fitness Assessment
If you want to rejoin Police Scotland as a police officer you must be fit and healthy.
At your fitness assessment we expect you to be at the peak of your physical fitness, having prepared in advance of your application.
More people fail the fitness test compared with any other stage in the recruiting process. If you want to apply, we suggest you start your fitness preparation immediately.
The Fitness assessment aims to assess whether you are fit for the job and are ready for Officer Safety Training, where you learn to protect yourself and others.
You will be undertaking a Multi-stage fitness test ( bleep test)
The test involves running up and down (a shuttle run) on a 15-metre track. It is timed against a series of audio beeps and the participant must 'beat the bleep' and complete the shuttle before they hear the sound.
At the end of each level, the time between beeps gets shorter, meaning the participant has to run faster.
The standard needed for a police officer applicant is level 5.4 which means running at least in time with the bleeps for four shuttles at level 5.
Joining Police Scotland is a highly competitive recruitment journey so candidates require to give the very best account of themselves to progress further.
Copstrong - Copstrong is the Police Scotland functional strength and conditioning programme.
It is designed to be used by officers and staff to obtain and maintain operational fitness in order to reduce the chance of injury and improve work performance.
The content has been written and developed by the Physical Education Department at the Scottish Police College in collaboration with the UK Strength and Conditioning Association. To access the programme please click here
Final Stages
You will be required to attend an appointment with our Health Provider to confirm that you are fit and healthy to meet the standard required of an operational police officer. This includes the eyesight test and BMI check.
- Candidates will also be subject to a Substance Misuse Test during their recruitment journey.
- References will be obtained and formal vetting checks will be carried out.
- Once your vetting clearance has been obtained and you have completed all stages of the recruitment you will receive a final offer of employment. It is at this point that we will work with you to finalise a date for you to rejoin.
Police Scotland takes pride in its’ officers; they do a job that can be tough and demanding as a result all new recruits need to be fit to undertake the full range of duties of an operational police officer. We check this by way of a fitness test at the beginning of our selection process, and a medical assessment which takes place at the end, after we are satisfied you have the skills, values and experiences we are looking for.
This is to ensure we comply with our duties and obligations around the use of your sensitive personal data and to guarantee fairness during your selection process.
As part of the medical assessment you will be asked to complete a confidential health questionnaire which will be assessed by our occupational health provider (Optima Health) and you will attend a medical examination which will check your hearing, eyesight, urine, blood pressure, height/weight, and breathing efficiency.
If the medical assessment identifies that you have a health condition, we may require to seek additional information from your GP or specialist before a decision is reached on your fitness to carry out the role, or not, as the case may be.
Police Scotland can accept candidates with many common health conditions and your suitability will be assessed on an individual basis. The Equality Act 2010 covers all positions in Police Scotland and if you have a disability, adjustments may be made for you but only if it is reasonable to do so.
Training
Officers re-joining will receive training confirmed after a training needs analysis has been carried out based on their individual circumstances. The content and duration will be based on a number of factors such as length of time away from the service and your previous skills, training and experience. You will not be required to serve a period of probation.
Posting
Preferences will be taken into consideration however Police Scotland require to post based on organisational needs and resourcing demands. There is no guarantee that you will be appointed to the same role or division that you had when you left the service.
Your skills and experience will be reviewed to decide the most suitable posting.
We are particularly interested in officers who are interested in re-joining and being posted to Rural and Remote locations in Police Scotland in Argyll and Highlands and Islands.
Pay and Allowances
If you are successfully appointed you will re-enter at the pay point commensurate to length of service previously completed in that rank as per governing regulations for police pay.
How an individual rejoiner is treated for pensions purposes will depend on which police pension the rejoiner was formerly a part of, the length of time away from the police service, and if any of the time away has been spent in public service. We recommend that rejoiners (and prospective rejoiners) contact the pension administrator to understand what applies in their circumstances.
To see our current Rejoiner vacancy
