Experienced Officer/Overview

We are always looking to enhance our capability and reputation by inviting experienced officers from either a uniformed or detective background to transfer to or rejoin the Met.

You must have completed your probationary period with a police force based in the United Kingdom. You cannot transfer from the Royal Military Police or a police force outside the UK. If you are rejoining, you must have been away from policing for less than 4 years.

If you meet these requirements and you’re interested in enjoying the kind of experiences and rewards only available at the Met, we’d like to hear from you.

If you're interested in transferring to or rejoining the Met, please visit our current vacancies page, where you can download information packs and application forms.

Policing in London

The Met is a police service like no other, offering a unique professional challenge, even for the most experienced Police Officer.

The size, diversity and importance of our organisation means that we have a huge range of potential career paths, all against the backdrop of the one of the world's most exciting cities.

And the rewards available to Police Officers in London are now better than ever, recognising the unique requirements of living and working in the capital.

Assessing transfer requests

All applicants from other police forces must supply evidence of any sickness absence, including a nil return, from their previous HR department, along with the posting preference form and certification/evidence of their current Officer Safety Training and First Aid Training (module two level). All documentation will need to be received, before your application can proceed to assessment.

Transferring selection process

The selection process for transferring to the Met has been updated. Following submission of a completed application form, all candidates will be invited to attend a competency-based interview, take a standard medical test as well as undertake fitness testing. Minimum standards must be achieved for your application to proceed.

The competency-based interview is based on the MPS integrated competency framework and will incorporate MPS values. The fitness testwill comprise an endurance test and a dynamic strength test.

We’ll confirm full details of this selection process on receipt of your completed application form.

Rejoining assessment and selection
After screening, security checks and a review of previous service for performance, conduct and attendance, you will be invited to an assessment involving an interview and a fitness test.

If you are successful, confirmation of employment and joining instructions will usually be sent to you at least six weeks before date of commencement.

Induction training
All transfers are required to undertake an induction day and relevant training courses at Hendon Training School before taking up their posting. Transfers from non-Home Office forces are no longer automatically required to complete the full initial training course. Instead, transfer requirements now differ from force to force and officers will be assessed for training requirements. For more information please call 0845 727 2212.

Rejoiners will keep their previous substantive rank and will be assessed for training requirements, attend the induction day and relevant training courses at Hendon Police College.

Probation
Generally speaking, if you have successfully completed a probationary period with another Home Office constabulary, you will not be required to complete another such period within the Met.

Location of posting
You will have the opportunity to nominate your preferred choice of borough, which we will do our best to accommodate given the vacancies that exist. The posting preference form should be submitted with your application form. All Borough officers will have a Statement of Expectation to serve a minimum of two years at their first posting.

Specialist roles
If you would like to transfer to a specialist role, you will need to provide evidence of your qualifications together with your application. You will normally be required to pass an assessment and, for certain positions, you may be vetted at a higher level for security reasons.

Pay
All Metropolitan Police Officers currently receive London Weighting and London Allowance on top of national police pay scales. This currently stands at £2,055 per annum pensionable London Weighting Allowance, and £1,011 per annum non-pensionable London Allowance.

Experienced officers transferring into the MPS may also qualify to receive a rent or housing allowance up to a £5,863.65 per annum and £5,126.70 per annum respectively.

In addition to this, officers who join or rejoin the MPS who are not entitled to rent or housing allowance do however qualify for an additional (non-pensionable) London Allowance (2) of £3,327 per annum.

Pensions advice
Enquiries about pension arrangements and previous contributions can be addressed to Logica CMG on 0845 850 0279.