Police Constable vs Police Call Handler: which career suits you?
Both put you at the heart of a police force, but they are different jobs with different processes. A police constable is a sworn officer: since 17 March 2026 every force in England and Wales recruits constables through the same four stages (national application form, online sifting tests, an online assessment with an interview, written exercise and briefing exercise, then a force interview), followed by fitness, medical and vetting checks and a 2- or 3-year training route. A call handler is police staff: each force runs its own process, usually with typing, listening and judgement tests and a structured interview, and there is no officer fitness test. Choose call handling if you want a control-room career, or as a way to learn policing before applying as a constable.
Police Constable vs Police Call Handler at a glance
| Police Constable | Police Call Handler | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Police Constable (England and Wales) | Police Call Handler and Contact Officer (999 and 101) |
| Questions | National sift: a situational judgement test (realistic scenarios, each with four actions you rate from 'counterproductive' to 'very effective') plus a behavioural styles questionnaire. The College does not publish the number of scenarios | Varies by force. Typically a timed typing test plus spelling, grammar, listening and information-extraction exercises and mock 999 calls; Thames Valley, for example, uses an online typing test and an interview with a REID test (information extraction and report writing) |
| Time | Not timed: the SJT typically takes about 45 minutes and the questionnaire about 20 minutes. The later online assessment has a 5-question video interview (5 minutes per answer), a written exercise (up to 2 hours, about 40 minutes expected) and a briefing exercise (about 60 minutes) | Varies by force; the typing test is usually a few minutes and assessment centres are commonly a half day or less |
| Passing score | No fixed pass mark is published. Answers are scored against the College's Competency and Values Framework (CVF) at practitioner level; you receive a result and feedback report after each stage | Set by each force. Thames Valley publishes a minimum typing standard of 27 words per minute with 75% accuracy; most forces do not publish other pass marks |
| Format | Unsupervised at home, no policing knowledge needed. Each exercise can be started only once, so use the practice area first. Answers must be your own: the CVF behaviours, not policing law, are what is assessed | No study materials are provided by forces beyond their own guidance. Typing and listening tests are taken under timed conditions; interviews are often by video |
| Cost | No application or test fee. The pre-join degree route is self-funded; PCDA, DHEP and PCEP training is paid by the force | No application or test fee |
| Languages | English (Welsh versions of the sift and online assessment guidance are available for forces in Wales) | English (Welsh language skills are valued, and sometimes required, in Welsh forces) |
| Where | All online: national application form, the national sift (SJT and behavioural styles questionnaire) at home, the online assessment process on the Tazio video platform, then a face-to-face interview with the force, fitness test, medical and vetting | Force-run: online application, then online or in-person tests (typing, spelling, listening, multi-tasking, mock calls) and a competency-based interview, followed by vetting, references and a medical |
| Level | Police | Police |
What each exam covers
Police Constable
- The PC Role, Entry Routes and Eligibility
- National Sift: Situational Judgement Test
- National Sift: Behavioural Styles Questionnaire
- Online Assessment: Written and Briefing Exercises
- Fitness Test, Medical and Vetting
- Competency-Based Interview and Force Interview
- Application Strategy and Timeline
- Training, Probation and the First Year
Police Call Handler
- The Call Handler Role and Eligibility
- Typing, Data Entry and Spelling Tests
- Listening, Information Extraction and Call Simulation
- Prioritisation and Risk Assessment (THRIVE)
- Vetting, Medical and Pre-Employment Checks
- Competency-Based Interview
- Application Strategy and Timeline
- Training and Your First Year in the Control Room
Which should you take?
Both put you at the heart of a police force, but they are different jobs with different processes. A police constable is a sworn officer: since 17 March 2026 every force in England and Wales recruits constables through the same four stages (national application form, online sifting tests, an online assessment with an interview, written exercise and briefing exercise, then a force interview), followed by fitness, medical and vetting checks and a 2- or 3-year training route. A call handler is police staff: each force runs its own process, usually with typing, listening and judgement tests and a structured interview, and there is no officer fitness test. Choose call handling if you want a control-room career, or as a way to learn policing before applying as a constable.
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FAQ
What is the difference between Police Constable and Police Call Handler?
Both put you at the heart of a police force, but they are different jobs with different processes. A police constable is a sworn officer: since 17 March 2026 every force in England and Wales recruits constables through the same four stages (national application form, online sifting tests, an online assessment with an interview, written exercise and briefing exercise, then a force interview), followed by fitness, medical and vetting checks and a 2- or 3-year training route. A call handler is police staff: each force runs its own process, usually with typing, listening and judgement tests and a structured interview, and there is no officer fitness test. Choose call handling if you want a control-room career, or as a way to learn policing before applying as a constable.
Which is harder, Police Constable or Police Call Handler?
Police Constable: national sift: a situational judgement test (realistic scenarios, each with four actions you rate from 'counterproductive' to 'very effective') plus a behavioural styles questionnaire. the college does not publish the number of scenarios in not timed: the sjt typically takes about 45 minutes and the questionnaire about 20 minutes. the later online assessment has a 5-question video interview (5 minutes per answer), a written exercise (up to 2 hours, about 40 minutes expected) and a briefing exercise (about 60 minutes). Police Call Handler: varies by force. typically a timed typing test plus spelling, grammar, listening and information-extraction exercises and mock 999 calls; thames valley, for example, uses an online typing test and an interview with a reid test (information extraction and report writing) in varies by force; the typing test is usually a few minutes and assessment centres are commonly a half day or less. The longer exam covers more ground, but the harder one is the one further from your daily work. Take both free practice tests to see where you stand.
Can I hold both Police Constable and Police Call Handler?
You can prepare for and apply to more than one, and many people do, because the judgement, verbal and numerical tests and the structured interviews overlap a lot. Each organisation runs its own process and vetting, and some roles can't be held at the same time (you can't be a serving regular police officer and a regular in the armed forces, for example), so check the eligibility rules in each job advert.
How do I prepare for Police Constable and Police Call Handler?
Start with the free practice test for each, then study by topic. Premium is per exam (£45 a month each), so most people start with the exam they'll sit first and add the second when they're ready.
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Exam details are summarized from recruiting organisations' published information as of November 2026. Confirm with the recruiting organisation before you book. UKCivilServicePrep is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.