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Detective Degree Holder Entry Programme

Date published: 01 December 2023 15:07

The Detective Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) is your opportunity to become a fully accredited detective in just two years; helping us to keep communities safe and feeling safe, identifying and protecting vulnerable people, preventing and responding to harm.

About the role

As a detective, you will hold one of the most vital roles within our community. The public face of South Yorkshire Police, you will ensure we’re fulfilling our commitment to protecting our communities, catching criminals and delivering an outstanding service to victims, witnesses and the public. You could find yourself working in our Criminal Investigations Department (CID), dealing with crimes such as fraud, robbery and serious assaults. Or you may join one of our Protecting Vulnerable People departments (PVP); protecting the most vulnerable adults and children from abuse and exploitation. Once accredited, you have the opportunity to work within Major Crime, investigating serious crimes such as homicides, or with our Serious Organised Crime Unit tackling high-level drug importation. No two cases, or days, are the same as a detective.

You will manage and conduct complex investigations throughout their entire duration, from the initial crime scene to the moment the verdict arrives in court. Typical duties include:

  • Being the point of contact for victims of crime; seeking justice for them.
  • Identifying witnesses and obtaining statements.
  • Interviewing suspects.
  • Handling forensic evidence and dealing with its submission.
  • Preparing and submitting case papers and evidential files.
  • Attending court, providing evidence and awaiting the verdict.
  • Liaising with partner agencies i.e. social care and health teams, schools and courts.
  • Working with crime scene investigators, uniformed officers and the media, among others, to help make a difference together.

As a 24/7 service, detectives typically work 40 hours per week, in shifts incorporating early shifts, late shifts and night shifts, including weekends and bank holidays. We also recognise the benefits of flexible working and are committed to equality of opportunity and the promotion of work-life balance. We will support opportunities for flexible working within the organisation where practical and suitable to promote a work-life balance and enable the recruitment and retention of a workforce which is representative of the diverse communities we serve.

The course

The Detective DHEP is an intensive two year programme of learning approached from an investigative lens, delivered by South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Hallam University. Unlike more traditional qualifications, the DHEP is a vocational course that focuses on practical learning and is specifically tailored for a career in policing, ultimately leading to a graduate diploma in Professional Policing Practice.

The Detective DHEP requires student officers to complete all elements of the Police Constable DHEP Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice plus the National Investigators Exam (NIE) and all the required additional learning to gain PIP2 Investigator Development Programme accreditation preparing you for an investigative career as a detective.

For the Detective DHEP, student officers are only in uniform for approx. 10 weeks whilst being tutored, where you must achieve fitness for independent patrol. Following this, and for the rest of the programme, you will be in a non-uniformed investigative environment. All learning and operational deployments on the detective pathway are contextualised and relevant to an investigative context - you will learn how things work in theory so that when you encounter them in real life you will be confident to deal with the situation.

This course will require commitment and dedication to both serving the public and meeting the demands of the development programme. You must therefore be willing and able to meet the academic demands and deadlines throughout the programme. You’ll have continual, positive support from both South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Hallam University in achieving the skills and knowledge required to be an effective detective and your graduate diploma in Professional Policing Practice. The support you receive will include progression development coaches, academic personal tutor, detective practice educators, investigative tutors, operational policing support and much more. 20 per cent of your work time will also be allocated as protected learning time.

Could you be a detective?

We’re looking for the problem solvers, the curious and the tenacious. People who have the desire to follow every lead, discover the truth of what happened and seek results. Emotionally resilient and compassionate, you will need to stay calm in the face of adversity and build relationships with those who may be the victim or witness of a serious and violent crime. You will have to critically analyse the evidence, establishing the facts which will be used to obtain justice in court. And while it’s not always like what you see on the TV, you will get to deal with interesting and challenging situations daily.

We are only as good as our people. It's really important to us that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we believe that as an organisation we will benefit from the variety of thinking, approaches and skills which diversity can bring; all of which helps us to deliver a better policing service. We have worked hard to create a safe, open and inclusive culture.

Applications for the Detective DHEP are currently closed. 

A male police detective, wearing a suit, looking into the camera. Another man is out of focus in the background, wearing a polo shirt and cap. He has his arms folded and he is looking down.
Three crime scene investigators in white coveralls, with blue masks and blue gloves, are kneeling on the ground looking for evidence. They are in a field, and blue and white police tape can be seen in the background, marking a scene.
A black and white background with become a police officer in yellow and black text. It also contains the link for more information and the SYP logo.