Police Community Support Officer Apprenticeship

Merseyside Police

Liverpool (L18 9TG)

Closes on Friday 30 January 2026

Posted on 19 November 2025

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Summary

Join us as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Apprentice and take your first step into the world of policing. Applications are now open for our first PCSO apprenticeship intake, planned for April 2026. Start Your Career in Policing with a PCSO Apprenticeship and make a real difference in your community while earning and learning.

• Wage:

  £27,204 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  £27,204 to £29,859 plus 13.33% equalisation allowance after training (per annum)

• Training course: Police community support officer (level 4)
• Hours: Hours– Mixture of days and late shifts (not past 10pm). This includes 1 weekend in the shift pattern.

  37 hours a week

• Start date:

  Monday 20 April 2026

• Duration:

  1 year 3 months

• Positions available:

  15

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

What You’ll Do:

As a PCSO Apprentice, you’ll work alongside trainers and experienced officers to:

• Engage with local communities to build trust and reduce crime
• Provide visible patrols to improve public safety
• Support vulnerable individuals and respond to incidents
• Gather intelligence and assist in investigations

What You’ll Learn:

Through a structured apprenticeship programme, you’ll gain:

• A nationally recognised qualification in community safety
• Practical policing skills and on-the-job experience
• Personal development and career progression opportunities

Where you'll work

222 Mather Avenue
Liverpool
L18 9TG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

THE CHIEF CONSTABLE OF MERSEYSIDE

Training course

Police community support officer (level 4)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Foster, promote and maintain channels of communication and develop close working relationships with key groups, multi-agency partners and individuals across the community
• Communicate effectively, in accordance with the varied needs of differing situations, individuals, groups and communities, including those who may be victims, witnesses and vulnerable people, supporting diversity and inclusivity through their communications
• Provide initial support to vulnerable people and assess their needs for further support, including providing advice on accessing that support
• Gather, handle and submit information and intelligence from a variety of sources to support law enforcement and to maximise policing effectiveness
• Work under the direction of their line managers and community-based Police Constables, contribute to developing, planning and implementing preventative and problem-solving policing approaches to local concerns and issues, including providing assistance to review, analyse and share the results of evidence-based initiatives
• Work alongside partner organisations or as part of a multi-disciplinary team to improve, mitigate and solve community problems, issues or concerns
• Provide an initial response to incidents (where necessary) in-line with legal and organisational requirements and the limits of their responsibilities, including appropriate planning (e.g. strategies for managing traffic flow), for responses based on analysis of all relevant information at hand
• Provide support for victims and witnesses at policing incidents, including advice to identify and access sources of additional support (or accessing sources on behalf of individuals) and post-incident help, and where appropriate, delivering any necessary follow-up assistance
• Apply appropriate conflict management tactics e.g. appropriate communication (not hands on physical techniques) where absolutely necessary and in-line with the powers bestowed on them, issued equipment (where applicable), the training they have received and organisational policy and procedure

Training schedule

Initial training:

16 weeks classroom based training.  This includes a 2-week patrol experience working in the community shadowing PCSO Mentors undertaking their role.

On completion of initial training:

• 6 weeks tutor phase working alongside an experienced PCSO
• 28 weeks full occupational competency phase where you will be on independent patrol, gathering evidence to complete your apprenticeship including the Level 4 Diploma
• 13 weeks phase of mock end point assessments and then the final end point assessment

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade E or 2 (or equivalent))
• maths (grade E or 2 (or equivalent))

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Interest in public service
• Interest in community safety

Other requirements

Details of the recruitment stages can be found on our PCSO information page - https://www.merseyside.police.uk/police-forces/merseyside-police/areas/careers/join-us/police-community-support-officers. We are currently recruiting PCSO’s to start employment in 2026

About this employer

Merseyside Police was formed in 1974 and serves a population of around 1.5 million people, covering an area of 647 square kilometres. We currently employ over 6000 people in a variety of roles, including Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers, Police Support Staff, Special Police Officers and Volunteers. At Merseyside Police, we believe in putting our communities first in everything we do. We are proud to deliver an excellent policing service and we will continue to work with our communities to tackle the issues that concern them most. Merseyside Police is made up of many different departments. Each department has a different focus, but they all work together towards the vision of providing the region with excellent policing. Our services include helping to create a safer Merseyside by using our expertise to design out crime. We are also responsible for preparing for emergencies, involved in the Policing of all the major events across Merseyside.

https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

33 days holiday increasing with service to 38 days Benefits: Local Government Pension Scheme, In depth training at our Mather Avenue Training Centre, Continuous Professional Development, Police Blue Light Card Discounts, Access to staff networks

After this apprenticeship

• Building a workforce that represents our communities is important to us
• We aim to attract & keep people with the best skills & highest potential
• Opportunites to progress to other roles within Merseyside Police are available after a period of probation

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE CHIEF CONSTABLE OF MERSEYSIDE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000349276.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 30 January 2026

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