OVER the coming weeks Wiltshire Police will be recruiting police officers for the first time in three years.

This is the first time any force in the south west has recruited since the Government Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010.

The constabulary will be recruiting police officers to create a pool of applicants from which to fill a number of future intakes, with a view to successful candidates starting work for Wiltshire in late 2013 and early 2014.

The application process is very robust and lengthy, taking around 46 weeks from the initial application stage to the date employment will commence with Wiltshire Police.

Applications are welcomed from both current Wiltshire Police staff and from members of the public. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 57 and have a minimum of 5 GCSEs grades A*- C or equivalent, including Maths and English.

All applicants must reside within Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire, Devon and Cornwall, Thames Valley, Dorset, Hampshire or South Wales in order to apply. This will be monitored via proof of address at the application stage.

The initial salary will be £19,000 per year as specified in the Winsor recommendations. In addition, all applicants must: Be physically fit and in good health - you will be required to pass a medical examination and fitness test, have good unaided vision and must not suffer from any morbid eye conditions, severe colour vision deficiencies, would not pass the eyesight test. They must be a British Citizen or a member of the European Community, European Economic Area, Commonwealth Citizen or be a foreign national who is resident in the UK, free of restrictions and with unrestricted leave to remain .

Applications must be made via an online pre-assessment tool which will go live on the day recruitment opens. Wiltshire Police will release this date and time soon. Applications will be monitored once the pre-assessment tool goes live and will be closed once required levels of interest are numbers have been met.

Chief Constable Pat Geenty said: “I am delighted that we are in a position to open our recruitment for police officers. Although the service is facing many challenges, policing remains an excellent career choice.

“It offers an exceptionally diverse career in public service, offering individuals the chance to make a real difference to local communities.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, Angus Macpherson said: “I am very pleased that the Constabulary is starting the process to recruit new police officers. I have said that having frontline officers out on the beat within our local communities is very important to me and recruiting new officers will ensure that we continue to do just that.

“Being a police officer can be a very challenging and rewarding job to do with a range of development opportunities. Our Police should reflect our communities and I would particularly encourage people from minority ethnic communities to consider applying for this very interesting career opportunity in Wiltshire and Swindon.”