Criminal Convictions
Although you may still be eligible to join the police service if you have minor convictions/cautions, there are certain offences and conditions which will make you ineligible. Read the following and if you are still unsure, contact your local recruitment office.

Exclusions
Applications will not be accepted from those who have been convicted or cautioned for a serious arrestable offence including:

• Murder
• Manslaughter
• Death by reckless driving
• Rape
• Kidnapping
• Firearms offences
• Hostage taking
• Hijacking or torture

In general, applications will also be rejected if an applicant has:

• committed any offence (as an adult or juvenile) which resulted in a prison sentence, including custodial, suspended or deferred sentence and sentences served at a young offenders’ institution or community home
• received a formal caution (including reprimands and final warnings) for a recordable offence within the last five years
• been convicted as a juvenile within the last five years for any recordable offence
• any other recordable offence within the last five years other than those listed above.
  (A recordable offence is any offence held on the Police National Computer. This includes offences punishable by imprisonment and others specified in the National Police Records (Recordable Offences) Regulations 2000)

You must include spent convictions under the Rehabilitaion of Offenders Act 1974 (by virtue of the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order1975) or any involvement with civil, military or transport police.

Applicants are likely to be rejected if they have been involved in any of the following:

• Offences involving serious violence or injury (including Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and Actual Bodily Harm (ABH))
• Offences involving unsolicited violence towards others
• Unlawful possession of weapons, firearms or going equipped to steal
• Gross indecency, acts of indecency and abuse or neglect of children
• Public Order offences – involvement in riot, violent disorder, affray, causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress
• Racially motivated or homophobic offences
• Burglary and offences which involve elements or acts of dishonesty, corruption, substantial financial gain or serious loss to anyone including theft, fraud and deception
• Serious involvement in drugs including possession of a Class A drug (heroin, morphine) or more than one Class B drug (amphetamines) and/or supplying drugs of any kind
• Reckless or Dangerous Driving; or one offence of drink driving, drunk in charge, or drugs driving, within the last ten years
• Other serious motoring offences such as convictions within the last five years, driving without insurance, failing to stop after an accident or driving whilst disqualified
• More than three endorseable traffic convictions (including fixed penalties) and/or two or more convictions for regulatory offences within the last five years such as failure to renew vehicle excise licence.

This is a guide only. If you have doubts about whether you qualify, please contact your local recruitment office for further advice.

An applicant’s age at the time of an offence and the aggravating circumstances surrounding the offence will all have a bearing in the following cases:

• Drunk and Disorderly – no more than one offence and only after two years have elapsed following a caution or three years have elapsed following a bindover/conviction.
• Minor drugs offences or substance abuse – no more than one offence and only after two years have elapsed following a caution or three from conviction
• Common Assault – no more than one offence as a juvenile or young adult and only after two years have elapsed from end of bindover/conviction
  

Details from PoliceCouldYou.co.uk