Investigation Officer (Entry Level)

Role: Investigation Officer (Entry Level)

Department/District: Crime Services & Districts (Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield)

Location: Various locations throughout the South Yorkshire Police Force Area

Salary: Band C, £28,914 - £31,749 progressing to Band D, £32,613 - £37,020 after completion of PIP2 qualification

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 15th November 2026

We have exciting opportunities for Investigation Officers to join South Yorkshire Police. As key members of our investigation teams, you will be involved in supporting investigations into criminality across various investigative portfolios within force departments and local policing districts. This includes the areas of Vulnerability, Major Crime and District CID.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop into a fully accredited Investigator through a force-wide programme. The training course is 10 weeks at our dedicated training centre, following this you will continue your career pathway towards achieving competence in PIP (Professionalising Investigations Programme) Level 1. The training course will commence in April 2027 and you will be expected to work full time Monday to Friday during the training period.

Subject to a suitability assessment and subsequent attainment of the national investigators exam, candidates will progress towards Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) Level 2 accreditation and would be eligible to progress to the next band (B and D) £32,613 - £37,020 with involvement in PIP 2 serious and complex investigations.

Role:

Investigation Officers work in a number of areas across the force to conduct/manage investigations and submit case files to enable prosecutions. They also provide support and ongoing victim care throughout the investigative process.

Investigation Officers work across a diverse area of the force including Vulnerability, Major Crime, Specialist Crime Operations, and district policing teams. Therefore, adaptability in respect of nature of work and work environment is essential.

There is a requirement to work a shift pattern covering weekends and late shifts. Full shift patterns will be confirmed at the time of appointment.

Eligibility:

- Must be over 18.
- Must hold a full manual driving licence as this role will require some driving. (Please ensure you upload a copy of the front and back of your driving licence before submitting your application)
- Must be able to physically undertake personal safety training.
- As part of this role the wearing of Personal Issue Body Armour will be required on some occasions.
- Able to undertake training to achieve Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) level 1.

Key skills and experience:

- Good communication skills with the ability to listen, empathise, provide support, and adapt language form, and message to meet the needs of different people/audiences.
- Able to break down a complex problem into component parts and determine appropriate action.
- Able to produce clear and concise reports and other documents within best practice procedures.
- Able to work effectively in a team to achieve shared objectives, demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support and advice as required.

For more detailed information relating to the role and the skills and experience required, please click here to view the role profile. If you are having trouble with the hyperlink, please right click, copy, and paste in a separate window.

You should evidence how your skills and experience align with the requirements of the role profile, using explicit examples where possible, in order to be shortlisted for interview. You may wish to use the STAR method to structure your examples.

What we offer:

We offer generous entitlements and supportive policies to enable a better work-life balance, some of which are listed below:

- A highly competitive salary and access to a generous pension scheme
- Generous annual leave allowance
- A wide range of family-friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
- Flexible working arrangements including flexitime and hybrid working for some roles
- Job sharing/part-time working for some roles
- A transparent and collaborative team culture underpinned by our core values of Fairness, Integrity & Trust (FIT)
- A comprehensive range of development and leadership courses to develop your career with South Yorkshire Police
- Employee Assistance Programme (accessible 24/7) offering confidential support and advice
- Flexible lifestyle benefits such as: Blue Light Card, Company Shop, Cycle to Work scheme
- A commitment to embracing the principles of sustainability, including reducing our negative environmental impacts, and enhancing our positive social contribution
- Membership of the Sports and Social Club
- Access to a wide range of staff support groups and networks

We are a Disability Confident Employer and guarantee an interview for all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

South Yorkshire Police’s Key Values:

At South Yorkshire Police we have 3 key values which run through everything we do: Fairness, Integrity & Trust (FIT). The attached document details the key behaviours we expect all employees to adhere to.

Smarter Ways of Working:

South Yorkshire Police is committed to developing working practices which assist staff to balance their personal and professional lives, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation. This in turn enables South Yorkshire Police to provide an outstanding service to the community.

There are 3 different categories as part of this which are: Fixed, Field and Hybrid.

This role has been categorised as a Field role.

Field: This applies to roles that do have a base; however, the nature of the duties may require travel to other locations. These roles cannot accommodate flexible working from home on a permanent basis.

In addition, we will look to support anyone who requires Part Time/Job share working hours.

Appearance & Standards:

South Yorkshire Police is committed to striking a proportionate balance between self-expression and the need to maintain professional standards in dress and appearance.

Candidates are permitted to have tattoos visible on the hands, neck, forearms, or face whilst on duty provided these are not considered discriminatory, offensive, or inappropriate. Any tattoos will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Residency and Nationality Requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum checkable history criteria. This is a vetting requirement and applies to individuals applying to work with South Yorkshire Police in any capacity. You must have resided in the UK for 5 continuous years immediately prior to application. If you have been abroad during the last 5 years while serving in the UK Armed Forces or working for the UK Government, your application will still be considered.

Please note that South Yorkshire Police is unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Contact Details:

For queries about the application process, please contact [email protected]

Next steps in the recruitment process:

It is anticipated that the interviews will take place between 7th - 18th December 2026. Full details will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Pre-employment Checks:

Should you be successful at the interview stage and before appointment, a number of pre-employment checks are required. Depending on the role, these may include references, medical clearance, vetting clearance, and attendance check.

South Yorkshire Police sets absence criteria of no more than 33 days and / or 5 separate occurrences over the last 3 years. However, this will not be considered until pre-employment check stage. Any period of sickness absence which is as a direct result of a pregnancy will be discounted. Consideration will be given to discounting periods of sickness absence which are disability related.

Diversity & Inclusion:

We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation which provides fair and equal consideration to all of our applicants. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions, or beliefs and of neurodivergence.

We’re proud to have a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Different backgrounds and experiences make us stronger.

If you are from an underrepresented group and want to find out more about the support we can offer, please contact our dedicated team on [email protected]

Internal Candidates:

You must ensure that you apply through the internal jobs board (Opportunity Marketplace via Oracle).

Documents to Review:

For the Police Staff Recruitment Vetting Handbook - Please Click here

For Application Guidance and Tips - Please Click Here

For the FIT Values of South Yorkshire Police - Please Click Here

View our recruitment video:

https://youtu.be/2dGn5qti7_c