Mounted police

Once you’ve successfully completed your probationary period on the front line, applying to become a mounted police constable is just one way your career could go. And believe it or not, you don’t have to be an expert rider to apply – you’re given all the training you need. Here’s what being a part of a mounted police unit entails:

• You’ll patrol communities, responding to high profile incidents or reports of high volumes of criminal activity.
• You’ll be there to support community engagement activities, providing public reassurance and supporting the prevention and detection of crime.
• A key part of your role will be to police public events such as big football matches, and respond to risks, threats and incidents.
• You’ll gather and handle information, intelligence and evidence from a variety of sources.
• You’ll be required to manage conflict by taking charge where appropriate, considering personal and public safety, as well as the welfare of your horse – making sure that situations are handled in a safe and proportionate manner.
• You’ll have the privilege of working outside a lot, being out on the street interacting with members of the public, local businesses and partners.

As you’ll be providing a very visible police presence on the street, you’ll need to be able to really get under the skin of the communities you’re policing, understanding their social composition, the needs of the most vulnerable and key local safety issues. You’ll also need to be able to act with discretion and emotional intelligence so that you can defuse or manage tense or tricky situations.

This is just one way your police career could take you after successfully completing your probation. Find out more about career progression.