Almost 5,000 applications have been received after the PSNI launched a new student officer recruitment campaign.

The recruitment drive, which ran between January 22-February 12, attracted a total of 4,822 applicants.

Meanwhile the call handler competition between January 27 and February 17 attracted a further 587 applications.

Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: “It is really positive to see that in the three-week application window, such a large number of people have expressed an interest in stepping up to serve our communities and keep people safe by becoming a police officer or call handler with the PSNI.

Chief Operating Officer Pamela McCreedy, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and Chair of Northern Ireland Policing Board Mukesh Sharma launch the Student Officer Recruitment campaign. Photo: Press Eye

placeholder image — Chief Operating Officer Pamela McCreedy, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and Chair of Northern Ireland Policing Board Mukesh Sharma launch the Student Officer Recruitment campaign. Photo: Press Eye

“Whilst applications are slightly down for student officers on the previous campaign, they have risen for the call handler position.

“We were conscious that we would be operating in very competitive job market, with the Northern Ireland unemployment rate at a record low of just 1.9 percent. A recent report by the Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre also highlighted a shortage of 5,440 workers a year, resulting in an undersupply of available workers across almost all sectors and industries.

“In this context, the police service was competing against a whole variety of other professions and we recognised that this will of course impact on the numbers seeking employment with us.”

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Throughout the recruitment campaigns, in addition to traditional advertising, the PSNI also held a number of engagement events across Northern Ireland to meet and interact with people who wanted to know about a career in policing.

“We met with so many brilliant and dedicated people from all backgrounds whose talents will undoubtedly enhance our Police Service and improve the lives of the communities we serve,” Deputy Chief Constable Singleton added.

“Being a police officer is not the career for everyone, but for those of us for whom it is truly a vocation, it is an exciting, challenging and varied one where you can literally change lives for the better.

“Each of the student officer applicants has now started their journey through a rigorous but worthwhile process, which has been developed to ensure that the very best candidates will go forward to be offered a place on the training programme.

“If this time you did not apply, but are still thinking about a career in policing, please come and talk to us about future opportunities.”