Criminal intelligence analysts collect and evaluate information to analyse patterns of crime. They study various sources of information to build up a picture of criminal suspects and their activities, to help prevent future crimes being committed.

They work in various areas of criminal intelligence - from investigations with local police forces to major enquiries of national or international importance. They may specialise in areas such as burglary and car theft, serious organised crime or terrorist activities.

Crime scene investigators (CSIs), also known as scenes of crime officers (SOCOs), attend crime scenes to record and examine evidence. The evidence they discover is then used to investigate crimes.

The tasks of a CSI may include:

Police community support officers (PCSOs) support the police in reducing crime, fear and antisocial behaviour. They are usually assigned to a neighbourhood policing team. They spend much of their time patrolling the community, on foot or bicycle.

PCSOs have fixed powers. They do not investigate more serious crimes, but they play a vital role by:

The UK Border Agency is made up of the Immigration Group and Border Force. The Agency is responsible for securing the UK border and controlling migration in the UK. They manage border control for the UK, enforcing immigration and customs regulations.

All areas of the UK Border Agency employ administrative assistants (AAs), to provide essential support.

The Immigration Group also employs:

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has its own dedicated civil police force, known as the MOD Police or MDP. It is not a military force. MDP officers, who have the same powers as other police officers, specialise in providing national armed security.

MDP officers can be deployed at any one of over 70 MOD units or establishments throughout the UK. They also serve overseas.

Detectives are plain-clothed police officers who specialise in investigating crime. They usually work within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and in specialist units such as drugs, fraud and stolen vehicles. They may also work in cross-border units such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) or Counter Terrorist Command.

Detectives investigate the more serious crimes, including:

Police officers work to prevent, reduce and investigate crime. Their role is to uphold the law, maintain order and make communities safer.

Their duties might include:

People working in the Uniformed Services help to protect both people and property. There are opportunities for both front-line personnel and support staff.

There is a diverse range of career choices available with: