The Direct Entry and Fast Track schemes offer routes into policing at inspector or superintendent level without following the traditional constable-to-sergeant-to-inspector pathway. These schemes are controversial within policing, strongly supported by some and deeply resented by others. This guide explains what they involve and whether they might be right for you.
The Direct Entry Inspector Scheme
The Direct Entry Inspector scheme allows candidates with no prior policing experience to enter directly at inspector rank after completing an intensive two-year development programme. Candidates are assessed through a competitive national process run by the College of Policing and hosted by a participating force. The programme combines formal academic learning, placements across different policing functions, supervised operational responsibility, and mentoring from experienced officers. At the end of the two years, successful participants are confirmed as substantive inspectors.
The Direct Entry Superintendent Scheme
The Direct Entry Superintendent scheme operates at a higher entry level, accepting senior leaders from other sectors and placing them into the superintendent rank following a development programme. This scheme is smaller and less frequently run than the Direct Entry Inspector scheme. It targets people with significant senior leadership experience from the private sector, military, or public services.
The Fast Track Constable Scheme
The High Potential Development Scheme (HPDS) and its successor Fast Track Constable programme offer a different route: joining as a constable but with an accelerated pathway through to inspector within three to four years rather than the eight to twelve years it typically takes on the standard route. Candidates must pass a competitive assessment process and demonstrate the capability and values required for rapid progression. The programme involves structured development, additional learning, and performance management against stretch objectives. It is not automatic promotion — candidates must demonstrate performance at each stage.
The Assessment Process
All three schemes involve highly competitive national assessment processes run by the College of Policing. The Direct Entry schemes typically involve written assessments, a structured interview, an assessment centre with role-play and group exercises, and psychometric testing. Pass rates are low. The HPDS assessment adds an online sift before the assessment centre stage. Preparation should be treated as seriously as any other competitive professional selection process — candidates who research the competency framework, practise structured exercises, and prepare evidence-based examples from their prior experience perform significantly better than those who rely on general intelligence alone.
The Culture Challenge
This is the honest part. Direct entry officers frequently face significant cultural resistance from colleagues who have progressed through the traditional route. Being an inspector who has never been a constable is a genuine operational challenge — you will be expected to supervise, direct, and support officers whose operational experience substantially exceeds your own. The most successful direct entry officers are those who are explicit about this gap, who actively seek to learn from experienced colleagues rather than masking their knowledge gaps, and who earn respect through the quality of their leadership rather than asserting authority they haven't yet earned.
Who Should Apply?
The Direct Entry schemes are best suited to people with genuine leadership experience from other sectors who bring skills that policing needs and lacks — commercial acumen, technology leadership, complex project management — and who are motivated by policing's purpose rather than its rank structure. The Fast Track scheme suits officers and potential joiners who have strong academic ability, clear career ambitions, and the resilience to operate in an environment where their progression will be scrutinised by colleagues who have taken the longer route.
The Current Status of the Schemes
The College of Policing periodically reviews and pauses these schemes, and availability varies by year. The Direct Entry Inspector scheme has run in multiple cohorts since its introduction, but recruitment cycles are not annual. Check the College of Policing website for current recruitment windows and participating forces. Not all forces participate in every cohort.