Police Staff Investigator
Also advertised as: Case Investigator, Crime Investigator (Police Staff), Investigative Support Officer, Police Staff Investigator, Volume Crime Investigator
Investigates crime as a civilian member of police staff, without holding the powers of a sworn officer.
What the job involves
Police staff investigators support detectives by taking statements, reviewing evidence and building case files for lower-level or volume crime. You work closely with warranted officers but do not have their powers of arrest. The role is a common route for people who want investigative work in policing without becoming a police constable.
Typical responsibilities
- Take witness and victim statements
- Review CCTV and forensic evidence
- Build case files for prosecution
- Liaise with victims throughout an investigation
- Support officers on live investigations
Common employers
- Police forces
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£23,000 – £27,000 a year
With experience
£29,000 – £36,000 a year
Typical hours
37 hours, may include shift work
Working environment
Police station and community locations
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Investigation
- Interviewing
- Evidence handling
- Report writing
- Empathy with victims
Transferable skills you may already have
- Casework investigation
- Interviewing skills
- Working within procedure
Requirements employers ask for
- Investigation
- Interviewing
- Evidence handling
- Report writing
- Empathy with victims
- Enhanced DBS check
- Security vetting
- Security vetting
- Enhanced DBS check
Useful but not essential
- Casework investigation
- Interviewing skills
- Working within procedure
- Experience in a legal, investigative or customer-facing role
Helpful qualifications
- Experience in a legal, investigative or customer-facing role
Licences and checks
- Security vetting
- Enhanced DBS check
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Police Community Support Officer apprenticeship (Level 4)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Criminology
- Related subject: Law
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Investigator
next
Police Constable
next
Intelligence Analyst
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Investigative work without becoming a sworn officer
- Clear procedures and training support
- Pathway into wider policing careers
What people find hard
- Exposure to distressing victim accounts
- Case backlogs can create pressure to meet deadlines
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a police staff investigator?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a police staff investigator earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £23,000 to £27,000 a year, rising towards £36,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Casework investigation, Interviewing skills, Working within procedure.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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