You can do a degree in forensic science, or in a scientific subject like biological science or chemistry.
Some courses are accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels for a degree
Scenes of crime officer
Alternative titles for this job include SOCO
Scenes of crime officers (SOCOs) find, record and recover evidence from crime scenes.
Average salary (a year)
£16,000 Starter
to£35,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
41 to 43 a week
You could work
on call on shifts
How to become a Scenes of crime officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- applying directly
University
Direct application
Police services and law enforcement agencies set their own entry requirements for this type of work. In general, you'll need at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent, including English, maths and a science subject.
Some employers may prefer A levels or equivalent, including a science like chemistry or biology.
Many employers ask for a degree and will expect you to have experience in police work or a related field, for example intelligence gathering and analysis.
More information
Career tips
Experience of dealing with the public and working in sensitive situations would be useful.
Qualifications or experience in photography can also be useful and may be essential for some jobs.
Further information
You can find out more about working in forensics from The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Check with your local police service for details of vacancies and entry requirements.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- knowledge of public safety and security
- customer service skills
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to work on your own
- legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
- being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
You'll usually need to have a driving licence.What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could be:
- preserving and protecting crime scenes
- finding out what evidence is needed
- recording the scene using photography and video
- developing, recording and capturing fingerprint evidence
- finding, recording and recovering evidence
- keeping written records, producing statements and updating systems with details of evidence
Working environment
You could work on the streets, in a court, at a mortuary or at a police station.
Your working environment may be at height, physically and emotionally demanding, outdoors some of the time, dirty and cramped.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Career path and progression
With experience, you may be able to progress to senior or principal officer with responsibility for managing a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) team.You could complete further training to manage investigations at major incidents.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a Scenes of crime officer right now.
The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.
Courses In England
Extended Diploma in Public Services (QCF) (Ambulance, Police, Fire, Prison, Customs, Armed Forces, Public Services)
- Provider: Barking & Dagenham College
- Start date: 04 September 2019
- Location: Romford
Public Services - Diploma In Public Services (Qcf)
- Provider: HERTFORD REGIONAL COLLEGE
- Start date: 02 September 2019
- Location: Turnford