Police Competency and Values Framework (CVF): how to write your examples
Updated · 3 min read
Police forces in England and Wales use the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) from the College of Policing to recruit, assess and promote officers and staff. Whether you're applying to join, moving into a new role or going for promotion, the questions you'll be asked are built on it.
The College of Policing published an updated CVF in 2024. Forces moved over to it during 2024 and 2025, so if you've seen older guidance mentioning different values, it's likely out of date. Always check the version your force is using.
The three values
- Courage: doing the right thing, even when it's difficult or unpopular.
- Respect and empathy: treating people with dignity and trying to understand their point of view.
- Public service: acting in the interests of the public and the communities you serve.
The six competencies
- We are emotionally aware: understanding your own emotions and other people's, and using that to act well.
- We take ownership: taking responsibility for your actions and seeing things through.
- We collaborate: working with colleagues, partners and communities towards shared goals.
- We support and inspire: helping others to do their best and setting a positive example.
- We analyse critically: weighing up information and evidence to make sound decisions.
- We are innovative and open-minded: being open to new ideas and finding better ways of working.
The values run through everything: assessors look for them in every example, not only when a question asks about them directly. Each competency is also described at different levels, so read the indicators for the level of the role you're applying for.
How to write a CVF example
- Read the indicators for the competency and level. They tell you what good looks like.
- Choose a real, recent example where you personally made the difference. It doesn't have to be from policing.
- Structure it with STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. See our STAR method guide.
- Spend most of your words on your actions, and say why you did what you did. Reasoning matters.
- Show the values along the way: how you treated people, what you did when it was hard.
- End with the result and what you learned, especially for emotionally aware and ownership examples.
While working as a shift supervisor at a supermarket, I noticed that our weekly fire door checks were being signed off without being done, because the person responsible had left and no one had taken it over. I raised it with the store manager the same day rather than waiting for the next team meeting, and offered to take it on. I checked every door myself that evening, found two that didn't close properly and reported them for repair. I then wrote a simple checklist, set a weekly reminder and trained two colleagues so the checks wouldn't depend on one person. The doors were fixed within a week, and at our next fire safety inspection the store passed with no actions. I learned that when something falls between roles, the quickest fix is to own it and then make sure it can't fall through again.
- Spots the problem and acts without being asked
- Shows public service and courage: safety first, raising it straight away
- Fixes the root cause, not just the symptom
Where the CVF comes up
You'll meet the CVF in application forms, in the assessment process for new officers, at interview and in promotion processes. The exact stages vary by force and by entry route, so read your force's guidance. The examples you write for an application form are worth keeping: they're the same ones you'll be asked about in person.
Write one strong example for each competency, then a second for the ones your target role weights most. Keep them tagged by competency and value, so you can find the right one in seconds when the next form or interview comes round.
Frequently asked questions
- Which version of the CVF should I use?
- The 2024 version, unless your force tells you otherwise. Check the force's recruitment pages or ask its recruitment team.
- Do my examples have to be from policing?
- No. Examples from work, education, volunteering or everyday life are fine, as long as they clearly show the competency.
- How many examples do I need?
- At least one per competency the form asks about. Having a spare for each makes interviews much easier.
- Is this the same in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
- No. The CVF is from the College of Policing, used by forces in England and Wales. Police Scotland and the PSNI run their own recruitment.