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A report by the Metropolitan Police raises the prospect of future police recruits in London having to work as a volunteer special constable for at least a year before they could apply to become full-time paid officers.

The move could end the tradition of tutoring new recruits at the world-renowned Hendon Police College.

Such a scheme could save £12 million a year by 2012, according to the report which will go to the Metropolitan Police Authority next week.

But Peter Smyth, the chairman of the Met branch of the Police Federation, said: “I would be cautious about accepting this as the only way that we recruit.

“My concern is that if people are told they have to do a year's work without pay then we could lose some very good candidates. If a talented student is leaving university with a £20,000 debt then he may not wish to choose to do voluntary work for a year or so before he starts paying off his debt.”

However, Kit Malthouse, the Deputy Mayor of London, said: "If you want to become a police officer this shows your commitment … They will do the same training but a lot of it is on the job.”

The Met has a waiting list of thousands of applicants and has frozen recruitment. Many people are postponing leaving the force because of the recession.

For further information about joining the police, see our summary.

[Article reported in The Telegraph]