Police Industry Sector Guide
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Career Transition Partnership Police Industry Sector Guide 1 Career Transition Partnership Content Overview Prime Ministers announcement of the Page 3 recruitment of 20,000 new officers over next 3 years What type of roles will I find Page 13 in the industry? Police Officer Page 4 RightJob Vacancy Information PCSO Page 5 Page 14 Special Constable Page 6 Support Roles Page 7 Current Police Recruitment London and Eastern Region Page 15 Am I eligible to join as a South East and South West Region Police Officer? Page 16 Page 8 - 9 East Mids and West Mids Region Page How do I apply to be a 17 Police Officer? North East and North West Region Page 10 Page 18 Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland Salary and BenefitsSalary Page 19 and Benefits Non Geographical Page 20 Page 11 HM Prison and Probation Further Information Service Page 21 Page 12 2 Career Transition Partnership Overview There are 48 police forces in the UK. This number includes specialist, non-geographic forces such as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defence Police. There are 43 geographic forces in England and Wales, one in Scotland (Police Scotland), and one in Northern Ireland (Police Service of Northern Ireland). There are currently 209,400 officers serving in the geographic England and Wales forces, over 17,000 in Scotland, and over 6,000 in Northern Ireland. The objective of a job in the police service, put simply, will be to reduce crime and the fear of crime. Achieving this will mean: • meeting daily challenges • accepting responsibility • working as a team • gaining the respect of your community There are many different types of jobs in the police service. These include: • Police officers • Police community support officers (England and Wales only) • Special Constables/Volunteers • Police Staff Other opportunities to work for the police aside from the uniformed officers, special constables and police community support officers seen on the street are in support roles. Some examples of such roles are: • Analyst - provides analytical support by collating and studying information to help detect and reduce crime • Call handler - provides a professional response to calls received • Front counter personnel - mans the front counter of a station and answer enquiries • Scenes of crime – investigation and recording of crime scenes 3 Career Transition Partnership What type of roles will I find in the industry? Police Officer As a police officer your job will be to reduce crime and the fear of crime, and promote confidence among local people that the police understand and are prepared to deal with issues that matter most to them. Policing will enable you to work in partnership with the public and other organisations and make a difference to the local community. You will have a key role in supporting victims and witnesses and providing reassurance to individuals who have been subjected to crime and anti-social behaviour. Many people will look to you for guidance and protection from such experiences and to provide this effectively you will need to be able to see things from their perspective, tailoring your approach to address their particular needs and fears. You'll be a person who thrives on challenges, and are willing to work hard to learn the skills necessary for this difficult but critical role. This can be a tough and unpredictable job, but it is also an extremely rewarding position. Everyday when you put on your uniform and go to work, you will be making life safer and more secure for your friends and neighbours, and making your town a better place to live. Through our comprehensive training course you will learn to: • protect the public from violence • provide a reassuring presence in the community • support victims of crime and offer help to those who have witnessed crimes • investigate complex crimes using a mixture of cutting-edge technology and time-proven traditional methods 4 Career Transition Partnership What type of roles will I find in the industry? Police Community Support Officer Work as a police community support officer (PCSO) can be very exciting, as each day brings new challenges. You will be involved in the fight against a range of crime and disorder problems. Just some of the tasks you might encounter on any given day are: • contributing to the regeneration of local communities • increasing public safety • dealing with truants, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, litter, missing persons enquiries • helping to support crime victims • controlling crowds at major events, such as football games or concerts. The early intervention of PCSOs can often deter people from committing offences, and certainly stops minor problems getting worse. What is the difference between a PCSO and a police officer? PCSOs do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or process prisoners, cannot investigate crime and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks that police officers perform. You must be good on your feet PCSOs spend much of their time on foot patrol, and are a visible, anti-crime presence in communities throughout England and Wales. Because they are so visible, members of the public feel comfortable approaching them with questions or worries about anti-social behaviour or crime. You must be able to communicate effectively and calmly in difficult situations, and to offer comfort and reassurance to the public in order to succeed as a PCSO. Lots of responsibility Work as a PCSO is demanding, and brings with it a great deal of responsibility. Depending on the rules of the force with which you work, you may be given considerable police powers. You could, for example: • detain someone until a constable arrives • direct traffic and remove vehicles • issue fixed penalty notices for anti-social behaviour. 5 Career Transition Partnership What type of roles will I find in the industry? Special Constables The Special Constabulary is a force of trained volunteers who work with and support their local police. 'Specials', as special constables are known, come from all walks of life - they are teachers, taxi drivers, accountants and secretaries, or any number of other careers. Specials spend around four hours a week, or more, supporting the police to tackle crime in their community (duty hours may vary from force to force). Once they have completed their training, they have the same powers as regular officers and wear a similar uniform. What's in it for you? Joining the specials opens up a world of opportunity for personal and professional advancement. Undergoing the training and then going out on patrol makes a welcome break from day-to-day life, bringing excitement and challenge with every day you volunteer. People join the Special Constabulary for many different reasons. You may want: • to give something back to the community • to learn new skills and gain valuable experience • to challenge yourself • to learn first-hand about the police force before committing to a full-time job there • to have a second chance if you've unsuccessfully applied for a job as a regular officer. • Being a special will change you Becoming a special will help you see life differently. You'll discover a lot you did not know about yourself and you'll learn just how much you are really capable of. You will: • develop self-respect and self-confidence • improve your communication skills • learn more about your community. • You will be working as one of a team and the experiences you share in working closely together can lead to lasting friendships. You will learn more about life and human nature than most people will ever see. 6 Career Transition Partnership What type of roles will I find in the industry? Support roles There are many other opportunities to support the police service, aside from the uniformed officers, special constables and police community support officers you see on the streets. The support roles employed by the police service play a vital role in ensuring the service runs efficiently and effectively, working in partnership with those in uniform. Each force tends to operate slightly differently and may have very different job roles, so you should contact your local force to discuss the opportunities available. Below are some examples of the kind of roles you might be able to do: • ANALYST: Provide analytical support for the provision of operational policing by collating and analysing information. Also provide intelligence with the aim of detecting and reducing crime. • CALL CONTROLLER: Manage a professional response to calls received, in accordance with Charter Standards and Force Policy. • FRONT COUNTER PERSONNEL: Provide a response to front counter enquiries in line with Force policy. • PERSONAL SECRETARY: Provide professional secretarial support in response to management needs. • CALL HANDLER: Provide a professional response to calls received, in accordance with Charter Standards and Force Policy. • CRIME RESEARCHER Identify and investigate all sources of information, then evaluate and prioritise that information in order to support the analytical and investigative processes.. • LIBRARIAN: Provide an efficient library service which meets the needs of its customers. • STAFF OFFICER: Conduct inspections into specific areas or themes, making recommendations as appropriate. • VEHICLE REMOVAL OFFICER: Ensure the safe removal of vehicles in line with Force policy. 7 Career Transition Partnership Am I eligible to join as a Police Officer? Applicants from all backgrounds and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply. Applicants are not limited to any particular age group - in fact, we welcome those who are looking for a career change. The minimum age to apply is 18, and there is no upper age limit, though you should bear in mind that the normal retirement age for police constables and sergeants is 60. You should also be aware that all new recruits, whatever their age, are required to undertake a two-year probationary period.