ROCWM Surveillance academy

Please note this vacacny is ONLY open to Substantive Constables in Staffordshire, West Mercia and Warwickshire Sergeants. Officers from West Midlands Police are not eligable to apply.

Rank: Police Constable and Sergeants

We are looking for highly motivated, dynamic and enthusiastic substantive Constables to join our Surveillance Academy, to train as surveillance officers in this challenging yet rewarding role working in an excellent team environment.

Our surveillance capability involves a collaboration of police forces across the West Midlands region, working with the UK intelligence community to help protect the public and our national security by deterring, disrupting and thwarting criminal activity. Our officers and staff are at the forefront of the UK’s work to confront crime, operating around the clock to provide tactical support to proactive and reactive serious and organised crime operations.

Your skills could help protect the UK with the ongoing organised crime threats; there has never been a more important time to be working alongside some of the best and brightest to help keep people safe.

Here is your opportunity to be a part of the vibrant, diverse specialist teams who fight organised crime across our region. We currently have vacancies on each of our regional teams and our ambition is to re-stablish a 5^th team which will be based out of Warwickshire’s Headquarters in Leek Wootton.

Our aim is to become as diverse as possible and to reflect the communities we serve; we welcome all applications from across the region.

The role

The job of a surveillance officer is like no other. Every day offers a variety of exciting challenges and exceptional opportunities played out on a regional, national and international stage.

You will work to become part of a dedicated team utilising the latest surveillance techniques to help tackle the most serious crime working alongside key partner agencies. You will undertake a demanding training programme during which you'll receive personalised guidance and support at all stages from an allocated mentor and the surveillance training unit.

As a surveillance officer targeting those who pose the greatest threat and risk, you will need to display the highest levels of integrity, personal commitment and flexibility.

This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to grow professionally while collaborating with a talented group of individuals delivering for communities affected by the most serious criminality. We will offer you an extensive and enriching learning and development package, which you'll be actively encouraged to pursue.

Selection process

You will need to successfully complete each of the following within the academy process:

Compulsory attendance at a 2024 surveillance academy discovery session prior to applying. Sessions can be booked here: https://www.rocuwm.info/news/surveillance-academy-discovery-sessions/
Application process (registering your interest - select "Apply Online" below)
Attach current proof of hearing, eyesight and fitness tests
Attend Regional Selection Process (RSP) – exercises designed to test your aptitude for surveillance across two days. To include a career chat for PC applicants.
Attend National Surveillance Selection Process (NSSP) - exercises designed to test your map reading, attention to detail and observation skills
CVF based interview - Sergeants only
Management (MV) and Security Check (SC) vetting
Standard driver training (3 weeks) and advanced driver training (4 weeks)
Surveillance field training
College of policing national surveillance course (5 weeks - residential if required)

Following your College of Policing 5-week surveillance course you will need to complete a surveillance portfolio and training program, within 12 months of starting your posting, evidencing you have achieved competence within the role.

Additional Information

⚠ This role is subject to successful completion of Security Check vetting

⚠ You may be subject to voluntary drugs and alcohol testing and will be asked to voluntarily give a DNA elimination sample

To remain operationally effective, it is essential that the profile of the team reflects the communities within which we work.

We’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion to enable us to provide the best possible service to the communities across the region. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from colleagues with diverse backgrounds as we are currently under represented in this area.

Due to the nature of the role, unsocial working hours, travel across the region and shift changes at short notice are possible.

To provide operational resilience, all officers must be prepared to take an equal part in the on-call rota on weekdays, weekends and public holidays to facilitate a response to threats to life and crime in action.

Prospective officers and staff must be held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability than members of the public, and that therefore their right to privacy can be fettered in certain circumstances. This is to ensure that members of the police are fully aware and accountable for the unique powers entrusted to them and the standards of professional behaviour they swear to uphold.

Vetting: Successful applicants will be required to pass Management Vetting and Security Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process

Medical: Appointment to this role will be dependent upon successfully medical checks, which may include a drugs test and if required a fitness test.

By choosing to join West Midlands Police you will receive an enhanced benefits package including:

Fair remuneration with progression opportunities, and access to a very competitive pension scheme
Enhanced annual leave in additional to public holiday entitlements
Discounts across travel, parking, daily costs of living and leisure activities
A comprehensive wellbeing package including 24/7 support, free eye tests and flu jabs

West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Interview Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview.

It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.