Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) 2025

Salary: £25,098, rising to £27,531 basic annually (Plus you will be entitled a shift and weekend allowance, making potential earnings £31,748 - £34,826)

Location: Forcewide. Positions are available across the force area. Please note, we are unable to guarantee you a particular location.

Hours/Contract: Full time, 37 hours

Start Date: These vacancies are for a course starting 18th August 2025. Initial classroom phase training will take 13 weeks and you must be available to attend the full training programme.

Working for #TeamNP

Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.

As one of the largest police forces in England we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes and online soft skills courses to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training and time to carve out the career you always wanted.

As one of the top 50 UK inclusive employers and a disability confident employer, we promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.

Whether you’re a member of staff or a volunteer, you can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.

Above all else, here at Team NP, we can offer you a career that is so much more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something that really matters.

Learn about our full benefits package

The role

Here at Northumbria Police, we think our region is amazing. It takes a great deal of people from different backgrounds, with diverse skills and experience to serve our force area effectively, think you have what it takes to help us make a difference? This could be the perfect time for you to join us as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO).

Not only will the role equip you with the skills and confidence to engage with local communities, help prevent crime and build valued relationships, upon successful completion of the initial training course you will also receive a Level 4 Diploma of Community Policing Practise.

As a PCSO, you will provide a visible and reassuring presence, acting as the eyes and ears of both the public and Northumbria Police. The community we serve is diverse and you could be working in either rural or urban communities. You will be part of a Neighbourhood Policing Team, engaging with local communities and partners to build positive relationships, identify community issues, and implement solutions to keep communities safe. Your responsibilities will include:

Handling incidents within your area and conducting initial investigations.
Ensuring scene preservation when necessary.
Providing quality service to victims and witnesses of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Identifying vulnerable individuals and ensuring their safety.
Participating in briefings, operations, and other policing activities.
Attending court as needed and exercising designated powers set by the Chief Constable.

What you’ll bring

Communication Skills: Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. You will be able to adapt your communication style to best support the community. While you don’t have arrest powers, handcuffs, or batons, you will rely on your training, communication, and interpersonal skills to manage challenging situations.
Relationship Building: Approachable and adaptable to build and maintain positive relationships, making you a respected figure in the community.
Customer Focused: Strong focus on helping others being resourceful, diplomatic, motivated, and community-connected.
Prioritisation: Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities.
Resilient: You need to stand up for yourself and handle confrontations, but you’ll always have support from police officers and other staff. The camaraderie in this role is unique and invaluable, especially during tough times.
Keen to Learn: As an apprentice PCSO your on-the-job learning will also be accredited with a Level 4 Diploma in Community Policing Practice and go towards the achievement of the Police Community Support Officer Apprenticeship

As we’re a 24/7 service, you’ll need to be flexible to work shifts - days, evenings and weekends.

Sound interesting? For further information, and to support your application, please view our PCSO application guide and the job description

Want to learn more about the role, training programme and what it would be like to be a PCSO with us?

We will be inviting you to join us for one of our online information events. The session will include an overview of the role, what you can expect from the training and the opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have.

To join as a Police Community Support Officer with Northumbria Police, applicants must have:

Level 2 English (a GCSE or iGCSE at grade C (level 4) or above, Functional Skills Level 2, Key Skills Level 2 (Communication and / or Literacy) or Adult Literacy Plus
For under 19's, you will also need Level 2 Maths (GCSE or iGCSE at grade C (level 4) or above, Functional Skills Level 2, Key Skills Level 2 or Adult Numeracy Plus. This is desirable for over 19's.

AND

A minimum of ONE Level 3 (or higher) qualification for example 1 A-Level qualification

Relevant work experience that will support your progression into the PCSO role. We will review work experience in line with our core force values and the National Competency and Values framework.

We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

Interested to learn more? For further information about the role please contact us by email at JoinTeamNP@northumbria.police.uk

What we offer

26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays.
Enhanced maternity/ shared parental and adoption leave.
Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours).
Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution.
Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts.
Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers.
Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets.
We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
Access to gyms in some stations.
Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel.
Cycle to work scheme.

Just so you know

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a Police Community Support Officer with #TeamNP.

To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute. If you haven't already, we recommend viewing our PCSO application guide and visiting our website.

If you have any questions, please contact the Talent Acquisition Team on JoinTeamNP@northumbria.police.uk

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form, national sift and skill scan form followed by an interview in Spring 2025.

Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, with whom we collaborate with to improve the lives of disabled employees. We are also Disability Confident Employer, therefore if you demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as stated in the advert, we will progress your application and offer you an interview.

If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via JoinTeamNP@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Recruitment Vetting (RV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 3 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance and medical information.

Terms of appointment

This is a permanent role subject to a 24-month commitment to post where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally with Northumbria Police. Due to the length of the mandatory training course, your probation period for this role will be 15 months.

Continued employment is dependent upon completing the training course without taking annual leave in this 13-week period. Failure at this stage will lead to the termination of your employment.