Detention Officer 2026

Salary: Band 5, £28,689 to £29,859 (equating to a potential £36,966 - £38,546 with shift and weekend allowances based on full time hours)

Hours: Full Time, 37 hours per week (2 days 07:00 – 19:00, 2 nights 19:00 – 07:00 then 4 days off)

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

Forth Banks Station (Newcastle City Centre)
Middle Engine Lane Station (Wallsend)
Southwick Station (Sunderland)
Bedlington Station (Northumberland)

Start Date: These vacancies are for a course starting Monday 11th May 2026. Initial classroom phase training will take four weeks, and you must be available to attend the full training programme.

Are you ready to make a real difference in your community? Join #TeamNP as a Detention Officer and be the calm in the storm for those at their most vulnerable. This is more than a job—it’s a chance to serve with compassion, integrity, and resilience.

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:

Being a Detention Officer requires patience, empathy, and excellent resilience. It’s a role where your professionalism and compassion can make a real difference—whether you're offering care to someone who’s been aggressive or abusive, or lending a listening ear to someone vulnerable and in crisis. If you take pride in treating everyone with dignity, even in the most challenging circumstances, you’ll find this role both deeply rewarding and incredibly varied.

As a Detention Officer, you are a vital part of the custody suite team. You help maintain a safe, respectful, and professional environment while serving as a crucial point of support for detainees—many of whom may be experiencing one of the most difficult moments in their lives. Your presence and conduct can be a stabilising force, offering reassurance and structure in a high-pressure setting.

If you can carry out this important work and still leave your shift with a clear head, you’ll find this to be a fulfilling career that’s never monotonous. It’s a chance to contribute meaningfully to your community, every single day.

We currently have full-time opportunities available. Successful candidates will work a rotating pattern of day and late shifts, supporting the 24/7 operation of our custody suites.

Key Responsibilities of a Detention Officer:

Custody Suite Support: You’ll work within Northumbria Police custody suites, supporting custody officers, investigators, and various stakeholders. Responding to dynamic situations that require quick thinking and professional conduct.
Frontline Interaction: As the first point of contact for officers and detainees, you’ll manage risks and assess vulnerabilities around the clock under Police Sergeant supervision.
Documentation & Compliance: You’ll assist in preparing, completing and maintaining custody-related documentation and digital records, ensuring legal and operational accuracy.
Evidence Collection: You’ll be trained to collect evidential materials such as photographs, fingerprints, and DNA.
Visible Presence: You’ll represent Northumbria Police Detention professionally, adhering to the Code of Ethics and organisational values, with conduct monitored via 24/7 CCTV.
Respect & Integrity: Engage with a diverse range of individuals: including some of the most challenging and vulnerable in society. Treating all individuals with dignity - regardless of background or circumstances—is essential.
Teamwork & Resilience: High professional and ethical standards, strong communication, diligence, and emotional resilience are vital. You’ll work closely with Custody Sergeants who oversee the suite and who will be your immediate supervisors.

Sound interesting? For further information please view the Job Description

What you'll bring:

You don’t need prior experience in a similar role—your life skills matter more than formal qualifications. What’s essential is your ability to communicate clearly, keep accurate records, apply common sense, and remain resilient in challenging situations. You’ll play a key role in maintaining a safe and respectful custody environment.

You’ll need the confidence to handle confrontational scenarios, but you won’t face them alone—support from police officers and fellow staff will always be close at hand. When things get tough, it’s the camaraderie and teamwork that make this role truly unique.

IT literate - proactive, and an excellent communicator—both verbally and in writing.
Customer-focused - passionate, and committed to supporting others.
Organised - with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
Flexible and mobile - willing to work across different locations as needed. A full UK driving licence (or evidence you're working towards one) is essential.

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.

Ready to take the next step?

Apply now and be part of a team that values respect, resilience, and community impact.

For questions, reach out to us at JoinTeamNP@northumbria.police.uk.

Training:

You will complete a four-week course of formal training. This is undertaken on a full-time basis at Ponteland. It’s designed to give you a solid understanding in the essentials of a Detention Officer, and you will be legally designated to carry out certain police powers like searches and the taking of fingerprints and DNA. You will also receive officer safety training, which includes de-escalation and restraint techniques, as well as first aid training to College of Policing standards.

Our next training course is scheduled for May 2026

What we offer:

26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme
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 Detention 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.

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face-to-face interview in December 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 a 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. If you are successful in your application, you will have a 6-month probation period and a 24-month commitment to role with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.