Expression of Interest - PCSO
Expression of Interest
Please note recruitment will recommence on Monday 22 December, once we recommence recruitment we will contact all candidates that have completed this expression of interest to invite them to apply to become a Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). In the meantime, please see below further information about PCSOs;
PCSOs are the crucial link between the local neighbourhoods and the police. They provide an increased visible police presence within their local communities by conducting patrols to help prevent crime, keep people safe from harm and increase community trust and confidence in West Midlands Police. Within the role you’ll become an integral member of the community you work within. Trained to calm heated situations, PCSOs defuse hostility and provide that all important reassurance to help make our communities safer. As a PCSO you will have different powers to Police Officers so will not be expected to make arrests or investigate crimes, your role will be to build links with the community and support the wider policing team.
Key Responsibilities:
As a PCSO you will:
· Engage with communities, empowering and encouraging them to become more involved with the policing of their area. As part of this you will represent West Midlands Police at local events, conduct meetings within the community and deliver presentations at schools · Identify and understand key issues and crimes and work with the public to remove and prevent these · Understand the diversity and demographics of your community and find ways to engage with harder to reach community members · Build and maintain community relationships to create trust between the public and the police · Be able to talk to community members about the issues affecting them · Maximise opportunities to gather intelligence about harm and criminality through enhanced relationships with the community, partners and colleagues · Work with partners to deliver agreed objectives · Deliver an excellent service to the community in which you are based
Qualifications – External
Essential Criteria:
· Excellent communication skills both written and verbal · Strong decision maker · Confident in working collaboratively in a team as well as independently · Ability to remain calm under pressure when dealing with confrontational situations · Proactive approach to problem solving · Keen interest in working with the public and local communities · You must to be ready to undertake a fitness test (Bleep Test) to level 5.4 You must to be ready to undertake a fitness test (Bleep Test) to level 5.4 as part of the application process - please view the video below to see what to expect from the bleep test.
This role requires applicants to work 36.5 hours per week, covering a shift pattern spanning from Monday to Sunday including evening and weekend work. Shift patterns vary with cover between 08:00hrs – 00:00hrs. Please note that this role carries a tenure agreement – PCSOs are unable to apply for alternative Police Staff roles within West Midlands Police for two years following their start date. You will be posted to where the vacancies are at the time of starting with West Midlands Police. Successful candidates will not be posted to their home Neighbourhood Policing Unit. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the recruitment team at careers@westmidlands.police.uk
Successful applicants will be required to pass Recruitment Vetting and Counter Terrorism Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.
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.
"Diversity and Inclusion Vision: Maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness and inclusion to deliver the best service for our communities"