Rank: Substantive Sergeant
Applications are invited from Substantive Sergeants as per the posting’s principles, the expectation is that newly promoted officers that have taken up their post, cannot apply for any other roles until competency has been demonstrated in their new role and rank and this is applicable to all officers (both non NPPF WBA and NPPF WBA); This will be 12 months.
West Midlands Surveillance Team (WMST) provide West Midlands Police with operational capability across the force area and beyond, targeting a broad spectrum of crime. We work alongside partners to gather intelligence and evidence to bring positive criminal justice outcomes to a variety of crime types.
Based in the West Midlands you will work a variety of shifts based upon the tasking process. Due to the nature of the role, shift changes at short notice and extended shifts are possible and flexibility is an essential element of this role.
Officers with Winsor Adjusted Duties categories that match the required category for this role will be considered before candidates in other categories. In some cases, a candidate may be rejected based on their Winsor Adjusted Duties category. For example, if a Police Officer with a category “D” applies for a category “A” role without supporting evidence from Occupational Health, their application may not be progressed. Conversely, if a category “D” role is being advertised, priority consideration will be given to candidates in category “D.” This approach ensures that West Midlands Police balances its operational requirements with supporting career progression for colleagues.
Please note that this role falls under Category B under the Winsor Adjusted Duties categories
The Role
As a Sergeant, you’ll be responsible for the management, administration and operational effectiveness of the surveillance capability.
Operational focus is around those individuals that pose the greatest threat, risk and harm to the force or region, to ensure we are better able to serve the public and protect them from harm.
This role offers the opportunity to personally develop yourself and have a significant impact on the quality of life experienced by the communities we serve.
Responsibilities
- You will manage a team of surveillance operatives, to support Investigations in tackling crime related activity on deployments across West Midlands Police areas, including occasional wider regional and/or national deployment.
- You will be responsible for decision making to support operational objectives in dynamic surveillance operations, including the provision of tactical surveillance advice to Senior investigating officers in order to achieve operational objectives.
- You will be responsible for the monitoring of training requirements for surveillance operatives.
- Liaising and co-ordinating with the surveillance teams of other agencies on joint operations.
- Monitoring vehicles and equipment used by surveillance operatives.
- Supervising the collation and dissemination of intelligence material gathered by operational activity.
- To display the highest levels of integrity, personal commitment and flexibility. The role involves unsocial working hours on occasions and at times travel regionally and nationally.
- To demonstrate flexibility in working hours to accommodate the weekly crime tasking process.
- To provide resilience as and when required to threats to life and dynamic operational tasking.
- To contribute to Surveillance Briefing/debriefing to ensure effective deployments and operational learning across the department.
- Comply with Health and Safety legislation – Ensure that you show a duty of care and take appropriate action to comply with Health and Safety requirements at all times.
- To take appropriate security precautions in respect of intelligence information.
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.
Skills and competencies
Essential
- Displays excellent standards and values as a leader, with a high degree of commitment and flexibility.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively lead and manage officers and staff in line with the Forces values and ethics, in addition to achieving operational policing objectives.
- A valid and current mobile surveillance qualification.
- Working knowledge of all legislative aspects that surround surveillance planning and operational issues affecting surveillance.
- Demonstrate experience and ability in surveillance techniques.
- Initiative and innovation whilst leading and motivating surveillance teams.
- Communication skills with the ability to operate effectively at a variety of levels.
- Demonstrate a high degree of commitment and flexibility, shift changes at short notice and a high degree of geographical variance of deployments can occur regularly therefore the ability to meet this requirement is essential.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the National Intelligence Model (NIM), together with the tasking and coordination process.
- Knowledge of current developments/advancements in technology and techniques in surveillance.
- Experience of managing a surveillance team and reaching operational targets as determined by the SIO.
- Trained Risk Assessor.
Additional information & Vetting Clearance
Please note that successful applicants may be subject to voluntary drugs and alcohol testing and will be required to have voluntarily given a DNA Elimination sample and be subject of enhanced vetting to Management Vetting (MV) and Security Clearance (SC) level.
Security Clearance
⚠ This role requires British Nationality (some dual nationalities may be ineligible) and a Security Check vetting clearance.
You will need to undergo additional security clearance checks, with the offer of employment being conditional on obtaining all of the necessary security clearances.
There are limitations on travelling to a small number of countries once in post.
Medical
Appointment to this role may be dependent upon successfully completing medical checks, which may include a drugs test and if required a fitness test.
Contact
For further information about the role, please contact Insp James Bailey on james.bailey@westmidlands.police.uk.
Benefit Statement
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 addition 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"
Closing date: Friday 27th March 2026 23:55pm
We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if the maximum volume of applications has been reached. Candidates with unsubmitted applications will not be informed prior to the advert closing.
Please do not attach a CV/covering letter as these will not be used during the application process.
