Pound Officer
Job Title: Pound Officer
Salary: The starting salary is £39,590 which includes allowances totalling £2,928 and a 15% shift disturbance allowance.
The salary is broken down as £31,880 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £34,108. Plus, a location allowance of £1,928, a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000 and a 15% shift disturbance allowance.
Location: Charlton Car Pound
This is an exciting time to be working as Pound Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service. In addition to large-scale transformation, there's the unique and ever-evolving challenge of policing London. This means that as a Met employee, there are more opportunities for you to get involved in making London the safest global city in a time of unprecedented change within the UK's largest Police Service.
The Vehicle Recovery Examination Services (VRES) is a key part of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) drive to tackle vehicle crime on the streets of London. We work in partnership with a number of external agencies and MPS contractors to remove, recover, restore and dispose of vehicles that are involved in collisions, serious and organised crime that require forensic examinations or those that are seized under Police powers for no insurance or unlicensed use. We support frontline policing and operate 24/7/365, we have our own unique in house policing team and a command and control team.
As a pound officer, you will be responsible for the secure storage, movement, and administration of all vehicles and property recovered under statutory powers. These include:
- Road Traffic Act 1988 (Retention and Disposal of Seized Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005
- Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE)
- Section 99 Road Traffic Regulation Act (RTRA)
- Section 59 Police Reform Act 2002
- Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA)
The role involves confirming vehicle identities, using police systems, and operating specialist equipment to preserve forensic integrity. You will also support criminal investigations and ensure continuity of evidence.
Key Responsibilities
- Process and dispose of vehicles and property in accordance with statutory regulations.
- Supervise the loading and unloading of vehicles, ensuring compliance with Health and Safety regulations, including Institute of Vehicle Recovery standards (IVR), Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
- Accurately record vehicle details upon arrival, updating police and internal databases such as ELVIS, CAD, PNC and Connect.
- Being competent in utilising external programs including, MIAFTR, HPI, HPI Crush watch and Experian as part of the receiving and booking on process. On occasion using additional programs such as ILP, CRIMINT, custody imaging and DVS.
- Move vehicles into designated storage area, considerate to the provision of evidential continuity in relation to vehicles removed under PACE, POCA, RTA.
- Use specialist vehicle movement equipment while following all health and safety procedures.
- Conduct thorough vehicle inspections post-forensic examination and before disposal.
- Handle and process various property types, including cash, drugs, weapons, and valuables, following internal protocols.
- Manage accident-damaged vehicles, ensuring health and safety risks (e.g., fuel and fluid spills) are mitigated in compliance with environmental legislation.
- Undertake regular pound inventories, reconciling physical stock with electronic records and identifying discrepancies.
- Undertake preliminary vehicle document checks at triage point.
- Process customers at the public counter, verifying ID, ownership, and insurance documentation using police and insurance databases.
- Deliver excellent customer service, dealing professionally with victims of crime, law enforcement personnel, and the public.
- Accept and process various payment methods, including cash, cheques, and card transactions.
- Complete statements, exhibit property, and assist police officers, including coordinating front counter arrests.
- Carry out general administrative duties, including responding to emails, telephone enquiries, and written correspondence.
- Issue notifications to vehicle owners and registered keepers regarding seized vehicles.
- Recommend vehicles for disposal and liaise with approved agents.
- Comply with Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 29) and General Data Protection Regulation when handling sensitive information request.
- Maintain site cleanliness and adhere to health and safety protocols, including gritting, clearing debris, and ensuring safe working conditions.
- Perform any additional duties as required by the pound manager.
How to apply
To begin your career at the Met, please click the "apply now" button below. The application process requires a comprehensive CV and an online application form. Please ensure that your documents are saved in either PDF or Word format, clearly labelled as CV.
Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 1st October 2025.
Once received, your application will be reviewed against eligibility criteria, following this, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. The application review for this vacancy will commence 2 weeks after the vacancy has closed.
Following application review, successful candidates will be invited to interview. Interview dates will commence 2 weeks after the hiring managers review.