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
Shift Pattern: This is a 24/7 operational role and includes nights, weekends, bank holidays and public holidays.
o 2 day shifts (07:00 - 19:00)
o 2 night shifts (19:00 - 07:00)
o 4 rest days
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)
Start Date: Monday 10 May 2027. Successful candidates must be available to attend the full three-week training programme delivered at Ponteland.
Can you stay calm under pressure, communicate effectively and treat people with dignity, even in the most challenging circumstances?
Join #TeamNP as a Detention Officer and play a vital role in supporting the safe and lawful detention of people within police custody.
This is not a typical office role, nor is it the same as being a police officer. As a Detention Officer, you will work within a custody suite, supporting detainees, custody officers and police colleagues to ensure individuals are cared for safely while legal processes are carried out.
Every shift brings new challenges. You could be reassuring a vulnerable person experiencing a mental health crisis, managing the risks presented by an intoxicated detainee, gathering evidential material, or responding professionally to someone who is angry, distressed or aggressive.
The role demands empathy, professionalism and emotional resilience. In return, it offers the opportunity to make a genuine difference to people's lives during some of their most difficult moments.
Working for #TeamNP
Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and fight crime. While police officers are often the public face of policing, our police staff play an equally important role in delivering that mission.
As one of the largest police forces in England, we offer a broad range of career opportunities, development programmes and wellbeing support. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer where people feel respected, valued and empowered to succeed.
Whether you're joining us with experience or looking for a completely new challenge, we'll provide the training and support you need to thrive.
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 deeply rewarding.
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 opportunity 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 night shifts, supporting the 24/7 operation of our custody suites. Our 4-on, 4-off shift pattern is particularly popular with colleagues, offering greater flexibility to balance work and personal commitments.
The Reality:
Before you apply, it's important you understand what this role involves.
Detention Officers work exclusively within a police custody environment. Much of your day will be spent interacting with detainees, monitoring their welfare, conducting observations, maintaining records and supporting custody processes.
Many of the people you encounter will be vulnerable or in crisis. Some may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Others may have physical or mental health needs. At times, you may be exposed to verbal abuse, challenging behaviour, self-harm risks, traumatic incidents or emotionally difficult situations. You will be expected to remain calm and professional, even when others are not.
The role can also be physically demanding. You may need to spend long periods on your feet, escort detainees around the custody suite and assist colleagues in managing difficult situations following appropriate training.
While support from Custody Sergeants, police officers and colleagues is always available, this role is best suited to people who are resilient, emotionally mature and comfortable working in an environment where situations can change quickly.
If you are looking for a role where teamwork is essential and where you can make a real difference to the safety and welfare of others, this could be the opportunity for you.
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:
We will provide comprehensive training to prepare you for the role.
You will complete a three-week full-time training programme at Ponteland covering:
- Custody procedures and legislation
- Detainee welfare and vulnerability
- Fingerprint, DNA and evidential processes
- Officer safety training
- Conflict management and de-escalation techniques
- First aid training to College of Policing standards
On successful completion of training, you will be designated with specific police powers relevant to the role.
Our next course starts in May 2027.
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
- 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
Ready to Apply?
If you're looking for a role where resilience, compassion and professionalism matter every day, we'd love to hear from you.
Please take time to consider the realities of working within a custody environment, including exposure to challenging behaviour, vulnerable individuals and rotating day and night shifts.
If that sounds like a challenge you're ready to embrace, apply now and become part of #TeamNP. For questions about the role, contact JoinTeamNP@northumbria.police.uk.
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 2026.
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.
