Position Overview & Specifications
Grade: Grade 4
Salary: £24,552 - £27,690 per annum (plus weekend allowance of 13.8% and a shift allowance of 20%)
We have an exciting opportunity to join our Criminal Justice Services department as a Detention Escort Officer, working at one of our 6 custody suites within the West Midlands Police Force area.
You will be responsible for delivering a safe and secure environment for those detained in connection with a wide variety of criminal matters. The custody environment is fast paced and can be unpleasant at times, so you must enjoy working at pace whilst being faced with challenging situations.
Working with the Custody Sergeant, your role will be to ensure the dignity and welfare of detainees from the moment they arrive until they are released. Duties range from administration of custody IT systems, taking DNA samples through to managing the welfare of the detainee whilst in their cell.
Dealing with people brings a need for excellent communication skills, as well as requiring the ability to remain calm when presented with volatile situations. Take a look at the below video to see a bit more of what life is like working in Custody:
Key responsibilities:
Use of custody IT systems and equipment to complete tasks including updating PNC records, booking in detainees, taking fingerprints/DNA and photographs
Carrying out searches to ascertain identity as well as same sex searches to seize and retain any items
Check well being, administer first aid where required as well as issuing medication and food, whilst patrolling and monitoring security of the custody suite
Assist a police officer to control and restrain a detained person or to prevent them from escaping from lawful custody or injuring themselves or another.
Handle, store and move property and forensic samples.
Essential:
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to remain calm and professional when faced with volatile situations
Be able to write in a clear, concise and accurate manner
Be helpful and compassionate
Strong decision making skills
Confidence dealing with confrontation
Desirable:
Experience working within a custody environment
DEO's are required to work weekends and bank holidays, where allowances are paid as appropriate.
If successful in this position, you will be required to attend at training course, details of this course will be sent to you once successful.
This course will incorporate aspects of legislation, policy, first aid, personal safety and ICT systems.
We have training courses starting in June, and running throughout 2023.
Appointment to this role will be dependent upon successfully medical checks, which may include a drugs test and if required a fitness test.
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