Dorset Police Officer Recruitment
Police officer recruitment update – February
2013
The agreement of the recent Police and
Crime Panel to raise the policing precept by 1.95% has provided the
capability to recruit an intake of 12 police officers in
2013.
Dorset Police has held a number of
successful candidates on a waiting list since the last recruitment
campaign in 2011 and the intake will be filled from this waiting
list.
Due to continuing budgetary
constraints, our ability to offer opportunities to apply for
regular officer posts remains extremely limited for the foreseeable
future.
Any updates to this, or opportunities
that do arise, will be published here.
If you would like to find out more about volunteering for Dorset
Police, or becoming a special constable, then please follow
this link >
Update for current applicants -
For the latest information (Updated 10
January 2011) please follow this link to our Update Page
>
Am I eligible to apply to be a Police
Officer?
The Police ‘Could You’ website (www.policecouldyou.co.uk)
advises on eligibility. Potential applicants are
advised to complete the Police officer Self-Selection Questionnaire
(SSQ), held under the Eligibility Section before requesting an
application pack. This is a quick and easy survey of 10 questions
which will help you see if you meet the basic eligibility criteria
to become a police officer. It should be noted that the full
application pack will essentially incorporate hard copy versions of
information held on the Police Could You site.
The Home Office Police Could You site and
pack contain valuable guidance, comprehensive and extensive
information on police recruitment, covering key subjects such as
Opportunities, Eligibility, Lifestyle, Pay and Benefits and should
you be interested in applying to Dorset Police you should read the
information provided on this site before proceeding further.
I have an application to another force – can I transfer
this to Dorset ?
A request can be made to transfer an existing
application with another force during a recruitment campaign.
Any such transfer will not be a guarantee of appointment; as only
the highest scoring candidates at Assessment Centre will be offered
provisional appointments. (Dorset Police only consider
applicants who have achieved a 60%+ pass mark) Such
candidates are advised to make contact with the HR Service Support Manager, on the
above number to discuss their individual situation and the process
involved.
What is the current campaign timeline ?
|
Closing date for applications:
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30 September 2009
|
|
Results from competency based application form to be
issued:
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December 2009
|
|
Assessment Centre:
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Week Commencing 25 January 2010
|
|
Job Related Fitness Test/Medical
examinations/Security Clearance and Uniform
Fittings:
|
In preceding months to provisional appointment
date
|
|
Current Anticipated Appointment
dates:
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June, August, November 2010 and March 2011
|
It should be noted that the above can be subject to
review at any time depending on the force requirements and any
significant changes in such.
What is the application process and how long does it
take ?
At the current time, the length of the
recruiting process can be up to a year and longer in some cases,
depending on when vacancies are due to arise.
- Candidates successful at initial
paper-sift are normally notified approximately 3 months after
any closing date
- SEARCH assessment centre
are normally planned in within the following months after
notification of the initial results. Only the highest scoring
candidates at assessment centre will be offered provisional
appointment dates. (Dorset Police only consider applicants
who have achieved a 60%+ pass mark)
- The remainder of the stages; medical,
fitness, security and reference checks are planned in near to any
offered appointment date and therefore there can be a substantial
period of time when those offered appointments move to the next
stage.
- There is an expectation that any
serving Dorset Police Community Support Officer (that applies and
is successful in any application to be a Police Officer) will serve
a minimum of 2 years service in role before any appointment as a
Police Officer. This is to ensure the continuity of the Safer
Neighbourhood Teams and the communities they
serve.
- The force only retains a minimal reserve list
and therefore those not selected must wait six months from
application to apply again, apply to transfer their application or
apply in the next campaign.
More detailed information of the selection process is
included below:-
What does the selection process include ?
The selection process includes:-
Stage 1 - Successful completion of a
competency based application form
If you are successful in requesting an
application form in any recruitment campaign, you will be required
to complete the competency based application form which is designed
to obtain real evidence of the qualities you already have or may
develop to enable you to carry out the role of a Police Officer.
Your application will then go through an initial rigorous
paper-sift. The paper-sift will be carried out over a period of
three months from the closing date. If the force need to speak to
you about any of the information you have provided, a member of the
HR Service Support Team
will make contact with you. All applicants are notified in writing
if they have been successful or unsuccessful at this stage
approximately three months after the closing date for
applications.
Stage 2 - National Search Assessment
Centre
Following successful completion of the
competency based application form; applicants will be invited to
attend a National
SEARCH (Structured Entrance Assessment for Recruiting
Constables Holistically) Assessment Centre. These are generally
held at Hampshire Constabulary, and last for a day. Candidates are
required to undertake a variety of exercises, all of which test the
seven key competency areas and include:
- Competency-based structured interview
- 2 x written tests
- 4 x interactive exercises
- Police Initial Recruitment Test (Verbal Logical Reasoning and
Numerical Reasoning)
The seven key competencies are particularly
relevant to the role of a Police Constable and are as follows:
- Community and Customer Focus
- Effective Communication
- Personal Responsibility
- Problem Solving
- Resilience
- Respect for Race and Diversity
- Team-working
In the case of candidates who have a
disability there may be instances whereby candidates can apply for
a reasonable adjustment at the
SEARCH Assessment Centre – further
details are available by following this link >
The current national pass mark for applicants
attending the assessment centre is 50% (this is subject to
change and is determined by the NPIA)
however as spaces within Dorset Police are limited, only the
highest scoring candidates are selected to continue to the next
stage. (It should also be noted that Dorset Police only
consider applicants who have achieved a 60%+ pass mark). There is a
possibility that a number of candidates who are in the highest
scores will be placed on a minimal reserve
list.
Final Stages - Medical
Examination/Job-related Fitness Test/Security, background and
reference checks
In preparation for an allocated appointment
date candidates are required to complete the final elements of the
application process. These are:
- Medical Examination and drug test
- Eyesight test
- Job Related Fitness Test *
* If you have a disability that you believe would
prevent you from undertaking or passing this test, reasonable
adjustments, in the form of an alternative testing method can be
considered to establish your fitness to undertake the role of a
Police Officer/to undertake Personal Safety Training whilst in the
role.
Final security and reference checks are then
obtained and if suitable candidates are appointed in the role of
Police Constable.
Upon Appointment
Follow this link
for information on initial training.
Police Could You Website and Supplementary Information
The Police Could You website
also includes details of the process required to apply to be a
Police Officer and also a detailed FAQ sheet is enclosed below
which you are advised to read so that you fully understand the
application process and the training expectations, upon
appointment, should you be successful.
Download our
Supplementary Information Sheet for Police Officer
Applicants - Frequently Asked Questions, by following this
link >
Any other queries that are not answered on this website please
contact the HR Service
Support Team on 01305 223794. Office hours are 0840 - 1700 Monday
to Thursday, and 0840 - 1540 every Friday, with the exception of
Bank Holidays.
Positive Action
Dorset Police is committed to achieving a truly representative
workforce and therefore welcomes applications from all sections of
the community.