Communication Officers and Communication Officer Controllers
Police Staff

Salary: Scale 4- 5, £24,921 -£29,874  + shift and weekend working allowance between 15-20% (see below for detailed breakdown of salary)

Location: Fulford Road, Force Control Room, York

Hours: Full time – Shift pattern breakdown below. Part time working will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Contract: Permanent 

 

Transferee Call Handlers and Dispatchers are welcome to apply from other services. We can be flexible with start dates depending on training requirements.

 

Key Documents

Communications Officer Role Profile.docx
 Controller - Dispatcher Role Profile.docx

 

We are proud to announce that we are currently recruiting for Communication Officers and Controllers, at our Force Control Room, which is located at Fulford Road, York. These can be a challenging, yet rewarding jobs, where no two days are the same.  Our teams are the first point of contact for some 800 emergency and non-emergency phone calls every single day. As a member of the team, you will be at the heart of policing in North Yorkshire and will find yourself dealing with incidents that most people will not come across in their lifetime.

 

The importance of this role to the communities of North Yorkshire can never be underestimated...

 

999 what’s your emergency?

“Help me, I’m so scared, he’s hurt me, he’s got a knife and threatened me. He was screaming in my face, so I’ve slammed the door shut and ran upstairs. I’ve tried to lock the door, but I’m so scared, please, I need help. He’s coming up the stairs now. I know he will get through the door, he’s kicking the door, please make this stop”

Stop and think. What’s going through your mind? Did you listen carefully? Did the caller say they slammed the door in his face, or just slammed the door? Is the door locked? Did they say he has a knife or had a knife? You need to know the facts, so you know what action to take next, most importantly whilst you’re listening to what the caller is saying, you are also typing and, in your mind, categorising the call, in order of priority, whilst at the same time calmly reassuring the caller that help is on the way… 

 

Do you have what it takes? Could you be somebody’s lifeline in what could be the worst moments of their life or when they are at their lowest? We ask our teams to assess the priority and severity of incidents, whilst always doing their best to reassure the caller that we'll get them the appropriate support or assistance as quickly as possible. So, what does a typical day look like?

·            You will provide the customer-focused, professional, first point of contact our callers expect, to deliver the best possible service to the public.

·            You will be responsible for handling emergency and non-emergency calls from members of the public and other agencies.

·            You will triage calls in accordance with our framework, assessing each call’s priority and risks.

·            You will be responsible for prioritising a response to incidents

·            You will work with colleagues across North Yorkshire to manage our response to requests for assistance.

·            Our Communication Officer will create records of reported incidents on the appropriate system(s) and to ensure those records are accurate and contain sufficient detail to enable the Controller (Dispatch) to deploy and support operational resources effectively and to enable effective analysis.

·            You will be facilitating telephone interpreting for callers who speak little or no English, building confidence across our multi-cultural communities and for those visiting the county.

·            You will be contacting the next of kin / family of victims to gain vital intelligence to support officers at a scene.

·            You will be working with police systems to record police Information in relation to reported crimes, domestic violence, road traffic collisions, missing from home reports, along with many other occurrences.

·            You will carry out Police National Computer enquiries on behalf of officers e.g., vehicle and name checks.

·            You will be responsible for dealing with on-line reporting information.

·            You will have emotional awareness and help to build trust and confidence with our communities.

 

Required Experience

You do not need previous experience; instead, we're looking for common sense, attention to detail, great IT skills including good typing skills, excellent communication skills and a calm head under pressure. Above all, you'll have the drive, passion and determination to make a difference and deliver an outstanding service to the communities of North Yorkshire.

 

Training & Progression

Our recruitment process means training as a Communications Officer first. The Communications officer course starts with 4 week classroom working Mon-Fri 8x4 pattern, followed by 6 week Tutorship covering a varied shift pattern covering Mon-Fri.

 

if you desire, you may then progress to the Controller role after completing the probationary period of 9 months. This further development opportunity is based on skills and experience and dependent on whether progression to the Controller role is appropriate at the time. If you are transferring from another Force, then we could look at direct Controller entry routes.

 

Shift Patterns

You will be required to work a shift pattern of 12-hour shifts, on a 4 on 4 off rotation pattern. These patterns are either 24/7 or non-24/7 finishing latest at either 12 midnight or 2am, depending on your contract. Examples of shift patterns are available and can be discussed at interview or by telephone/ email enquiries to our Talent Team.

 

You will complete 10 weeks of training and due to the comprehensive training programme, you will not be able to take any holidays during this time. We have start dates planned throughout 2024, including the first course date 8th April 2024

 

Basic Salary

Communications Officers £24,921  -  £28,302 (Scale 4 / 5.2). 

Communication Officer Controller £27,789- £29,874  (Scale 5) 

 

The roles have a shift allowance of either 15% or 20% depending on which shift pattern is chosen and weekend working, where applicable. 

 

Example of potential earnings including shift allowance:

Communication officer with 15% Shift allowance & weekend working = £30,284 - £34390

Communication officer with 20% Shift allowance & weekend working = £31,600 - £35,885

Communication officer controller (Dispatch) with 15% Shift allowance & weekend working = £35,236 - £37,879

 

We actively encourage current or former communications officers or controllers to apply. By understanding your current role and training needs assessment we may be able to expedite your transition into the Force Control Room.

 

Dates for the diary

Closing date for Communications Officer applicants to start on 8th April 2024 is 9am Monday 20th November 2023. Applications made after this date will be considered for September or December 2024 start dates. 

Thursday 16th November 2023 6.30pm: We are holding a familiarisation event which will provide applicants with an insight into the role and the wider Force Control Room – please click here to register. The information shared at the event will support you in your interview.

Friday 24th November, Monday 27th November,  Wednesday 29th November,  Thursday 30th November – Face to Face Interviews are planned to take place at our Force Control Room in York. All applicants will also be expected to complete an online assessment as part of the recruitment process. If you cannot make these dates but wish to apply, please contact Lucy.sutton@northyorkshire.police.uk for alternate assessment dates. More details to follow after the closing date. 

 

Positive Action:

North Yorkshire Police is currently under-represented by people from Ethnic Minority backgrounds. Due to this North Yorkshire Police uses Positive Action, which is a range of measures and initiatives allowed under the Equality Act 2010, to actively encourage people from communities that are under-represented to bring their talent, experiences and expertise to our organisation when applying to join us.

 

The Force Control Room is located on the ground floor and is accessible to candidates who have physical disabilities. Support can be made available to assist any candidates access to the building.

 

We also use Positive Action to support the retention and progression of our workforce. If you feel you need any reasonable adjustments to help reach your potential, please contact our Positive Action Team positiveaction@northyorkshire.police.uk.

 

Vacancy Description
 

Salary: Scale 4- 5, £24,921 -£29,874  + shift and weekend working allowance between 15-20% (see below for detailed breakdown of salary)

Location: Fulford Road, Force Control Room, York

Hours: Full time – Shift pattern breakdown below. Part time working will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Contract: Permanent 

 

Transferee Call Handlers and Dispatchers are welcome to apply from other services. We can be flexible with start dates depending on training requirements.

 

Key Documents

Communications Officer Role Profile.docx
 Controller - Dispatcher Role Profile.docx

 

We are proud to announce that we are currently recruiting for Communication Officers and Controllers, at our Force Control Room, which is located at Fulford Road, York. These can be a challenging, yet rewarding jobs, where no two days are the same.  Our teams are the first point of contact for some 800 emergency and non-emergency phone calls every single day. As a member of the team, you will be at the heart of policing in North Yorkshire and will find yourself dealing with incidents that most people will not come across in their lifetime.

 

The importance of this role to the communities of North Yorkshire can never be underestimated...

 

999 what’s your emergency?

“Help me, I’m so scared, he’s hurt me, he’s got a knife and threatened me. He was screaming in my face, so I’ve slammed the door shut and ran upstairs. I’ve tried to lock the door, but I’m so scared, please, I need help. He’s coming up the stairs now. I know he will get through the door, he’s kicking the door, please make this stop”

Stop and think. What’s going through your mind? Did you listen carefully? Did the caller say they slammed the door in his face, or just slammed the door? Is the door locked? Did they say he has a knife or had a knife? You need to know the facts, so you know what action to take next, most importantly whilst you’re listening to what the caller is saying, you are also typing and, in your mind, categorising the call, in order of priority, whilst at the same time calmly reassuring the caller that help is on the way… 

 

Do you have what it takes? Could you be somebody’s lifeline in what could be the worst moments of their life or when they are at their lowest? We ask our teams to assess the priority and severity of incidents, whilst always doing their best to reassure the caller that we'll get them the appropriate support or assistance as quickly as possible. So, what does a typical day look like?

·            You will provide the customer-focused, professional, first point of contact our callers expect, to deliver the best possible service to the public.

·            You will be responsible for handling emergency and non-emergency calls from members of the public and other agencies.

·            You will triage calls in accordance with our framework, assessing each call’s priority and risks.

·            You will be responsible for prioritising a response to incidents

·            You will work with colleagues across North Yorkshire to manage our response to requests for assistance.

·            Our Communication Officer will create records of reported incidents on the appropriate system(s) and to ensure those records are accurate and contain sufficient detail to enable the Controller (Dispatch) to deploy and support operational resources effectively and to enable effective analysis.

·            You will be facilitating telephone interpreting for callers who speak little or no English, building confidence across our multi-cultural communities and for those visiting the county.

·            You will be contacting the next of kin / family of victims to gain vital intelligence to support officers at a scene.

·            You will be working with police systems to record police Information in relation to reported crimes, domestic violence, road traffic collisions, missing from home reports, along with many other occurrences.

·            You will carry out Police National Computer enquiries on behalf of officers e.g., vehicle and name checks.

·            You will be responsible for dealing with on-line reporting information.

·            You will have emotional awareness and help to build trust and confidence with our communities.

 

Required Experience

You do not need previous experience; instead, we're looking for common sense, attention to detail, great IT skills including good typing skills, excellent communication skills and a calm head under pressure. Above all, you'll have the drive, passion and determination to make a difference and deliver an outstanding service to the communities of North Yorkshire.

 

Training & Progression

Our recruitment process means training as a Communications Officer first. The Communications officer course starts with 4 week classroom working Mon-Fri 8x4 pattern, followed by 6 week Tutorship covering a varied shift pattern covering Mon-Fri.

 

if you desire, you may then progress to the Controller role after completing the probationary period of 9 months. This further development opportunity is based on skills and experience and dependent on whether progression to the Controller role is appropriate at the time. If you are transferring from another Force, then we could look at direct Controller entry routes.

 

Shift Patterns

You will be required to work a shift pattern of 12-hour shifts, on a 4 on 4 off rotation pattern. These patterns are either 24/7 or non-24/7 finishing latest at either 12 midnight or 2am, depending on your contract. Examples of shift patterns are available and can be discussed at interview or by telephone/ email enquiries to our Talent Team.

 

You will complete 10 weeks of training and due to the comprehensive training programme, you will not be able to take any holidays during this time. We have start dates planned throughout 2024, including the first course date 8th April 2024

 

Basic Salary

Communications Officers £24,921  -  £28,302 (Scale 4 / 5.2). 

Communication Officer Controller £27,789- £29,874  (Scale 5) 

 

The roles have a shift allowance of either 15% or 20% depending on which shift pattern is chosen and weekend working, where applicable. 

 

Example of potential earnings including shift allowance:

Communication officer with 15% Shift allowance & weekend working = £30,284 - £34390

Communication officer with 20% Shift allowance & weekend working = £31,600 - £35,885

Communication officer controller (Dispatch) with 15% Shift allowance & weekend working = £35,236 - £37,879

 

We actively encourage current or former communications officers or controllers to apply. By understanding your current role and training needs assessment we may be able to expedite your transition into the Force Control Room.

 

Dates for the diary

Closing date for Communications Officer applicants to start on 8th April 2024 is 9am Monday 20th November 2023. Applications made after this date will be considered for September or December 2024 start dates. 

Thursday 16th November 2023 6.30pm: We are holding a familiarisation event which will provide applicants with an insight into the role and the wider Force Control Room – please click here to register. The information shared at the event will support you in your interview.

Friday 24th November, Monday 27th November,  Wednesday 29th November,  Thursday 30th November – Face to Face Interviews are planned to take place at our Force Control Room in York. All applicants will also be expected to complete an online assessment as part of the recruitment process. If you cannot make these dates but wish to apply, please contact Lucy.sutton@northyorkshire.police.uk for alternate assessment dates. More details to follow after the closing date. 

 

Positive Action:

North Yorkshire Police is currently under-represented by people from Ethnic Minority backgrounds. Due to this North Yorkshire Police uses Positive Action, which is a range of measures and initiatives allowed under the Equality Act 2010, to actively encourage people from communities that are under-represented to bring their talent, experiences and expertise to our organisation when applying to join us.

 

The Force Control Room is located on the ground floor and is accessible to candidates who have physical disabilities. Support can be made available to assist any candidates access to the building.

 

We also use Positive Action to support the retention and progression of our workforce. If you feel you need any reasonable adjustments to help reach your potential, please contact our Positive Action Team positiveaction@northyorkshire.police.uk.