Force Contact Centre Officer

As a 999 Emergency Call Handler you will be the first person giving people the help they need in their hour of need. That first phone call is where our service to the public begins, and our Call Handlers get the resource over the line to those in need.

You will respond to emergency calls and support Police Officers attending incidents. If you are customer-focused and professional with accurate verbal, written and keyboard skills, look no further – our Force Contact Centre Officers are people just like you: from all walks of life and keen to make a difference. This career is truly rewarding and gives you the chance to have a real impact and positive influence on your local community.

Ready to make a difference?

Keen to join the team?

About the Role
You will advise and guide victims and witnesses whilst gathering and recording information to help prevent, reduce and detect crime. Or as a Dispatcher, you could be communicating solely with front line officers to ensure calls for assistance are prioritised and managed. You will play a critical role in the first few minutes of a call which will shape the Force response and impact on the outcome of crises and emergencies.

Role Specifics:
- Respond quickly and decisively to calls for assistance from the public
-    Support digital desk work and live chat
-   Ensure that the appropriate manager is informed and updated regarding any issues where necessary
-    Make clear, timely decisions ensuring all calls for service are assessed, graded and dealt with in line with the National Decision Model, THRIVE+ and force policy.
- Provide appropriate support, advice and/or guidance to victims and witnesses.

To read more on what it's like to work with us click here

Although the role will be based in Aston, initial training period (up to 10 weeks) will be from West Bromwich (B70 8HS).

Shift pattern: Staggered start times covering 24/7, 365 days a year
Shift allowance: Up to 34.9% on top of baseline salary. Our two shift patterns are as below:
-   24/7 shift pattern - 6 on 4 off, early/late/night shifts
-   6 on 3 off shift pattern, made of early and late shifts

Next Steps:
Hit apply and once your application has passed initial checks you will be sent a link to an online Contact Centre Customer Service Assessment (approx. 30 mins). After passing this, you will be invited to an in person Assessment Centre, also an opportunity to see where we work (Wednesday evenings 5pm-8pm, B70 8HS). 

Previous applicants: Previous applicants who have not previously been successful for this role in the last 6 months are not eligible to apply on this occasion.

Benefits and More Info
Our centre had refreshments rooms, gym, quiet and prayer rooms.
•   24 days Annual Leave that grows with your career + opportunity to buy more 
•   Eligibility to Blue Light Card - access to discounts on 15,000+ retailers
•   Extensive training and development throughout your career
•   Access to Police Mutual - Financial services, counselling, loans, healthcare, mortgage advice and insurance support and many more
•   Corporate Travel, Car Park and Cycle to Work Schemes offering savings of up to 42%
•   Family Friendly Employer - Enhanced Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave and Childcare Vouchers - save up to £900 a year
•   Access to Employee Assistance Programme (VIVUP) - Helps individuals deal with personal problems that might impact their work life, health or well-being. EAP generally includes 24/7 access to assessment, counselling and referral services for employees and their immediate family.
•   Local Government Pension Scheme - take control and pay more/less with flexibility to ease into retirement to suit your needs
•    Discounts on gym memberships, travel and leisure, homeware and tech

Vetting - Successful applicants will be required to pass Recruitment Vetting and Counter Terrorism Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.

Medical - 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”