Police Officer Recruitment - The Recruitment Process

We are not currently accepting new applications for Police Officers.

Competencies of a Police Officer

• Effective Communication
The ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively both verbally and in writing. The ability to listen effectively. The ability to give and receive information in a positive and accurate manner.

• Team working
The ability to work with others in a constructive and supportive way to achieve Force objectives.

• Diversity and Community Focus
The ability to treat people with fairness and dignity in respect of all members of the diverse community.

• Personal Responsibility
Honest with a mature outlook and socially aware.
Can demonstrate assertiveness.

• Resilience
Is self disciplined, enthusiastic and motivated.
Responds logically and decisively in demanding situations.

• Problem Solving
Able to take decisions in a manner appropriate to the situation and considering all relevant information.

• Fitness
A Police Officer must be able to deal with the rigours of the job and therefore must be able to meet or exceed the National Fitness Standards. You can download a copy of the Police Officer fitness standards along with information on reaching the correct level of fitness from the ACPOS website.

Although the majority of these competencies are mainly focussed upon during the Assessment Day and Senior Officer Interview they are critical to the success of a police officer and therefore they will be assessed in a less formal manner throughout the recruitment process. It is therefore critical to your success in the process that you do not demonstrate any adverse behaviour.


Application Form

You must fully complete the application form and accompanying documentation in a legible manner. It is essential that you complete all sections. If a section is not applicable then clearly mark it so. If you have missed out sections then your application will not be progressed.

Once the form is received an assessment will be made to determine whether or not your application should progress. Previous convictions will be assessed on an individual basis and some minor offences may not exclude an application from proceeding, however it is extremely unlikely that a person with a serious conviction will be allowed to progress.

No assessment will be carried out in relation to the medical criteria until the end of the recruitment process, therefore if you have any doubts you should contact our Health Care Providers on 01382 730073 for advice.


Failure to pass the initial sift

If you have failed at the initial sift stage you will be advised accordingly. The reason may not be given particularly if it relates to a vetting issue.


ASSESSMENT DAY 1


Day 1 starts with the Standard Entrance Test.

The SET has three separate papers, each 30 minutes long, which cover Language, Numbers and Information Handling. All three papers must be successfully passed prior to moving to the next stage. If you pass the SET you will not have to resit this.


Failure to pass the Standard Entrance Test

If you fail to pass the Standard Entrance Test you will be asked to leave the Assessment Day at that point. You will then have to wait a minimum period of six months until you can reapply.

You will only have the opportunity to resit a paper twice in a three year period.


Presentation
 
You will be required to prepare a 5 minute presentation, taking into account the core competencies of policing - presentation topic will be sent out to you in the invite letter for the Assessment Day.


Group Exercise

You will be asked to complete a task with a number of other candidates. Details will be provided on the day.

Note : After the Written Exercise and Group Exercise there will be a break where those that have failed the Group Exercise and Written Exercise will be asked to leave.


Interview

This will cover all the competencies stated above and will be an automatic pass or fail.


Fitness Standard

Tayside Police, along with all the other Scottish Police Forces, requires successful applicants to pass the Fitness Standard for recruits. This standard will be expected from you throughout your probationary period and beyond therefore you should ensure that you take action to increase, if required, and maintain a suitable level of fitness.

There are two elements to the standard, a cardiovascular test and an upper body strength test, although currently only the cardiovascular test is being used as a pass or fail assessment. The upper body strength test is being used at present to collect statistical data but this may change at very short notice and you are therefore recommended to treat this as a pass or fail part of the process and train accordingly.

The minimum acceptable standards for the cardiovascular elements are:

Standards for Push/Pull Element:

If you are either in the recruitment process or are thinking of applying to join you should read the guidance provided on the ACPOS website. If you have any questions regarding these changes please contact the recruitment team by emailing Recruitment email address

Please note that the test of your fitness may be run at any time throughout the process so ensure your fitness is of a suitable standard at the time of application and is maintained throughout.


Failure to pass Assessment Day 1

There will be a number of times throughout the day where applicants will be asked to leave if they do not meet the required standard or standards. Length of time before a person can reapply will be determined by the reason for the failure and will be communicated in writing after the Assessment Day.


Background Checks

The Scottish Police Service is committed to the maintenance of the highest levels of honesty and integrity and to the prevention of corrupt, dishonest, unethical or unprofessional behaviour.

Vetting is carried out on all applicants to the Scottish Police Service to ensure the reputations of the service and individual Forces' are maintained and their assets safeguarded.

To help ensure that those with access to personal data are trustworthy, and unlikely to breach confidences vetting of candidates and relatives/known associates must be undertaken. It is therefore important that the vetting form along with the DVLA D796 form is completed correctly; failure to do so may result in your application being terminated.


Financial

Police officers are in a privileged position with regard to access to information and could be considered potentially vulnerable to corruption. Applicants to the police service should not therefore be under pressure from undischarged debts or liabilities and should be able to manage loans and debts sensibly.

Police Regulations also state that a member of a police force shall not wilfully refuse or neglect to discharge any lawful debt. Your application will therefore be checked to determine and verify your financial position.

Most applicants have debts, such as mortgages, undischarged student or other loans, and credit/store card debts. Debts which are within your means and are manageable are not a bar to appointment.

• Applicants who have existing Sheriff Court (County Court in England and Wales) Judgements outstanding against them or who have been registered bankrupt and their bankruptcy debts have not been discharged will not be considered.
• Applicants who have discharged Sheriff Court (County Court in England and Wales) Judgements may be considered.
• Applicants who have been registered as bankrupt and their bankruptcy debts have been discharged will only be considered after three years from discharge of the debt.

Overall

Assessment of suitability with regard to vetting will be done on a case by case basis taking into account all relevant information. The purpose of vetting is not to exclude suitable applicants but to ensure every reasonable action is taken to make sure that the successful candidates will maintain the high level of honesty and integrity required for the role.


Failure to pass the Background Checks and References

If you fail due to the back ground checks or references then the reason for failure will determine whether you are eligible to reapply. The reason for failure will also determine the period of time before you are eligible to reapply, if you are allowed to. Due to the confidential nature of the information held it may not be possible to advise you of the reason your application has been declined.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the vetting form or any issues it may have raised you should contact the Recruitment Team.


ASSESSMENT DAY 2


Senior Officer Interview

If successful at Assessment Day 1 you will be asked to attend a Senior Officer Interview and Medical.

At the Senior Officer Interview two senior officers (at Chief Inspector rank or above) will test you against the agreed competencies set out above. This interview will be a chance for you to prove to the officers, who may well be in charge of you, that you are right for the role. By this time in the process you should be sure of your reasons for joining and be clear about why you are suitable so you should be in a good position to pass it.

However over-confidence is just as bad as a lack of confidence so make sure you are well prepared and that you have contacted the Recruitment Team to find out where you could improve from the Assessment Day.


Failure to pass the Senior Officer Interview

The same reasoning as for the Assessment Day applies to this. If you are close to the mark you may be allowed to reapply in six months otherwise you must wait a year.


Medical

A satisfactory medical must be achieved before joining. Please contact  our Occupational Health Providers on 01382 730073 if you have any queries regarding this part of the recruitment process.


Failure to pass the Medical

If you have been failed due to a medical condition our occupational health provide will advise you of this and whether or not a future application would be considered in relation to the medical condition you have.


References

A minimum of two character references and employment references for a period of up to five years will be requested. If you have no previous employment then a reference from a school or further education establish will be required.


Recruitment Pool

If you have successfully passed all the elements of the recruitment process you will be placed in a recruitment pool and, all going well, be taken on at the next suitable date based on the date you completed the process.

Recruitment is based on overall turnover and the finances available to the Force. There may therefore be periods where there a significant delay in being taken on, if this is the case then you may have to resit the fitness test and other elements including vetting to ensure you are ready and suitable to start.

It is essential that if during any part of the recruitment your circumstances change you should notify, in writing, the Recruitment Team immediately and this includes being in the recruitment pool. Changes can include, but are not limited to, changes of address, family circumstances, being charged or convicted of an offence, change in financial circumstances, change in employment, etc. If you are in any doubt as to whether you should notify us in writing about a change please phone the recruitment team to discuss.

It is your responsibility whilst in the pool to maintain your fitness and awareness of the issues affecting the police service.


Appeals

The recruitment process is very rigorous and we make every effort to ensure that it is fair and meets all legal requirements. If you do feel that you were in anyway unfairly treated you should raise the matter in the first instance with the Recruitment Officer who will review your case.

If however you still consider that your application was not given due consideration you can request a review of the decision by writing to:

The Head of Human Resource Services
Tayside Police
PO Box 59
West Bell Street
Dundee DD1 9JU

clearly stating your reasons for requesting a review.