Recruitment and Selection Policy

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1. Statement of Policy

The aim of the policy is to provide a framework for best practice in recruitment and selection and to ensure:

Dyfed-Powys Police has efficient and fair resourcing practices that support the delivery of an effective police service.
The recruitment process is based on the equality of opportunity for all applicants both internal and All applicants will be considered based on their skills and abilities, relevant to the post applied for.
That, at all times, Dyfed-Powys Police endeavours to recruit individuals that are most suited to particular roles. Qualifications, experience and skills will be assessed at the level that is relevant to the job.

This Policy must be applied fairly, equally, and consistently to all irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or any protected characteristics.

2. Policy Scope

This policy and the associated procedure document replaces previous police staff recruitment and selection policies as well as selection for police officers to specialist posts.

Whilst it is applied in line with the staff handbook, this policy and the associated procedure document provides greater detail on recruitment and selection within the force and the processes to be adhered to. This policy does not form part of police staff terms and conditions of employment and may be subject to change at the discretion of Chief Officers.

Applies (but not limited) to: All categories of Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary (including agency staff, associates and contractors), seconded staff and volunteers. Police Officers, staff and volunteers accessing and using Force assets and property must have due regard to the contents of this policy.

3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

All prevailing employment legislation is taken into account when producing or reviewing the policy and associated procedures. Key aspects of legislation are:

Equality Act 2010

Regulation 10A Police regulations 2003

Regulation 1ZA Special Constables Regulations 1965

Employment Rights Act 1996

Promotion and Selection of Police Officers Policy

Management of Probationers

Management of Change Policy

Agency Workers Regulations.

Recruitment and Selection Procedure

4. Options and Contingencies

The aim of any recruitment and selection process is to appoint the best person for the job. There are a number of distinct roles and responsibilities within the recruitment process, and these are detailed below:

Department/Line Managers Responsibility

Ensure the role profile for the relevant vacancy is correct.
The Role Profile forms the basis of the job evaluation process and must be compiled in accordance with the agreed format. It must detail the qualifications, relevant experience and skills a candidate should demonstrate in order to perform the job safely and effectively. All qualifications, relevant experience and skills must be justifiable and proportionate.
The Role Profile provides the basis for the preparation of the advertisement, the shortlist, interview, and selection decision. As such, and prior to advertising, the role profile must be reviewed and confirmed as correct. Where no role profile exists, i.e., a new post, the manager must ensure a suitable profile is drafted and processed through job evaluation with the Senior HR Manager, People and OD.
Complete a vacancy request form (VRF) and submit for consideration /decision. The vacancy request form must provide all relevant detail for the role as any job advertisement will be aligned to the authorised request.
Appoint a panel and undertake the shortlisting of the application form and interviewing process. All panel members must be interview trained. An independent member must form part of the shortlisting and interview panel. Federation/Unison are invited to observe all interviews.
Provide feedback to candidates as required.
Liaise with successful candidate to agree a start date once all required pre-employment checks have been completed.
Arrange local induction for successful applicant and other necessary requirements.

People and OD Recruitment Team

Provide advice and guidance to line managers on the recruitment and selection process.
Dip sample Police Staff / Internal Police Officer vacancies to quality assure at all stages of the process.
Advise and assist the Department Lead with the preparation of interview questions and quality assure all finalised interview packs.
Prepare all bulk recruitment processes (Police Officer, PCSO, Specials and Transferee) in the recruitment platform.
Process all bulk recruitment processes to include assessments, interviews, conditional offers of appointment, pre-employment checks and unconditional offers of appointment.
Prepare police staff and internal police officer vacancies in the recruitment platform following approval.
Monitor the online recruitment process.
Send the shortlisting to the panel after the closing date.
Invite the successful applicants at application shortlist to assessment/interview and update status of unsuccessful candidates.
Process candidates following interview.
Issue conditional offers of appointment and ensure all required pre-employment checks are completed.
Progress unconditional offers of appointment.
Send induction process to line manager.
Issue pay reference numbers for new staff.

5. Take action and review

To ensure effectiveness of this policy and the associated procedure document it will be reviewed by People & Organisation Development on a tri-annual basis. Taking account of any challenges, changes to legislation and national guidance.

Any amendments to the policy or associated procedures document will be implemented by People & Organisation Development with approval by the People, Culture and Ethics Board.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: July 2024