Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)

Put yourself in the role of a PCSO.  Consider how you would handle various situations. What would be your approach when dealing with a group of drunk individuals causing a disturbance in the street? How would you communicate with an elderly couple who have recently been burgled? How would you deal with a group of young people riding off-road bokes?

The role of PCSO is unique; designed to tackle anti-social behaviour and local issues affecting the quality of life of communities. PCSO’s provide a visible and accessible uniformed presence, aimed at improving the quality of life in the community and offer greater public reassurance.

As a Dyfed-Powys PCSO you will:

• Build links and relationships with communities – whether that’s businesses, residents, community leaders or partner agencies
• Be a visible presence within the community getting to know residents.
• Support neighbourhood policing teams in solving local problems.
• Engage with young people, creating valuable relationships.
• Help reassure and support victims of crime, offering crime prevention advice to help keep them safe
• Help with policing large events, gatherings, festivals, and shows
• Collect CCTV evidence
• Make house visits to gather information and offer reassurance following a crime or incident.
• Act as a professional witness, attending court when required

As a Dyfed-Powys Police PCSO, you’ll focus to tackle issues of local concern by engaging with the local community, meeting residents, and providing reassurance, guidance, and support to those living and working in the area.

PCSOs deal with minor offences and support front-line policing. They do not make arrests, conduct interviews, deal with prisoners, or investigate serious crime. Each and every day, we’ll look for you to bring the drive and desire to make a difference. 

We welcome applications from people of all different backgrounds, cultures, religions, ages, gender, and sexual orientation. However, there are some eligibility conditions that all applicants will need to meet, so you need to check that you meet our requirements before applying.

Age

To apply for the role of PCSO, you will need to be aged 17 years or over (will only be appointed once at the age of 18).

Driving Licence

You will need a full manual driving licence with at least twelve months driving experience from the date this was issued to join as a police officer. You will be required to undertake response driver training during your probationary period.

All Dyfed-Powys police officers are required to response drive and as such you must meet the DVLA Group 2 medical standards.

Citizenship

You must be a British Citizen, citizen from the European Economic Area (EEA), Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the United Kingdom.

Residency

You must also have been continually resident in the UK for the three-year period immediately before an application is made. This is to satisfy the requirement to vet all applicants in an equitable manner and the UK Police service does not currently have any means of facilitating vetting checks overseas, to the extent required of those who have been resident in the UK.

Education

To be eligible to apply for the role of Police Community Support Officer, you must have a GCSE A-C in Mathematics and English or an equivalent qualification.

If you do not have the required Level 2 qualifications, you can still apply for the role however you will be required to undertake an academic suitability test for Verbal Reasoning & Calculation as part of the application process.

Welsh Language

To be able to respond to general enquires over the phone and face to face through the medium of Welsh (level 1) or willing to achieve this level within 6 months, see our Welsh Language Requirements for more information.

Cautions and Convictions

You may still be eligible to join the police service if you have minor convictions/cautions, but there are certain offences and conditions that will make you ineligible. You MUST declare all convictions for past offences, formal cautions (including as a juvenile) and any bind-over imposed by the courts. You should also include all traffic convictions. Due to the nature of policing, it’s essential that we conduct rigorous vetting checks on successful applicants before they can join the program.

Tattoos/piercings

Candidates with visible tattoos, body piercing or other body modifications may be considered eligible for appointment if the force considers that the individual case does not breach the Code of Conduct or constitute a risk to the health and safety of the staff and officers.

Candidates with visible tattoos may be eligible for appointment. Each case will be considered on its own merits, taking into account the number, nature, size, prominence, appearance, and location of the tattoos. Tattoos must not be offensive to colleagues or members of the public or undermine the dignity of your role within the Force. Tattoos on the neck, face or hands are still deemed to be unacceptable but consideration may be given in some circumstances considering the size, nature, and prominence of the tattoo. If candidates choose to have any additional tattoos during the recruitment process, after passing eligibility checks, the onus is on them to advise HR and provide appropriate photographs which will need to be checked. 

Financial Status

All applicants will have their financial status checked. These checks are carried out because Police Constables have access to privileged information, which may make them vulnerable to corruption. Any applicants with outstanding County Court judgements, who have been registered bankrupt with outstanding debts, will be rejected. If you have discharged bankruptcy debts, then you will need to provide a Certificate of Satisfaction with your application. Applicants who are the subject of a current Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) will not be considered.

Health

Applicants must be in good health mentally and physically to deal with the pressures and demands of the role. Successful applicants who receive a conditional offer of appointment will then be asked prior to appointment to fill in a medical questionnaire and undertake a medical examination which will also include an eyesight and hearing test and BMI check (Body Mass Index).

BMI 

If your application is successful, your weight range will be assessed during a medical assessment. The healthy weight range is based on a measurement known as your body mass index (BMI).

This can be determined if you know your weight and your height. The actual calculation is your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in metres squared). Guidance and easy to use charts on how to calculate your BMI can be found on the NHS website. The NHS advises that a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 suggest a normal healthy weight. This means your body is not at risk of weight-related disease. The Home Office sets BMI standards for police officers. The current Home Office circular 59/2004 outlines this as between 18 and 30. Applicants who do not meet this standard may find their application delayed and / or will not be appointed.

Please note the recruitment cycle can typically take at least 6 months to fully complete. Further information on each stage of the application/recruitment process can be found further down the page.

Online Application Form

Force Interview

Pre-employment Checks

Successful appointment

At the end of each stage of the recruitment and selection process you will be notified whether you have been successful and therefore eligible to proceed to the next stage.

The application process consists of two areas:

Completion of the College of Policing (CoP) National Sift:

There are 2 tests that every applicant must complete (regardless of qualifications), these are a Situational Judgement Test and a Behavioural Style Questionnaire. The national sift has been designed to allow you to demonstrate your suitability for entry to the next stage of the recruitment process. Both of these must be passed in order to continue in the application process. All test results are provided instantly online.

Further information on these tests can be found on the College of policing website.

Application form

You will be required to input your personal details. Please ensure this is completed correctly.

Please note if you have previously passed both the Behavioural Styles Questionnaire (BSQ) and Situational Judgement Test (SJT) with Dyfed Powys Police or another Welsh force (South Wales, Gwent, or North Wales), you will not be required to complete the College of Policing (CoP) National Sift process. The recruitment system should automatically bypass this part of the application process, however, if you are invited but hold a valid BSQ and SIJT pass, then please contact the recruitment team before starting the National Sift.

• Read the requirement of each stage thoroughly as failure to pass each section will reject your application.
• If you require reasonable adjustments or positive action, please ensure you check the relevant boxes on the application form.
• If you have had more than one address in the last 5 years, ensure you have all this information at hand including dates of occupancy.
• If you have received any convictions or cautions, ensure you have all this information at hand as you are required to disclose this information.
• If you have visible tattoos (face, neck, wrist, hands, and forearms) take the required photos beforehand.
• If you have any financial certificates (bankruptcy, IVA etc.) have a copy of these ready to upload.
• When completing the online tests, ensure that your pop-up blocker is disabled so that the test screen will open.
• If you encounter any problems or have any queries, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note our office hours are Monday-Friday: 9am–5pm.

If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to an interview in line with the advertised competencies relevant to the role (detailed in the role profile).

The interview process has been designed to get a more rounded picture of you as an individual. It examines how your values and those of Dyfed Powys Police might match.

The purpose of this interview is to ensure that you are making the right career choice and verify your suitability in line with the Policing values and behaviours within the competency value framework to become a successful Dyfed Powys police constable.

During the interview, we will check your understanding of the police force, your previous experience and skills and your desire to become a Police Officer and serve the community.

Further to your assessment centre, there are various in-force stages you will also be required to complete successfully:

Fitness test

• You will be required to meet the national standards for police officers. This involves a shuttle run to level 5/4 (bleep test).
• If you don’t meet the standard first time around, you can take the test again (up to a maximum of three times).

Drugs and biometric testing

• The drugs test will involve undergoing a questionnaire on any medication you are taking, or have been taking, and a hair sample.
• Biometric testing will involve taking fingerprints and a DNA (mouth) swab, which will be checked against a national database.
• If you should fail the drugs test you will not be offered a position with Dyfed-Powys Police. Any internal candidates who fail a drugs test will have their offer withdrawn and the results from the drugs test may be used in accordance with the Dyfed-Powys Police Staff Discipline Police and Police Staff Code of Conduct.

 References

• References are required to cover a minimum of 5 years of continuous employment history. If you have not been in employment for 5 years, we will look to obtain education and personal references.
• Any sickness declared by a previous employer will be reviewed by Senior Management in line with Dyfed-Powys Police Absence Management policy.

Vetting

• Vetting checks will be completed by our Professional Standards Department and a decision will be made on whether vetting can be granted. This can take up to 8 weeks or longer depending on individual circumstances.
• The importance of honesty and integrity is made clear throughout our application process. Dyfed-Powys Police Officers are subject to the Standards of Professional Behaviour, which clearly set out what communities can expect from their officers.

Applicants who cannot be vetted cannot be appointed.

It should be noted that the Chief Officer reserves the right to refuse employment without giving reason under Section 6 Police Act 1966 and the Police (Scotland) Act 1967.

Medical assessment

• Due to the nature of police work, good health and fitness is paramount. However, applications are welcome from people with disabilities and every effort will be made to make reasonable adjustments if required.
• There are certain medical conditions and disorders that may have a detrimental effect on your ability to conduct the role effectively; each case will be considered carefully as part of the medical process.

These pre-appointment checks can sometimes take between three and six months. Please be aware that you must attend any appointments in your own time, including your uniform fitting appointment.

Once you have completed the selection and recruitment process you will be sent a letter formally offering you an appointment, start date and station posting.

Salary

• You’ll receive a starting salary of £27,747 which rises to £29,649 after 3 years of service
• In addition to your salary, you will be entitled to a set shift allowance and be eligible to claim weekend enhancements as applicable.

Annual Leave

• New recruits receive 24 days annual leave per year which increases with service (up to 32 days).

Bank Holiday

• 8 Statutory public/bank holidays, taken on the designated day or, if this falls on one of your working days, you will be entitled to take an alternative day. Part-time employees have bank holidays on a pro-rata basis.

Throughout your service, you’ll enjoy the advantages of the Local Government pension scheme.

Our equality and diversity objectives are enforced through an established Equality and Diversity Board. This demonstrates our commitment to ensuring we consistently treat our colleagues and public with fairness, dignity, and respect.

• We offer a full range of Occupational Health Services, including medical screening, vaccination, physiotherapy, and counselling services.
• You’ll also have 24/7 access to Vivup Employee Assistance.
• The Occupational Health team aims to support attendance and effectiveness by working proactively to minimise health risks and to promote individual responsibility for health, fitness, and wellbeing.
• Our Sports and Recreation Association offer access to a number of gyms on police premises across the Dyfed-Powys area.
• There is also the opportunity to represent us in a variety of sports, from football and rugby to lifesaving and triathlon.

There are a range of associations, networks and groups supporting our workforce and Dyfed Powys Police has a range of initiatives and schemes to help colleagues develop.

Our staff networks offer support and friendship to our officers, staff, and the local community alike. They work to support and advise colleagues nationally and we are proud of the active part they play in influencing policing across the UK.

Support and advice from our Staff Associations and Support Networks which include:

• Ability Staff Network
• Christian Police Association
• Gender Equality Network
• LGBT Network and Ethnic Minority Support Network.
• The Police Federation

You’ll join our staff rewards scheme, offering discounts in a range of high street and online stores. Also, whilst you’re enrolled with our university partner and studying for your degree qualification, you’ll be eligible for student discount schemes.

To promote healthy journeys to work, Dyfed-Powys Police provide staff and officers with the opportunity for a new bike and safety equipment, with big discount off the total price. You can apply for up to £4,000 and choose to spread the payments over either 12 or 18 months.