Special Constables

As a Special Constable in Dyfed-Powys Police, you will be a valued and supported member of the wider policing family.

You will learn new skills, see new things and make real differences to the lives of our communities.

Volunteers for the Special Constabulary come from a diverse range of backgrounds and communities. You may be at home, caring for family, or driving a career in a very different industry. The variety of experience held across the Special Constabulary supports the police service and aims to represent the communities they serve.

As a Special Constable you’ll be on the front line of policing, you’ll be one of the first faces that people see when they need us most. No two days will be the same, some things you’ll be involved in are:

• responding to incidents and calls for help from the public
• speaking to victims of crime, making sure they get the best possible service
• recording and investigating crime
• making arrests, interviewing suspects, and taking statements from witnesses
• searching for missing people
• giving evidence in court
• policing large public events, concerts, and demonstrations
• dealing with road traffic collisions and offences
• carrying out proactive patrols to assist with problem solving

There are a number of jobs that are considered incompatible with the role of a special constable at Dyfed Powys Police. Please check the list below to ensure that your current employment will not prevent your application from proceeding.

You should not make an application to join Dyfed Powys Special Constabulary if you work in any of the below roles:

• serving members of His Majesty's Armed Forces
• members of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
• Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
• the National Hospital Service Reserve
• members of the fire service, unless written permission is given by your chief officer
• traffic officers and school crossing patrols
• officers from other police forces and private constabularies
• magistrates
• clerks to justices and clerks to courts
• probation officers
• youth workers and social workers involved in the administration of criminal law
• bailiffs, warrant officers, private detectives and inquiry agents
• detention & escort officers
• security personnel, guards and doormen (see further down this page for exceptions) 
• anyone working for a security company
• employees of security organisations
• neighbourhood and street wardens and other uniformed patrol wardens
• police community support officers
• prison custody officers (prison officers are eligible, but only with written permission from their prison governor)
• a local authority parking warden
• persons taking an active part in politics
• Highways Agency traffic officers (and traffic officers who are employed by other organisations, such as Vehicle and Operators Services Agency)
• border and immigration officers with powers of arrest
• customs officers
• barristers, solicitors and judges
• members of police authorities
• transport network revenue protection inspectors
• local authority field officers, for example, trading standards officers
• civilian enforcement officers
• vehicle removal officers

Age

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

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. 

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 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. Applicants who cannot be vetted, cannot be appointed.

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.

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 test and BMI check (Body Mass Index).

Political Affiliation

Dyfed-Powys Police has a policy of prohibiting any of our officers or staff from being members of the BNP, or a similar organisation whose aims, objectives or pronouncements may contradict the duty to promote race equality. If you are or have previously been a member of the BNP or a similar organisation, your application will be rejected.

Driving Licence

You do not need to hold a driving licence to be eligible to apply for the role of special constable however you will need to pass your driving test and a hold a full driving licence by the time you gain Independent Patrol Status achieved within the first year of service. If you do not obtain a licence during this time, you would need to relinquish your special constable role unless you could evidence that your test was imminent.

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.

Vetting 

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.

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 are successful at the application stage you will be invited to attend an interview at Dyfed Powys Police Headquarters.

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.

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.

Vetting and 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 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.

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.

Each time you put on your uniform and book on duty, you’ll be learning something new. But you will also:

• Increase your circle of friends, you will meet a wide variety of people.
• Gain confidence by overcoming fresh challenges and opportunities.
• Develop team working and problem solving skills.
• Learn to physically defend yourself and deal with conflict.
• Gain a good understanding about our area and, help keep the communities of Dyfed-Powys safe.
• Get a real feeling of achievement at having done something to help others, whilst supporting regular officers and contributing to your local community.
• Take on a challenge where no two days will ever be the same

Joining the Special Constabulary opens up a world of opportunities for personal and professional development. Undergoing the training and then going out on patrol makes a welcome break from day-to-day life, bringing excitement and challenge every day you volunteer, and giving something special back to the community we’re all part of.