This initial one-year posting offers a unique opportunity to lead investigations, manage crime and intelligence functions, mentor officers, and help shape policing in one of the world’s most remote jurisdictions, working closely with both civilian and military law enforcement partners. Terms of less than 12 months will be considered, and all candidates will be subject to satisfactory performance reviews throughout the term of their employment, whatever the duration.
Information & background
The British Indian Ocean Territory specifically is a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean with a fascinating and complex history. It is a prized defence asset, home to a strategically important joint US-UK military facility on the island of Diego Garcia. For more information about BIOTA, please visit our website.
Diego Garcia is a beautiful but remote place. There is no permanent population, but a mixture of US and UK military and multinational civilian contractors, spend time there to deliver the operation of the base. Levels of crime in BIOT are generally low – ensuring they stay that way is a key objective and the successful applicant will have a key role to play in that.
The British Indian Ocean Territory Police Service currently comprises of eleven police officers. They are responsible for policing on Diego Garcia and across the wider Territory. The successful applicant will play a key leadership role within this team, helping boost capability and, with the wider police team, increase resilience when the CoP is out of the Territory. You will be managed locally by the CoP who routinely engages with local stakeholders and London based colleagues, updating them on local challenges, issues, and other BIOT Police Service matters.
Who you are:
The successful applicant will be sworn in as a BIOT civilian police officer based in Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands of the Chagos Archipelago and will report to the Chief of Police, and other senior officials in the BIOT administration.
- Proven UK-Policing Experience: Applicants must either be a currently serving police officer or have voluntarily left, resigned from, or retired from a UK police force or other NPCC-affiliated1 policing organisation within the last 3 years.
- Leadership and Professional Credibility: Applicants must have held substantive or acting supervisory responsibility, with a proven track record of leading personnel, managing investigations, and maintaining high professional standards. Applications are welcome from experienced Constables seeking promotion, Sergeants, Detective Sergeants, and Inspectors.
- Crime Management and investigative leadership: Demonstrable experience in overseeing crime investigations, managing investigative standards, and driving effective criminal justice outcomes. Experience in crime management, intelligence, custody, professional standards, safeguarding, or public protection environments is desirable
- Expert Investigator: Recent investigative experience with a proven ability to conduct and supervise high-quality investigations from initial report through to prosecution the justice system, leading to successful prosecutions. Experience in managing complex investigations, public protection, neighbourhood policing, safeguarding, or gender-based violence is advantageous.
This is more than just a job; it’s an adventure in professional excellence, collaboration, and service. Diego Garcia offers an unparalleled opportunity to make a meaningful impact whilst working in a distinctive, multicultural setting.
Are you ready to lead, inspire, and make a difference? Apply today!
What we’re looking for
We are seeking someone with the ability to build capability and effective processes, who can operate with a high degree of independence and professional integrity. The role requires confident autonomous working, sound investigative judgement, and the ability to operate credibly in an operational environment, with experience of working alongside the military desirable.
This is an outstanding opportunity to apply your policing experience in a fascinating, complex and important environment. The successful candidate will lead criminal investigations, while developing and overseeing our crime management framework that helps deliver both the highest standards and stringent security.
Within BIOTA there is an operationally independent police force and several customs and immigration officers. The successful candidate will also work closely with the Senior Customs and Immigration Officer, the Principal Legal Adviser, and Coroner as needed. This will all involve a strong focus on effective safeguarding, working closely with BIOTA’s Head of Law Enforcement policy as well as the Safeguarding Lead. While this is an initial one-year posting, terms of less than 12 months will be considered, and all candidates will be subject to satisfactory performance reviews throughout the term of their employment, whatever the duration.
Diego Garcia is where staff and contractors are based. Due to the sensitivities and restrictions placed on travelling to the islands, this post is unaccompanied (i.e. you are unable to bring any dependents and visitors are not permitted).
Job Description and Key Accountabilities:
- Lead and manage all investigative activity, ensuring investigations are conducted professionally and in accordance with legal and procedural requirements.
- Contribute to the development, monitoring, and review of BIOT police service measures and key performance indicators, taking corrective action where necessary to support the achievement of wider organisational goals.
- Develop and enhance investigative capacity and capability across the BIOT police service, through effective governance, training and quality assurance.
- Analyse operational performance data and management information to inform workforce planning, resource allocation, budgeting and service improvement initiatives.
- Lead the safeguarding response, working collaboratively with relevant partners and stakeholders, to identify vulnerability, manage risk and ensure appropriate support and protection for those most at risk.
- Support the professional development and mentoring of all BIOT Police Officers, with a particular emphasis on investigative practice, case management and evidential standards.
- Liaise with and support the Principal Legal Advisor (PLA – the BIOT equivalent of the public prosecutor) in the preparation and presentation of criminal matters before court.
- Act as Lead Disclosure Officer, ensuring compliance with disclosure obligations and overseeing the closure, retention and archiving of investigative casefiles.
- Serve as the single point of contact for information-sharing requests, ensuring compliance with all legal, policy and information management requirements.
- Maintain oversight of police-held exhibits property and evidential exhibits, ensuring appropriate storage, handling, auditing and disposal arrangements.
- Manage crime recording, case progression and investigative standards, ensuring compliance with force policy, legislation and recognised best practice.
- Oversee intelligence development and coordination, identifying emerging risks, trends and opportunities to support operational decision-making.
- Provide strategic advice to the Chief of Police on investigative, safeguarding and criminal justice matters.
Behaviours
The post holder is expected to know, understand and act within the ethics and values of the British Indian Ocean Territory Police Service.
The Competency and Values Framework (CVF) 2024 has three values and six competencies. Each competency has three levels (Levels 1, 2 & 3) that show what behaviours will look like in practice, for this role candidates will be expected to be performing at Level 2.
The six competencies in the CVF are:
- We are innovative and open-minded
In addition, you’ll need high levels of personal resilience, ideally with experience of working in difficult or remote locations.
Qualifications & Training
- Candidate must have met all necessary UK national police promotion requirements as defined in the National Police Promotions Framework (NPPF) or previous OSPRE process for the rank of Sergeant, as a minimum requirement.
- Have experience of undertaking and leading investigations and be able to demonstrate professional and occupational competence within this area.
- Hold a current and full UK Driver’s license.
- Be willing to undertake vetting to SC level.
- Candidate must be at substantive Sergeant rank or above, who can evidence a minimum of 3 years operational experience at National Police Chiefs Council Sergeant level.
- This role can be physically and mentally demanding, if successful you will be required to complete and pass Personal Safety Training which will refresh and develop skills in personal safety, arrest, and restraint techniques.
- Applicants must be mentally resilient.
- Must be able to pass a medical and annual police fitness test as required.
Desirable competencies:
- Experience and or qualifications in the delivery of work based training or similar.
- Experience in working with military personnel and/or working with international partners.
Pay, Benefits & Allowances:
Alongside your salary of £55 to £65k pro rata, you’ll have:
- Two return flights to/from Diego Garcia per annum
- Access to recreation and sporting facilities on Diego Garcia
Selection & Interview Process:
- Submit a CV of no more than 2 pages.
- 1000-word Personal Statement to include within the word count your motivations for the role and your suitability against the following three competencies, one of which must include We analyse critically. N.B you must demonstrate performance against a minimum of two of these competencies.
- We analyse critically
- We are emotionally aware
- We take ownership
- your current level of security clearance (if any)
- your most recent 12 months of appraisal evidence.
- Applications received will be subject to a paper sift assessing candidates written evidence, essential experience and qualifications.
- Potential candidates will then be offered an interview; this is likely to be via MS Teams. Confirmation will be provided in advance. During the interview you will be assessed against the CVF for Policing.
Application Timeline:
| Applications OPEN – Friday, 21st August 2026 |
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| Applications CLOSE – Monday, 21st September 2026 |
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| Paper sift commences – Tuesday 22nd September 2026 |
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| Interviews – w/c 28th Septemberw/c 2026 |
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| Interview results – w/c 2026 |
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| Successful candidate starts TBC |
Subject to vetting |
Appendix A
BIOT Police Service mission statement:
Working in partnership with our community and strategic partners, we strive to protect the people, operational capability and environment of the British Indian Ocean Territory, through the delivery of a fair, professional and respectful service, built on the principles of courage, discipline, integrity and commitment to public service.
All members of the BIOT Police Service will continually seek to better themselves and the service they provide to ensure delivery of the highest possible standards of professionalism and accountability. The BIOT Police Service are fully committed to the ethos of One Island, One Team, One Mission.
Values:
- Discipline, integrity and public service
Vision:
This policing vision sets out the BIOT Policing Board’s plan for policing across the wider territories. The vision will shape future transformations and strategic decision-making to ensure that the people and infrastructure of the territories remain safe, protected by an effective and efficient police service that is trusted by its community and strategic partners.
- To maximise the competence and capability of our people, through focused training, development and performance management
- To ensure the integrity of our actions and procedures, through the pursuit of the highest operational and professional standards
- To maximise the effectiveness of our partnerships through agreement of jurisdiction interoperability, mutual aid and local resilience capabilities
- To ensure our legitimacy, through the delivery of a high quality, ethical service provision, community engagement and clear operational procedures
- To maximise efficiency through the improved use of technology, intelligence and specialist capabilities
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