Past investigations are a barrier to PSNI's future, says Hamilton

Getting equal Catholic and Protestant numbers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland could take another decade, the force has warned. And Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton added that its role in investigating killings committed during The Troubles could be a hurdle to more Catholics joining the force. He said:… The PSNI’s role in investigating historic crimes may be a barrier to Catholic recruitment, according to one of its senior officers....

'Am I too short to be an officer?' Force campaign aims to dispel myths

Fitness, age, height and disabilities are common issues that concern people considering a career as an officer, the force said, so the campaign will feature case studies of successful new recruits who previously thought it would hold them back. PC Megan Gwynne, who passed out in the summer, was diagnosed… Cambridgeshire Constabulary is launching a new campaign to dispel some of the myths and misconceptions around what it takes to become a police officer....

Life after the job: are you applying for roles but not getting a response?

In last month's article, I mentioned why you should try and avoid using 'Easy Apply' on LinkedIn or applying for roles directly through the bigger recruitment websites. This is because of the use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). If you’re not aware, ATS is a software system that collects applicant’s… Andy Labrum explains why 75% of CVs don't get viewed by a human and what job applicants can do to overcome the problem ...

New recruitment pathway fast tracks specials to PCs

A “pioneering” new recruitment pathway aimed at widening access to front line policing has delivered its first cohort of new recruits Nottinghamshire Police is piloting the fast-track course for the College of Policing. The force said it wants to “give full-time career opportunities to a more diverse range of candidates… Eighteen former volunteer Special Constables have recently completed the Specials to PC training course – the first recruits in the UK to complete the new ten-week conversion....

Norfolk re-starts search for Chief

Uncertainty surrounds one of the top jobs in policing after a recruitment process was met with a lack of interest from enough suitable candidates. Norfolk has re-opened applications for its Chief Constable because not enough candidates applied. That was despite the College of Policing contacting every qualified senior officer in… Norfolk is targeting the Strategic Command course after re-starting its search for a new Chief Constable....

Military intelligence to join detective ranks to beat shortage

Military intelligence officers could be recruited into police forces in a bid to reduce the detective shortage and tackle OCGs. Police and Crime Commissioners have confirmed there aren’t enough officers to fill vacancies in detective ranks and forces are exploring whether Intelligence Officers who have worked in other Services could… Forces could recruit retired MI5 and Army Signals officers for ROCUs to fill vacant posts....

Pensions black hole warning as Uplift recruits opt out

New officers are failing to sign up for their police pension scheme because they are being told it isn’t worth it or can’t afford the monthly pay-in costs. Scheme board members across the country are reporting that a significant number of the Uplift cohort are not signing up despite the… Uplift officers are quitting police pension schemes due to bad advice and affordability....

Life after the job: why you should avoid Easy Apply websites

Are you applying for jobs via LinkedIn ‘Easy Apply’ and then not hearing anything or are you applying for roles via the big recruiting online platforms and getting no response? There are a couple of reasons why this is happening. I've built a good relationship with a recruiter on LinkedIn… 'Networking' is a dirty word in policing but in the recruitment market it is very important to develop those relationships says Andy Labrum ...

Equalities Commission forces recruitment review after PSNI case

The Equalities Commission has said forces must plan better for people with disabilities in recruitment processes. It follows a successful case against the Police Service of Northern Ireland which found a man with autism, ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome had not been fully supported in his application for an administrative post.… Forces will have to review recruitment processes after a landmark case against PSNI ruled a man with autism had not been adequately helped with a job application....

National protests policing lead to be Staffs new chief constable

The Assistant Chief Constable at Humberside Police is moving to Staffordshire to take the top job. ACC Chris Noble was appointed out of a shortlist of four and the decision will now need to be ratified by the force’s Police, Fire and Crime Panel at a special meeting on 12… A former Northern Ireland police officer, currently leading operations against the M25 protestors is set to become Staffordshire’s new Chief Constable....