Despatch Operator **External** July 2023 Bradford, Yorkshire and the Humber, England
Job description
Despatch Operator
Wakefield/ Bradford
Full time/Job Share
Being a Police Contact Despatch Officer is more than just answering calls, it’s about obtaining and providing accurate information to ensure the right decisions are made to help and keep people safe.
Behind every crime is a victim, some are scared, some are hurt, some need advice and they start by calling for help. We need to respond to that call for help with compassion, clarity, and decisiveness. We need people who can calmly help people at a point of crisis and work as part of a team that helps officers keep the public safe and keep them safe too.
Covering the whole of West Yorkshire Initial Contact Officers and Despatch Officers deal with all emergency (999) and non-emergency calls (101), identifying risk, threat and vulnerability and grading the incident correctly.
To succeed in this role you will need to feel confident working in a challenging and dynamic working environment, with good communication and IT skills. Initial Contact Officers/Despatch Officers use a wide variety of systems to be able to document incidents quickly and accurately, therefore computer/typing skills are essential. You will take calls from people experiencing the worst but needing you to deliver your best.
Once you have finish Initial Contact Officer training you will progress with further training to be a Despatcher where you will liaise with officers about live incidents and assign them to attend the scene, keep them updated and close incidents.
On a typical day, we receive around 1100 emergency calls and over 3000 non-emergency calls. Each call is dealt with on its own merits according to the needs of the caller who may be vulnerable or distressed. On one call you could be dealing with a victim of a serious assault, then providing support to someone reporting a family member missing on the next.
You will start your career journey with excellent training. The initial training programme lasts 16 weeks which will leave you equipped with the right knowledge and skills to help the public on 999 and 101 calls. . Whether you decide to work full time or job share, during the training periods you will be expected to work full time.
Our initial training consists of 8 weeks in a classroom environment (day shifts), then 8 weeks in a development Hub (working a shift pattern of days, lates and nights). You will then continue to work the shift pattern chosen until you attend the 2-week Despatch training course (day shifts).
AS A POLICE DESPATCHER WITH WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE YOU’LL BENEFIT FROM:
- Salary Range £25,758.00 - £27,690.00 (14.03% weekend enhancements and 20% Shift allowance
- Working for a top-rated force
- Shift patterns including full time or job share
- Highly regarded Pension scheme
- 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years) Not including bank holidays
- Comprehensive occupational health provision
- Free Employee Assistance Programme
- Sports and Social Clubs
- Access to a national high street “Blue Light” discount scheme
- Be valued for the work you do
- MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLES LIVES
- Based on working a full-time rota and inclusive of shift allowances and weekend enhancements
To apply for this role, you will need to
- complete the application and vetting forms
- able to type at a 28 words per minute
1. Complete application online
2. Shortlisting
3. Invited to assessment day (if successful with application)
4. Interview
5. Vetting
6. Offer of employment
This role operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Any shift enhancements/weekend allowances are based on the published Force pattern any deviations from this could mean the enhancements/allowances may differ or not apply, for full details refer to staff Terms and Conditions.
Click here for the Shift Pattern : Despatch Shift Pattern
To apply please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
https://westyorkshirepolice.tal.net/vx/appcentre-External/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/6/pl/1/opp/4901-Despatch-Operator-External-July-2023/en-GB
The post is suitable for job share.
For roles which are advertised as Career Progression Schemes, individuals will be appointed to the bottom scale point of the appropriate grade within the scheme, based on the role entry requirements. Full progression through the scheme may be subject to attaining a specific qualification or successfully passing an assessment or review.
West Yorkshire Police is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all minority groups and individuals who identify with one or more of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
Applicants should be aware that it is not always possible to carry out adequate vetting checks on persons who have not been resident within the UK for the last three years. Therefore, where this applies, applicants may be refused because it was not possible to vet them to the appropriate standard.
For a detailed description of the Competency and Values levels required please refer to the http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Development/competency-and-values-framework/Documents/Competency-and-Values-Framework-for-Policing_4.11.16.pdf (This link may be copied and pasted into your browser). This document will assist you in completing the Evidence of Achievement section of the application form. Please note: the Evidence of Achievement section will not be visible until the employment section has been completed.
