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BTP are recruiting Transferee Special Constables - Join us and make a difference!

**This opportunity is for existing Special Constable ONLY - Please do not apply if you are not currently serving as a Special Constable with another force**

Our mission is to protect and serve the public. As a police force, we’re there for the railway environment and its community, keeping levels of disruption, crime and the fear of crime as low as possible and helping look after vulnerable people. Our Special Constables are vital to achieving this.

As a volunteer police officer, you will have the same powers as full-time officers, playing a crucial role in getting the public home safe, secure and on time.

The railways lie at the heart of Britain’s community, commerce and industry. With over 6 million passenger journeys and 400k tonnes of freight being moved from depots to docks every day on Britain’s railways we have the unique task of ensuring that all this takes place within a safe and secure environment.

Working alongside full-time officers, you will experience the varied challenges of policing the railway – dealing with offenders, victims of crime, vulnerable people and the diverse community we serve.

It’s a hugely varied role, so you’ll need to be ready for anything - from patrolling by foot or vehicle, through providing a reassuring presence on trains or at stations, to assisting at incidents including theft, assault or illegal travel.

You’ll be locally based at one of over 90 police stations spread across England, Scotland and Wales, but when on duty you’ll travel too. You might be carrying out your duties while moving at 125 miles per hour from one city to another and of course you will come in to contact with people from all walks of life, often at stressful or emotional times for them. One thing is certain - no two days will ever be the same.

To join us, you’ll need outstanding resilience and dedication. We’ll expect you to commit to a minimum of 16 hours per month - the maximum number of hours you deliver is up to you. If you’ve never been a Special Constable before, you’ll benefit from unrivalled training and investment in your development. After all, we need you to be the best there is. Whatever your background, you’ll be truly valued as an integral member of our force. We’ll reimburse all your expenses. We’ll help you develop talents - from leadership to responsiveness - that will enhance every aspect of your life.

What skills do you need to apply?

• As one of our Special Constables, you’ll need to love variety and to not shy away from what can sometimes be difficult situations.
• You will need to be a natural communicator who is able to build instant rapport with people from all walks of life.
• As a Special Constable, you’ll need to be diplomatic in your approach and able to remain calm under pressure.

What’s in it for you?

Being a Special Constable is not an easy role and you may be thinking ‘Is it worth it? What will I get out of this?’

The answer is: A lot. There’s so much to gain from becoming a Special Constable.

In return for your hard work you will:

• As a volunteer police officer, make a difference in society, helping reduce and resolve crime, keep people safe including the vulnerable
• As a volunteer, give back to the community
• Have a rewarding role where no two days are ever the same
• Have the same powers and uniform as full-time officers
• Boost your CV
• Travel Benefits (dependent on location)
• Learn new skills including understanding law and police procedure, communication skills, IT skills, first aid, self-defense and railway track safety skills
• Increased self-confidence
• Have the opportunity of internal progression to become a regular Police Officer (fast track scheme)

To apply you must meet the following criteria:

• Achieved Independent Patrol Status (England and Wales only)
• Received First Aid Training
• Free from any convictions/cautions/reprimands and penalty notices (other than driving penalty notices) even if you are serving as a Special Constable at the moment with another force.
• Thoroughly grounded in the operational aspects of police work
• Free from any ongoing investigation in your current force
• Have completed your minimum required annual hours and live in or near the BTP policing area you wish to transfer to.
• Be currently serving as a Special or have been within the last 12 months

We are looking for Special Constables in the following areas;

We are recruiting for new Special Constables to join us throughout the country at the following locations. Joining the UK’s only national police force as a volunteer, you’ll take on a crucial frontline role in one of the most challenging environments there is.

B Division: London, Ashford, Maidstone, Brighton, Gatwick, Cambridge, Camden, Central London police station (based at St James's Park), Croydon, Euston, Finsbury Park, Guildford, Portsmouth, St Pancras, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Luton, Norwich, Paddington, Bournemouth, Southend, Stevenage, Stockwell, Stratford, Victoria, Waterloo and West Ham.

C Division: Birmingham, Cardiff, Carlisle, Coventry, Crewe, Darlington, Doncaster, Exeter, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Preston, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Swansea, Swindon, Bristol and York.

• Please note this is a talent pool for future intakes throughout 2023.

We want our organisation to be as diverse as the community it serves and welcome applications from everyone. Please be assured that all applications will be judged on their individual merit and no other factors. We are committed to improving inclusivity, accessibility and employment opportunities throughout our organisation. We welcome applicants to share any specific needs or requirements with us throughout both the recruitment process and in the workplace. Please let us know if there are any adjustments you require, and we will be able to discuss this with you in further detail.

Application process and eligibility:

Applying is easy; simply click on ‘Apply’ at the bottom left of this page and you will be taken through the process. All applications must be completed online via this method. You need to answer all the questions asked as, unfortunately, if any parts are unanswered your application will sadly be declined from the process.

We do need to let you know that you will not be eligible to apply if:

• You have been unsuccessful following a BTP Special Constable interview in the last 6 months.
• You have been unsuccessful following BTP vetting checks within the last 12 months.
• You have ever received a custodial sentence (other cautions, convictions and involvement with the police must be declared but are not necessarily a bar to employment).
• You have been declared bankrupt, have a CCJ or an un-managed IVA.
• You have tattoos of any kind on your face or neck.

Prohibited Occupations - Please download and check the document below before applying. If you do sit under any of the prohibited Occupations that BTP do not allow, then you will not be eligible to apply and will be sifted out at shortlisting stage.

For further information on our eligibility criteria, please have a read through the attached recruitment pack as it contains lots of useful information for you.

You can apply if you have a live application with another Police force.

The closing date for applications is 10:00 am on Friday 3rd March 2023. We won’t be able to accept applications after this time for any reason, including technical errors. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to submit your application prior to this deadline. Following your application being completed and submitted, our team will then let you know if you have passed or failed the application form stage of the process via email and the next stages.

Positive action

At BTP we are proud guardians of the railway and it is crucial that we represent the diverse communities we serve and protect. As ‘One BTP’ across the UK, we know that diversity, inclusion and belonging help us improve our decision making, foster creativity and drive innovation so all our people can thrive.

Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit. So that we can become more diverse we encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, women, people who have a disability, those who are neurodiverse and persons who identify as LGBTQI+. We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted workshops or advice sessions. If you have the skills, experience and values that here in BTP we pride ourselves on then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please click here or email the team on [email protected]

On a final note... if you want to ask us any awkward or ‘obvious’ questions, if you are you unsure whether your personal circumstances are suitable for a career as a Special Constable but don’t know how to talk to us about it OR you have any questions about the application process, please email our friendly and helpful team where we will be happy to help you: [email protected].

We look forward to receiving your application!