Drugs Expert Witness - HC620535

Location: Southampton Central Police Station

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: Sunday 13th April 2025 at 23:59

We are recruiting for a motivated and hard-working individual for the role of Drug Expert Witness. As a Drug Expert Witness, you will provide independent and impartial expert evidence for criminal investigations and court appearances relating to drug supply, across all levels of criminality in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Within the role, you will be expected to use your skills and knowledge to write drug expert reports, and there will also be the requirement for you to attend court to provide evidence on investigations. The Drug Expert Witness role is varied, and you will also be involved in carrying out drug handling and identification in line with the relevant CSI and ISO standards to support investigations.

We are looking for an individual with strong communication skills, as part of your role will be to provide training in Force and externally regarding controlled drugs and their use and supply.

• To comply with Home Office directives maintaining currency with relevant trends and developments regarding Drug Supply and use.
• Maintain CPD showing your interaction with Drug investigations and current drugs misuse knowledge that supports your credibility to deliver expert evidence.
• Comply with relevant legislation and the rules of evidence and court procedures specific to expert witnesses, especially compliance and adherence to Criminal Procedure Rule Part 19.
• To carry out Drug handling, packaging, identification, transportation and storage in line with the relevant CSI, ISO standards.
• To attend pre-trial meetings with the Crown Prosecution Service and to provide expert evidence in court.

The role holder is required to visit various locations within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and it is essential they have a current full drivers licence and access to a reliable vehicle, for which an appropriate allowance will be paid. The post holder needs to maintain their knowledge and expertise regarding the supply of Controlled Drugs, methods used, pricing, availability and emerging commodities. The post holder needs to build and maintain sustainable relationships within the Force in a nominated geographical area, as well as key community partners including those who provide Drug Treatment and the Crown Prosecution Service.

• Educated to QCF Level 3 or to have undertaken work experience deemed to have brought the postholder to a comparable level.
• Extensive experience of completing investigations into offences relating to Drug Supply.
• Experience of giving evidence in court in trials relating to Drug Supply.
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of drug related matters.
• Basic keyboard skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office Word.
• Demonstrate an understanding of money laundering.
• Current knowledge regarding Controlled Drug pricing, trends, commodities.
• Significant experience in the police environment giving evidence as an expert witness regarding Drug Supply.
• Attendance at Drug Expert witness course.
• Training in field tests of Controlled Drugs.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is an inclusive employer and strives to have a workforce representative of the communities we police and serve. We recognise that we are not fully representative and are working to address this imbalance through a variety of initiatives. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary is an equal opportunities employer that positively promotes flexible working, enabling officers and staff to achieve a healthy work-life balance whilst meeting operational requirements of the constabulary. We actively encourage applications to be made on a full time, part time or flexible working basis.

The Equality Act 2010 allows us to promote equality within Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary by adopting Positive Action to support people from under-represented groups. Our aim is to recruit talented people with a diverse range of skills and experience and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Our Positive Action team are available to provide support through the application and assessment process.

The Disability Confident campaign aims to remove barriers, increase understanding and ensure that people have opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. We will accommodate requests for reasonable adjustments where possible throughout our recruitment and promotions processes and encourage anyone requiring reasonable adjustments to disclose this at the earliest opportunity.