Community Safety Officer

The broad purpose of the occupation is to investigate reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and community safety issues, to deliver informal and formal resolutions to the issues, to explore prevention and diversionary solutions, to work effectively with partner and enforcement agencies, to support victims and witnesses, and where appropriate, vulnerable perpetrators.

In your daily work, you will interact with residents and tenants, community groups, partner agencies including social care, police, health and education, and the legal sector including solicitors and barristers. You will work as part of a team and will be supervised by a manager or team leader. The employee will also need to interact with multiple internal departments. The occupation is part office-based but requires a lot of interaction with residents in the community and some attendance at multi-agency meetings as well as attendance at court.

You will be responsible for investigating reports of ASB / Community Safety in an area. This includes the categories of hate incidents, threats, assault, abusive behaviour, noise complaints, gang-related activity, criminality, substance misuse, public disorder, animal nuisance and any behaviour that causes nuisance, alarm or distress to members of the community. The reports can be between neighbours, or they can affect a particular community, or can be city or town centre issues. You will interview those affected as well as the alleged perpetrators.

You will be responsible for exploring preventative, early intervention or supportive solutions to the issues such as mediation, restorative justice, warnings, acceptable behaviour contracts, and an agreed care plan. If the behaviour continues despite informal solutions, the employee will be responsible for gathering evidence and preparing the case for legal action such as injunctions, closure orders or possession.

When gathering evidence, you will prepare witness statements and, in some cases, will employ and analyse technology such as CCTV, noise monitoring equipment, and specialist noise apps. In some areas, you will present cases to court when the matter is heard in the Judge’s chambers.

You will work with other partner agencies with a view to resolving the issues, for example, if there is a mental illness or a substance abuse issue involved, the employee will liaise with health organisations to explore support options. You will be supervised by a manager and is usually part of a specialist team. The size of the team will vary according to the areas the organisation covers.

This role is a specialist one and the successful candidate will be required to have a number of technical skills and behaviours to engage with the range of people they interact with, particularly victims, witnesses and perpetrators. The successful candidate will have a working knowledge of the legislation available which can be used in ASB / Community safety cases as well as knowledge of procedures relating to dealing with ASB / Community safety reports, investigative processes, evidence, victim and witness support, risk assessments, engaging perpetrators, responsibility and roles of partner agencies.

The successful candidate may also respond to domestic abuse reports so needs the skills and knowledge to respond appropriately, offer correct advice, risk assess and refer to appropriate agencies. The successful candidate will be required to follow the organisation’s policies and procedures in relation to the role as well as have knowledge of an organisation’s legal obligations, safeguarding, equality and diversity, data protection policies and procedures.

The successful candidate will be required to take responsibility and be accountable for managing their caseload appropriately, and within set KPIs. In this role, the successful candidate will need to be risk aware at all times and understand vulnerability. The successful candidate will be required to have a flexible approach and be able to respond to urgent or high-risk cases as necessary. Their performance will be monitored by a Manager or Supervisor.

Locations covered: London, South East, South West, East England, West Midlands, East Midlands, North East, North West.