Prisoner Custody Officer in Hatfield

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Location: HATFIELD REMAND COURT, COMET WAY, HATFIELD, AL10 9SJ

Working as a Prisoner Custody Officer (PCO) in Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS) is more than just a role—it’s an opportunity to be part of a professional team that plays a vital role in the justice system, ensuring safety and security every day.

We offer:

• Base Salary of £26,026 (35hrs pw). Annual salary increments: year 2 – £26,658 / year 3 – £27,260 / year 4 – £27,882.
• Pension (matched up to 6%), life insurance, and 20 days annual leave (rising to 25 after 7 years’ service) plus Bank Holidays.
• A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, MIND, Simply Health Care and Dental Plans, and more.
• Access to a range of discounts and exclusive deals such as Merlin Attractions, Mobile Phone discounts, Cinema discounts, Leisure, Retail and Hospitality discounts.
• A supportive team & culture where you’ll get the chance to make a positive difference in a company passionate about diversity and inclusion.

About The Role

As a PCO at our court, you’ll work as part of a team to provide safe and secure escorting and custody services to detainees, focusing on maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing. During court proceedings, you’ll be responsible for every aspect of detainee management until it’s time for them to return to custody or be released.

Key Duties Include:

• Escorting defendants to and from courtrooms, cells, and other areas within the court, including accompanying them to the toilet to ensure security and safety. This may involve being handcuffed to the detainee.
• Monitoring and supervising detainees while they are in the docks during court sessions, ensuring they remain secure and do not pose a risk to themselves or others.
• Being privy to sensitive and confidential information discussed during court proceedings, maintaining discretion and confidentiality at all times.
• Being prepared to listen to harrowing and distressing testimonies and evidence, maintaining professionalism and providing support to detainees while managing your own emotional wellbeing.
• Ensuring that detainees have access to food and drink throughout the day, catering to any dietary requirements or restrictions.
• Monitoring the mental and physical health of detainees, providing support and reporting any concerns to the appropriate authorities.
• Ensuring the safety and security of the court environment, including responding to incidents or emergencies that may arise.
• Conduct thorough searches of property and individuals to prevent contraband from entering secure areas.
• Completing necessary paperwork and data entry accurately, including logging detainee movements, incidents, and any other relevant information.
• Working closely with other court staff, law enforcement, and legal professionals to ensure smooth and secure court operations.

What You Need to Do the Job

Our current PCOs come to us with different work & life experiences; what matters is that you’re committed to making a difference to the lives of others. The rest will be learned during our 5 ½‑weeks training course and through experienced colleagues. Ideally, you’ll have a current valid driver’s licence, be reasonably fit, and possess strong written and verbal communication skills to manage and control all situations. This role requires a high level of responsibility, vigilance, and the ability to handle challenging situations with professionalism and care. Your interest in criminology or psychology will be an asset.

Assessment Process:

• Briefing call to assess eligibility
• Competency‑based Virtual Interview
• Short role‑play and written exercise.

Additional Information

All roles are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and all offers of employment are subject to Ministry of Justice Enhanced Level 2 checks with Enhanced DBS (Adult & Child Barring) and satisfactory employment references. All staff have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable young adults. The post holder must undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

Eligibility & Visa

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under current UK Home Office rules, as it does not meet the required salary or skill level criteria. Applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK through other immigration routes or permissions, and meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

• Have at least two years remaining on your current visa.
• Have lived in the UK for at least one year, as the vetting process requires a counter‑signatory from a recognised professional who has known you for that duration.

For general right‑to‑work guidance, please visit the UK Home Office website.

About Serco

At Serco, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services. We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks).

Apply

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

For help with your application please contact j&icareersUK@serco.com.

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on j&icareersUK@serco.com to discuss.