Emergency Control & Contact Handler in Lewes

Division / Department - Contact and Control

Grade - Grade 9

Status - Full Time

Contract Type - Permanent

Salary Grade Range - £30,897 - £33,603

Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week

Shift Allowance - Politically Restricted

Location - Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes

The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.

Chief Constables' Message

We really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe. We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you. We wish you all the very best with your application.

The Role and Key Responsibilities

Do a job that matters. We’re hiring Control and Contact Handlers and we want you to join us. For many people, our Control and Contact Handlers are the first point of contact with the police, whether it’s over the phone or by email. Our Force Contact, Command and Control Department isn’t just a call centre, it’s the start of our front line. You’ll get a good starting salary, opportunities for progression and the satisfaction that comes from helping others.

A Control and Contact Handler plays a vital role in keeping Sussex Safe. You’ll handle a huge variety of emergency 999 calls, non-emergency 101 calls, online and social media communications. The situations you’ll be faced with are as diverse as the communities we serve and you’ll be engaging with people of all ages and backgrounds. Our Control and Contact Handlers need to be able to strike the right balance between showing empathy with every caller, while not becoming emotionally involved when dealing with sometimes difficult circumstances. Our Control and Contact Handlers provide excellent customer service to members of the public and Sussex Police colleagues.

Could this be you? If you are looking to work in a fast-paced 24/7 environment, where no two days are the same, are calm under pressure, are an excellent communicator and have the confidence to make critical decisions, this is the role for you. You’ll need to be able to think on your feet, ask the right questions, listen for vital details, and log information quickly and accurately. The role is based at our Headquarters on the outskirts of Lewes. You’ll need to be able to work shifts, including nights, weekends and bank holidays. The role is extremely rewarding but also comes with some challenges.

We strongly encourage you to view the attached documents carefully so that you are fully informed about the role and some of the challenges that people find in this area of policing. For example, during your shift you will be taking calls from members of the public who are distressed, angry, abusive and emotional or experiencing a mental health crisis – probably contacting Sussex Police for the very first time in their hour of need. We ask you to think carefully about how this might impact on your well being and especially how you will cope in and following these types of calls. There is plenty of support available but if you, your family or people you are close to have ever experienced suicide, domestic or sexual abuse, fear for loss of life or trauma (especially regarding children) – please do seriously consider how this will impact on you. If shift work is new to you, please take some time to research the challenges this presents to all shift workers, carefully and thoroughly, along with the effect this can have on relationships, health and domestic arrangements. Think about talking through the practicalities and realities of shift work with those closest to you.

Eligibility Criteria

• You must be aged 18 or over on the day you submit your application – no upper age limit
• You must have lived in the UK for three continuous years immediately prior to application
• Not be a current or previous member of a proscribed terrorist organisation or group.
• Not have served a prison sentence.
• It is a must that candidates have fast and accurate typing skills and ideally are familiar with the phonetic alphabet.

Why Work With Us?

We take pride in looking after our people and offer a variety of benefits:

• Starting salary of £30,897.00 plus unsocial hours shift allowance in the region of £10,486 per year, for a full time shift worker (24/7 shift pattern only).
• 25 days per year annual leave, rising to 30 days depending on your length of service (annual leave based on a 37 hour working week and 7.4 hour day)
• Ongoing training and development
• Career progression
• Contributory pension scheme (LGPS)
• Discounts for everyday spend
• On-site gyms and a range of sports clubs
• Generous and supportive parental leave
• Financial and mental well being guidance and support
• Discounted contributory healthcare scheme

Please use the following links for more information on the benefits of working with Sussex Police. Please be aware the next stage of the process will not start until this advert has closed.

Shift Patterns

We are looking to recruit for our 24/7 coverage roles: This role requires availability to commit to a rotating 32 week shift pattern, including:

• Day, evening and night shifts
• Weekends and Bank Holidays
• Team based scheduling to ensure consistent coverage

Further details regarding the 24/7 shift pattern and the unsociable hours allowance are attached to this advert.

Intakes & Training

We are looking for successful applicants to join us in January 2027, further intakes in 2027 will be available, we are unable to confirm or guarantee an intake as this is clearance dependant and on the allocation numbers required. Successful candidates will join an 11-week training course; consisting of five weeks training and six weeks tutoring where we will support and coach you to become competent in the role. The training course is full-time, Monday to Friday, working 8:00 to 16:00. Upon completing the training you will work across both 101 and 999 within our contact centre based at Sussex Police Headquarters in Lewes. Starting your career in our contact centre will provide you with a wide range of skills and experiences which will enable you to fulfil both elements of the role, within contact and control. You then have the opportunity to apply to progress into a supervisory role, or to a number of different roles across the organisation. You could become a Police Officer or a PCSO, start an investigative career or work in one of our support departments such as corporate communications or professional development. The possibilities are endless.

The role of Control and Contact Handler is tenured for 24 months, meaning that you will not be able to start a new position within Force during this time. You may however be able to apply for roles with longer recruitment time frames e.g. Police Constable.

Diversity Statement

We are only as good as our people. It's important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach, and the skills that diversity brings; all of which help us to deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all. We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of Disability Confident, hold Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status, are a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and are aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement. We are committed to being an anti-racist police service. We promise to challenge injustice, ensure fairness and to uphold anti-racist principles in both our organisation and our communities. We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status, or religious belief, we would love to hear from you.

Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly. You may wish to consider adding noreply@policejobssurreyandsussex.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.

Location Sussex Police Headquarters, Lewes