Firearms Officer Transferee (Constable) in Birmingham

Are you an experienced Armed Response Vehicle Officer currently serving, or have previously served in a Home Office Force? Are you looking for greater opportunities to apply your specialist firearms training and take on a new challenge? We are interested in hearing from experienced Armed Response Vehicle Officers, Specialist Firearms Officers, and Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers, who are motivated to utilise their skills in a dynamic and rewarding environment.

We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and hard-working individuals to join our team where in return, we can offer you the opportunity to use and develop the skills you have been trained in. You will be joining a fair and inclusive team, based near Birmingham City Centre, where we serve in one of Europe’s most diverse and challenging policing environments. West Midlands Police Firearms Operations Unit is structured with Armed Response Vehicle Teams working a 24/7 shift pattern, Tactical Firearms Team and a nationally accredited training department. West Midlands firearms officers undertake a large volume of both spontaneous and pre-planned armed deployments each year, and as such are one of the busiest Firearms units in the country. This is not a dual role function but firearms officers are tasked to support force tactical priorities including the targeting of Serious Organised Criminality and volume crime.

There are a number of developmental and career progression opportunities within the department, to include:

• Firearms Tactical Advisor
• Operational Firearms Commander
• National Firearms Instructor
• Close Protection Officer

As part of the national armed policing network, we offer a pathway towards Specialist Firearms Officer (SFO) and Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officer (CTSFO). SFO and CTSFO roles currently attract a targeted variable payment in support of recruitment and retention - this can be varied or removed at the discretion of the Chief Constable.

Recruitment Process

• Application form
• Career discussion
• Firearms medical health and assessment screening
• Fitness test
• Qualification shoot (Tues 7th April & Mon 13th April)
• Vetting and pre-employment checks
• Final offer
• After transfer, a WMP conversion course (role dependent)

Eligibility Criteria

• Be a serving (or have served) with a Home Office Force;
• Be an Armed Response Vehicle Officer, Specialist Firearms Officer or a CT Specialist Firearms Officer or trained to the National ARV Role Profile Standard in-line with the current National Police Firearms Training Curriculum;
• Be able to pass the 15-metre JRFT to bleep level 9.4 to 10.5, dependent on role profile;
• Be able to provide a fully auditable training record;
• Be able to pass the necessary vetting and medical health and assessment screening;
• Have no outstanding discipline or integrity issues.

Prospective officers and staff must be held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability than members of the public, therefore their right to privacy can be fettered in certain circumstances. This is to ensure that members of the police are fully aware and accountable for the unique powers entrusted to them and the standards of professional behaviour they swear to uphold.

Additional Information

CBRN is now part of the role profile for ARV officers, as such all officers not subject to Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) or reasonable adjustments must be clean-shaven when on operational ARV duties. Examples of EQIA protected characteristics include:

• Religion or Belief: The complete removal of facial hair may be incompatible with certain religious beliefs and observance of that faith. The wearing of religious headwear may not be possible with CBRN PPE, and therefore a requirement to wear CBRN PPE may be incompatible with observance of certain religions or faith.
• Disability and medical reason: Where a medical condition may affect an officer’s ability to comply with the clean-shaven requirement, considerations will be given to exemptions supported by appropriate Occupational Health evidence. As being clean-shaven is an operational necessity for the effective use of CBRN PPE, exemptions will only be approved in exceptional and fully evidenced circumstances.

Vetting: Successful applicants will be required to pass Management Vetting and Counter Terrorism Clearance for ARV officers and Security Clearance scrutiny for SFO/CTSFO prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.

Medical: Appointment to this role will be dependent upon successfully medical checks, which may include a drugs test and if required a fitness test.

Contacts

• Chief Inspector Sinead Sweeney: sinead.sweeney@westmidlands.police.uk
• Inspector Phil Panter: phil.panter@westmidlands.police.uk

If you would like to discuss the Transferee process, your eligibility, or require any support with your application, please contact the Transferee Team at joinWMP@westmidlands.police.uk.

Benefits

By choosing to join West Midlands Police, you will receive an enhanced benefits package including:

• Fair remuneration, with progression opportunities and access to a very competitive pension scheme
• Enhanced annual leave in addition to public holiday entitlements.
• Discounts across travel, parking, daily costs of living and leisure activities.
• A comprehensive wellbeing package including 24/7 support, free eye tests and flu jabs.

West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions. As part of our commitment we operate a 'Disability Confident Interview Scheme' - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.

Diversity and Inclusion Vision: Maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness and inclusion to deliver the best service for our communities.