Contact Officer (Initial Contact) January 2026 in Bradford

Salary: £27,204 rising incrementally to £29,859 per annum over four years. In addition, 20% shift allowance and 13.45% weekend enhancements (as applicable).

Location: Contact Management Centre, Operational Support • Laburnum Road, Wakefield and Dudley Hill, Bradford

Are you looking for a role that’s challenging, rewarding, and meaningful? As an Initial Contact Officer for West Yorkshire Police, you will be the first point of contact for members of the public calling 999 or 101 or using our webchat service. Could you be the calm voice people rely on in an emergency?

Overview: A police staff role within our Contact Management Centre is an excellent way to gain experience and develop into other roles within our organisation. It also provides the minimum academic qualification required to apply for the Police Constable Apprenticeship Programme. Due to the level of training and time we will invest in you, we require a two year tenure in the role before moving on to different opportunities.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the first point of contact for members of the public contacting the police via emergency and non-emergency channels.
• Handle a wide range of calls, from serious and high risk incidents to non-urgent matters such as parking or antisocial behaviour.
• Calmly support victims and vulnerable callers, providing reassurance, guidance, and clear advice.
• Ask the right questions to accurately assess risk, gather essential information, and prioritise incidents appropriately.
• Record, assess, and cross-reference information using multiple IT systems to ensure accurate and timely policing responses.
• Make effective decisions under pressure in a fast paced and challenging operational environment.
• Maintain a professional, empathetic, and composed manner, particularly when dealing with distressed or emotional callers.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and through written incident logs.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and operational teams to support an effective policing response.

Expectations:

• Complete 8 weeks of classroom based learning, delivered Monday to Friday, where you will build the core knowledge required for call handling.
• Progress to 8 weeks in a development hub, applying your learning in a live environment while working your allocated shift pattern.
• Demonstrate commitment and reliability throughout the full training period, regardless of whether you are working full time or in a job share arrangement.
• Actively participate in learning, assessments, and development activities to meet the required standards before moving into a fully operational role.
• Show a willingness to adapt to structured learning environments and operational shift patterns as part of your development.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.
• Gain a nationally recognised qualification through our Earn and Learn programme.
• Generous local government pension scheme.
• Ongoing mentoring and coaching schemes.
• Staff events supporting continuous personal development.
• Employee assistance service.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Sports and social clubs with discounted event tickets.
• Access to the national Highstreet Blue Light discount scheme.

Our Earn and Learn programme offers you the opportunity to complete a nationally recognised qualification in the workplace alongside earning a wage. During your working hours, you will be given time to complete the Emergency Service Contact Handling Level 3 Qualification (equivalent to A levels) and will receive support and guidance from our dedicated People Development Team, mentors, and supervisors.

Essential Criteria:

• Age 18 at the time of joining.
• Hold pass grades in both Maths and English at Level 2 / GCSEs (grades 9–4 or A–C) to progress to your endpoint assessment. If you do not already hold these qualifications, West Yorkshire Police will support you to achieve Level 2 Functional Skills (equivalent to GCSE) in Maths and/or English during your training.

How to Apply: We strongly encourage anyone interested in this role to attend one of our Initial Contact Information Sessions. These sessions are designed to support you by giving a clear and honest insight into life in a West Yorkshire Police Contact Centre, the role of an Initial Contact Officer, and what you can expect from our recruitment process. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about training, shift patterns, and role expectations, helping you decide if this is the right role for you. Closing date for applications is 9th February 2026. Our next Information Session is being held on Saturday 31st January in Wakefield. If you would like to attend, please follow this link; Initial Contact Officer Information Session – Fill in form. The form will close on Friday 30 January 2026 at 7am.

The post is suitable for job share.

Additional Information: Any shift enhancements/weekend allowances are based on the published Force pattern any deviations from this could mean the enhancements/allowances may differ or not apply, for full details refer to staff Terms & Conditions. West Yorkshire Police is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the diverse communities we serve. We therefore encourage applications from female officers, all minority groups and individuals who identify with one or more of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Applications are also welcome from those who have gained transferable skills and experience outside of Operational Support. Applicants should be aware that it is not always possible to carry out adequate vetting checks on persons who have not been resident within the UK for the last three years. Therefore, where this applies, applicants may be refused because it was not possible to vet them to the appropriate standard.