ERSOU ROCU - Detective Sergeant - Undercover Unit - Ref 7226

Detective Sergeant Eastern Region Undercover Unit

An exciting and challenging opportunity has arisen within the Eastern Region Undercover Unit for a Substantive Sergeant to supervise Undercover Policing based within the county of Kent.

This advert is open to officers within the region from Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. External officers are eligible to apply but if successful would be required to transfer to Bedfordshire Police.

At this time this advert is not open to Hertfordshire or Essex police officers.

Tackling serious crime sometimes requires the use of specialist officers to infiltrate criminal networks in order to make them more susceptible to the due process of law and seize assets gained from criminal activity. The safety and security surrounding such officers is a vital aspect of the tackling crime at its highest levels.

The role of Detective Sergeant on the Undercover Unit is highly specialised. The successful applicant will supervise a small team forming part of the ‘Eastern Region Special Operations Unit structure.

The unit will operate from discreet premises located in the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit area and will be responsible for managing all Undercover operations across the region. The successful applicant must be willing to travel and work away from their current force area if required to do so. There is also a requirement to be flexible around duty times and be willing to be part of the ’On Call Rota’. The role carries a requirement to travel throughout the region and the UK including overnight stays away from the area.

The use of undercover officers to purchase commodities, or infiltrate organised crime groups is a well-established and legitimate tactic in the fight against serious and organised crime. Strength of character, personal resilience and an ability to engage and relate to people are critical personal attributes required for this role.

Successful completion of the College of Policing Cover Course is pivotal to securing permanent appointment to this position. A proven understanding of a range of covert tactics, specifically undercover, is required, and experience in CHIS and UC operations will be an obvious benefit.

Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo Management Vetting and Security Clearance or Development vetting, if applicable, before taking up the post. Please be aware the Police Corporate Vetting Unit will undertake security vetting on successful candidates, their family and others that live at their home address, which will include financial checks. Due to the sensitive nature of these checks, we are not able to supply feedback should clearance be declined.

You will be expected to provide written evidence around the following competencies and the minimum entry requirements from the role profile. 

• We are emotionally aware
• We take ownership
• We are collaborative
• We are innovative and open-minded

Please note there is a 500 words limit for each competency.

The deadline for the applications is 13/01/2019. If you are shortlisted for interview you will be required to evidence against the personal qualities, and entry requirements, stipulated in the role profile.

All applicants must print off a copy of the ROCU application approval form and pass this onto their line manager and head of department for authorisation. As this is a PDF document this will need to be wet signed. We will accept an audit trail of emails from your line manager and Head of Department if a wet signature is not achievable.

The completed approval form needs to be returned to hr.ersou@ersou.pnn.police.uk as close to the closing date as possible. Application forms will not be progressed to the shortlisting stage until the recruitment team has received a completed approval form.

Kent officers will need to have their approval form signed by their 1st line manager and Chief Inspector and then sent to hr.resource.planning@kent.essex.pnn.police.uk to be authorised by Chief Officers.

For further information about the role or mileage from your home address to the working location, please contact: hr.ersou@ersou.pnn.police.uk

For more information around operations that ERSOU have carried out please go to the following web site www.ersourocu.org.uk