PO/384/B - PC/DC - Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team - Cyber Crime Unit

Bedfordshire Police are seeking to recruit to the Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAIT). The post is open to aspiring and confirmed Detective Constables who have some recent investigation experience. This recruitment is required to fill an immediate vacancy along with a projected future vacancy. 

ICAIT is part of the Cyber Hub, based at Beds headquarters in Kempston and covers the whole county of Bedfordshire. Working as part of a mixed team of 14 officers and police staff, ICAIT officers investigate offences of making/possessing/distributing indecent images of children; causing or inciting children to commit sexual acts online and arranging or facilitating the commission of child sex offences. The team also investigates contact sexual offences against children when connected to any of the above offences.  

Safeguarding and identification of victims forms a core part of the role which entails working with partners following statutory guidance to ensure appropriate safeguards and support are in place. Experience of safeguarding investigation is therefore highly desirable.  

The successful candidate will need to be highly motivated and be able to work with minimal supervision. The base shift pattern is Monday to Friday 0800-1600 but flexibility is absolutely essential. Much of the work of the team is driven by intelligence packages provided by the National Crime Agency and Regional Organised Crime Units.  The team also takes on the intelligence supplied by Online Child Abuse Activist Groups (commonly called Vigilantes) where they have communicated with individuals online and/or accosted them in arrangements to meet posing as a child. There is a regular, weekly need to be available for early starts to execute warrants.  

The interviewing of child abuse victims is a desirable skill but not essential at this stage of the process.  An aptitude to use various computer systems and software tools to view and grade indecent images of children is also an advantage. Staff in the Cyber Hub are required to undertake a mandatory mental health assessment prior to appointment and subsequent annual welfare assessments will be scheduled.  

There is a minimum tenure period of 3 years.  

Applicants should submit a 500-word expression of interest evidencing against the entry requirements, key role responsibilities and suitability for the role. If you are shortlisted for interview you will be expected to evidence against all personal qualities and the entry requirements stipulated in the role profile.  

For further information contact DS Tanya Shotbolt on 07960 803803 or DS Katy Watts on 07720 206022.  

All applicants must complete a copy of the BCH Application Approval Form and pass this onto their Line Manager and Head of Department for sign off. This will ideally be wet signed though we will accept an audit trail of emails from your Line Manager or Head of Department if this is not achievable. 

The completed approval form needs to be returned to BCHCareers@herts.pnn.police.uk BEFORE the closing date.  Applications will not be progressed to the shortlisting stage unless the Recruitment Team has received a completed Application Approval Form. If, due to exceptional circumstances, you are unable to do so please inform the Human Resources Service Centre as this will need to be authorised. 

This force is a Disability Confident employer. Should you require any reasonable adjustments for your application process that you have not made explicit in the application, please contact the HR Service Centre on 01438 75 7777 (or the above email address) or the manager contact for this role directly. We also offer the guaranteed interview scheme; this means that all candidates with a disability covered by the Equality Act 2010, who meet the minimum entry requirements for the role, will be invited to attend an interview. 

All applications must be submitted through our online recruitment website by clicking the apply button below. 

Everyone at Bedfordshire Constabulary takes personal responsibility to help create an inclusive workplace, where police officers and staff respect one another, feel valued for their differences and can be themselves. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments, wherever needed so everyone feels welcome and can flourish. 

It is recommended that you download and store a copy of the role profile as this will no longer be available once the advert has closed.