About the job

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Police Community Support Officers (or PCSOs) are a vital part of the police frontline.

They have particular designated powers, but (unlike Police Officers) they do not have the power of arrest.

As a PCSO you work in the community and carry out a wide range of duties to support our mission of keeping people safe.

People join the police as a PCSO because they want to help people. It’s a hands-on job where no two days are the same. You’ll face new challenges all the time, but you’ll also end each day knowing that you’ve made a positive difference to someone’s life or to a community.

For many people, being a PCSO is a “destination career”, and they stay in the role, becoming experts in their area, with a wide network of local contacts. Others use their experience as a PCSO as a stepping-stone to a career as a Police Officer.

As a PCSO, you will:

Wear a uniform and work 37 hours a week, in eight hour shifts
Go out on patrol in your area, to provide support and reassurance in the community
Take action to tackle problems (such as disorder and anti-social behaviour) that affect people’s quality of life
Be a point of contact for people in the community, using your communication skills to build strong, positive relationships between different groups, individuals and the police
Work on crime prevention initiatives, and give advice and support to victims of crime and vulnerable people
Be deployed on incidents and give on-the-ground support to investigations
Gather intelligence about what is happening locally

To become a PCSO you must be aged 18 or over, entitled to work in this country, and have been a resident in the UK for the past three years. When we recruit PCSOs, we’re looking for personal qualities rather than qualifications, so here’s what you’ll need to succeed:

Great communication skills: you need to be able to get along with people from all walks of life, listen carefully and communicate clearly and persuasively
The ability to work on your own initiative, and as part of a team, with minimal supervision
Level-headedness: you’ll be able to keep calm and think rationally even in stressful situations
Problem-solving skills
Literacy, numeracy and IT skills, as you will have to use a radio and computer equipment, complete reports and read written briefings
Personal resilience and a positive attitude - policing can be emotionally challenging
A good level of physical fitness as you’ll need to pass a medical and fitness test to join, and you’ll be out on patrol as part of the job
A genuine desire to serve the public, and give your best to help other people

Eligiblity:

You must be aged 17 or over at the point of application and must be 18 by the time you are appointed
A British Citizen, an EC / EEA national or a commonwealth citizen, or a foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the UK
Have had a minimum of three years continuous residency in the UK, with less than 12 months spend abroad in the last three years (with some exceptions for those living on a UK military base)
Pass our Fitness Test, reaching level 5.4 on a 15 metre shuttle run (bleep test)
You must posses a Level 2 Qualification in Maths and English Language (equivalent to GCSE grade A-C or Level 4 or above)
You must also possess a Level 3 qualification within the meaning of Section 3 of the Education and Skills Act

Driving licence - A PCSO may be required to drive various marked police vehicles so it is imperative for them to have a full UK driving licence (or equivalent).

Disabilities - North Yorkshire Police welcomes applications from people with disabilities as defined by the Equality Act 2010. If you consider yourself to have a disability, please inform us of the type of reasonable adjustments you might need to assist you in participating in the recruitment and selection process. North Yorkshire Police will make relevant reasonable adjustments as required.

Dyslexia - You can still apply to become a PCSO if you are dyslexia. Should you require reasonable adjustments i.e. extra time during your assessment, you must submit a psychologist’s report which was undertaken when you were aged 16 or over. This must be submitted with your completed application form.

Ongoing medical conditions - You can still apply to become a PCSO if you have an ongoing medical condition. It will depend upon the nature of the medical condition. We require all applicants to pass our medical assessment to ensure you meet the BMI and health standards required. We will look at each case on its merits and take guidance from our Occupational Health Department as part of your individual medical assessment. You will also be required to provide a urine sample whilst at your appointment, which will be tested for any illegal substances.

Height restriction - There is no minimum or maximum height restriction.

PCSOs are paid employees, not volunteers as some people think.

You’ll be paid £20,115 initially, rising to £22,275 based on performance and experience
You’ll also get an allowance for shifts and weekend working
You’ll have 24 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after five years’ service, plus statutory holidays
You’ll be part of the Local Government Pension Scheme
You’ll have access to North Yorkshire Police’s employee discounts service, UpBeat, and the cycle-to-work scheme
You’ll be supported by our welfare and well-being services, and our informal staff support networks

Being a PCSO is an important and challenging job, so we make sure you have the best possible training and support to prepare you for the role, and develop your talents once you’re out on patrol.

Initial training - 10 weeks:

Our expert training team will prepare you with classroom learning, practical activities and assessments.

Neighbourhood - 10 weeks:

You’ll be posted to a neighbourhood where an experienced tutor will supervise you and provide onthe-job training.

Independent patrol:

You’re out in the community, with line management support from your Sergeant

End of probation:

After twelve months your probation period is complete, and you can apply for additional training and specialist roles.

Training location

The majority of your classroom based learning will be delivered on North Yorkshire Police premises, typically between Northallerton and York. As the Open University offer a distance learning option, you will have the opportunity to study from home or your local police station.

Working hours during training

Classroom based training will run between the hours of 09:00 – 17:00, there may be some deviations depending upon the nature of the training.

Normal working hours

PCSOs work in shift patterns, covering an average of 37 hours per week, between eight O’clock in the morning and midnight over seven days a week (but not bank holidays). An example shift pattern would be three early shifts (08:00—16:00), three late shifts (16:00—00:00) followed by three rest days.

Training period clashes with holiday

You must be available to attend for the entire training period (there will be a week’s leave scheduled for the end of your training). You will either need to re-consider your holiday plans or be allocated to a training course that you can commit to all dates.

Part-time work

During your initial training programme you will be expected to work full time. Standard working hours for a PCSO are 37 hours per week. Flexible working requests to reduce working hours will be considered on an individual case by case basis.

Workplace base

Once you have completed your training period, you will be based within one of our Neighbourhood Policing Teams. You should note that you could be based anywhere within the North Yorkshire area, however we will make every effort to accommodate individual circumstances and requirements. We will balance operational requirements with individuals circumstances.

Working on your own

Once you complete your initial training period, you will be classed as independent. Depending upon the work you are undertaking, there may often be a requirement for you to work independently.

By becoming a PCSO, it will not necessarily mean it will lead into a Police Officer role but it will provide you with invaluable operational experience that will likely assist you in any application to become a regular Police Officer.

The Situational Strengths Test (SST) enable us to assesses suitability by measuring candidates against a set of realistic scenarios. It works by judging typical reactions, feelings or behaviours against a realistic scenario-based set of questions. Responses will be mapped against the strengths required within North Yorkshire Police and the role of a PCSO, with candidates only advancing based on their fit with these success criteria.

A situational strengths test is a reliable and accurate tool that will help North Yorkshire Police select the right people, with the right strengths, to deliver successful performance. It provides candidates with a realistic job preview, encouraging self-selection, with the look and feel being aligned our culture, values, and brand.

A strengths based interview (SBI) is designed around the strengths required within an organisation and role, in this case, the role of a PCSO.

The Strengths-based Interview offers a different interview experience. It allows us to assess capability and energy in a fast-paced and less ambiguous manner. It also encourages authentic responses and allows better differentiation between low, average, and high performers.

Apply

You can apply to become a Police Community Support Officer now on our recruitment website.

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