Will recruit 450 new constables over the next two years
West Midlands Police will recruit 450 new constables over the next two years from April onwards, it has been confirmed. Potential applicants will be able to begin registering their interest by logging on to a newly launched area of the force’s website from next Monday (10 February).
The current recruitment freeze, which has been in place for five years, will end and a new application process will open as the search begins for a fresh, new and diverse group of recruits.
Police and Crime Commissioner Bob Jones said: “After nearly four years without any new officers, this is a great opportunity to infuse the force with new skills and experience and I’m sure we will get lots of excellent candidates. It is a real priority to bring in officers with the skills needed for policing over the next thirty plus years, and officers able to police our diverse and varied communities.”
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Sharon Rowe welcomed today’s news. She said: “It’s fantastic for us to be able to offer this opportunity, which will help us to provide an even better service by bringing fresh ideas into our workforce, directly from the communities we serve.
“Policing is challenging and rewarding. As a constable you’ll get to learn new skills, meet new people and you’ll never know what to expect – each day is different. As well as reducing crime, you’ll help to reduce the fear of crime by providing reassurance, inspiring confidence and really making a difference to people’s lives.”
PCC Bob Jones added: “I am also pleased to announce that we will not require candidates to have the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing at this point. The timing of the recruitment would mean it would be unfair to expect all candidates to have completed the Certificate. However, a qualification equivalent to NVQ level 3 will be required, but people without an NVQ level 3 qualification should not be put off. The recruitment will be running for two years, so there is time to get an appropriate qualification and make an application later on.
“As already agreed, the starting salary for new officers will be £21,999, well above the £19,000 recommended by the Winsor Review, which both reflects the responsibilities of the role and ensures our salary level is competitive with other forces in our region.”
TDCC Rowe added: “The area we police is richly diverse, with approximately 30 per cent of people from ethnic minority backgrounds. We have a strong commitment to equality and diversity within the organisation and in the services we provide.”
West Midlands Police is the second largest police force in the country and in the last two years has reduced crime by 20 per cent. It covers 348 square miles and serves a population of almost 2.6 million, responding to more than 2,000 emergency calls for help daily.
Successful applicants will need to complete two years as a probationary officer; following this, you may choose to develop your career by working your way up the ranks or specialising in a particular area of policing.
For further information click here and follow us on Twitter for updates @WMPolice. You will be able to register your interest from 10 February.
- Applicants must have a Level 3 qualification (e.g. A Level, AS Level, National Diploma, National Certificate, Level 3 NVQ or City and Guilds, Access to Higher Education Diploma) – check with your examining body if you are unsure of the level of any qualification you hold.
- Applicants are not required to have a Certificate in Knowledge of Policing.
- The starting salary for new police officers will be £21,999.
