Sick pay
Fire-fighters are entitled to a full pay for six month as long as their is a good chance they will return.
Hours of duty
This is the pay and benefits available to police officers
Hours of work
The normal working week is 40 hours on shift basis. Shift patterns vary between forces. All ranks below superintendent are entitled to two rest days a week. If they are asked to work any of their two days then they would get it back in compensation. They are also entitled to leave or compensations in lieu of public holidays.
Part-time working
Police officers of all ranks may be able to work part-time. As a general rule, the same terms and conditions should apply to part-time as they apply to full time officers, where appropriate on a pro rota basis.
Overtime
Overtime is subject to operational requirements. Part-time officers who work additional hours are paid at plan time rates for the extra hours worked. Part-time officers only qualify for enhanced rates when the hours worked are in excess of 40 hours a week. Casual overtime for constables and sergeants is paid at time plus a third. Casual overtime is overtime worked at the end of a shift which was not notified or rostered. In these circumstances, the first 30 minutes of overtime is not paid unless more than four such periods have been worked during any seven-day period.
Rest day working - where more than 15 days notice of the requirement to work on a rest day is given, then another rest day will be granted in lieu. Where less than 15 days notice is given, an allowance at time and a half is payable, and where less than eight days notice is given, compensation is paid at double time. From 1 April 2003, the trigger point for the higher compensation will change to less than five days notice.
Public holiday working - where less than eight days notice is received of the requirement to work a public holiday, an allowance at double time and a day off is received. Where eight days or more notice is received, double time is payable. Alternatively, officers can choose to have time off in lieu of payment.
Accommodation and Postings
All officers are required to perform duties at any location within the force area. No undertaking can be given to post anyone close to home or to a selected district either on appointment or in service. Officers must find their own accommodation, with the place of residence subject to the approval of the chief officer.
Disqualification for Appointment
Officers must at all times follow the Code of Conduct and avoid behaviour likely to discredit the police service or interfere with the impartial discharge of their duties. Officers must not take any active part in politics.
Officers must promptly settle all debts and honour their financial commitments. Failure to discharge debts must be reported to the chief officer.
You will not normally be eligible for appointment as a police officer if you have a business incompatible with being a member of the police force. A business interest is when:
∙ You hold any office or employment for hire or gain (other than as a police officer) or you carry on any business.
∙ Your spouse or any other relative living with you keeps a shop or similar in the area of the police force in question
∙ You, your spouse or any relative living with you holds or has a financial interest in any license or permit relating to liquor licensing, refreshment houses or betting and gaming or the regulation of places of entertainment in the area of the police force in question.
∙ The chief officer will assess each case individually.
Requirements on Appointment
Officers are required to have their fingerprints taken and a record kept for elimination purposes.
New recruits are required to provide a DNA sample, which will be retained on a separate database for elimination purposes only.
Probation
Constables are on probation for two years. This may be extended in certain circumstances at the discretion of the chief officer. During this period your services may be dispensed with at any time if the chief officer considers you are unable to perform the duties of a constable effectively, or if you misconduct yourself. In such circumstances you would be entitled to one month’s notice or a month’s pay in lieu and the return of your pension contributions (if appropriate). For part-time constables, the period of probation will be a minimum of two years, extended on a pro rata basis according to the average hours worked per week.
Promotion
Currently all appointments to higher ranks are filled from within the police service. Candidates must pass examinations to qualify for promotion to the ranks of sergeant and inspector. The qualifying examination for the rank of sergeant can be taken on completion of probation. Promotion to ranks above inspector is on the basis of selection only - there are no qualifying examinations.
Annual Leave
All ranks are entitled to periods of annual leave on full pay. In your first five years of service, including your probationary period, you will receive 22 days annual leave per year, which will increase the longer you are in service.
Part-time officers are entitled to the same number of days annual leave as full-time officers with the same amount of service, but the time credited will be on a pro rata basis.
Maternity Leave; Maternity Support Leave; Adoption Leave and Career Breaks
Women officers are entitled to maternity leave. This can be for the whole (or part/s) of the period between six months before and nine months after the expected date of birth.
Women officers are entitled to three months paid maternity leave, if they have served continuously for a year or more by the start of the 11th week before the expected birth date and are still pregnant or have given birth 15 weeks before the expected birth date.
All officers have the right to return to work following maternity leave. The police service is committed to enabling and supporting individuals who request work on a reduced hour’s basis, either part-time or job sharing. The opportunity to return to part-time or job share work may also be available therefore.
Officers are entitled to 2 weeks maternity support leave, the first of which will be on full pay, if they are the Childs father or the partner, or the nominated carer of an expectant mother at the time of birth. Officers who have 26 weeks continuous service at the 14th week before the expected week of confinement will be entitled to be paid for the second week at statutory paternity pay rate.
Adoptive parents will be allowed 2 weeks adoption support leave, the first of which will be on full pay, at or around the time of adoption. Officers, who have 26 weeks continuous service at the notification week, will be entitled to be paid for the second week at statutory paternity pay rate.
Police officers who have completed their probationary period may apply for a career break up to a maximum of five years to enable them to carry out, for example, caring responsibilities. Approval is a matter for the chief officer, taking into consideration matters such as health, attendance and conduct.
Sick Leave
Officers receive full pay during the first six months of any absence due to sickness or injury with entitlement to half pay for a further six months.
Occupational Health
A wide range of professional support and advice is available on health, welfare and safety issues.
Fitness
Officers will be regularly tested during probation and are required to maintain their levels of fitness during their service. Failure to pass the fitness test may lead to your discharge.
Uniform and Equipment
Uniform and equipment are provided free by the Police Authority. When leaving the force, the officer returns them to the Police Authority.
Membership of Trade Unions
On appointment, a constable becomes a member of the Police Federation. Police officers may not join a Trade Union, but existing members joining the police service may, with the consent of the chief officer, remain members of that Union.
Retirement and Resignation
Constables and sergeants normally retire after 30 years service, or on reaching the age of 55. The chief officer has discretion to extend the compulsory retirement age by up to five years. The compulsory retirement age differs for higher ranks. Officers may also retire with immediate pension if they have over 25 years of service and are above the age of 50.
Officers may resign or, where appropriate, retire before reaching the compulsory retirement age having given one month’s notice in writing or shorter notice as agreed by the Police Authority.
Allowances
Officers in some forces receive additional allowances to complement their salary. You should refer to the force brochure or contact your local recruitment office for more information
Pay
Police pay is reviewed every year. This is the figure for 2003/2004
Constable’s pay
Completed years of service in rank
Completed years of service in rank Annual salary
Sergeant’s pay
Completed year of service in rank Annual salary
- A list
- Fire man/woman
- Army
- Navy
- Lollypop person
For each of these you would have to fill in an application form which would help the interviewer know a bit about you.
The positive things about working in public services
- High pay
- Good holidays
- Getting to know people every day
- Getting sick pay
- Good experience
- Helping the public
- Building your self esteem
- Maternity and paternity pay
Whether you are a Police Officer or a Fire fighter you are putting your life on the line every day. You would be working with the public which would make you feel like you are doing something for society and that people rely on you. The pay for public service workers is very good. The Joining pay for a Police Constable is £18,500 and then it increases. A Fire fighter gets £15,831 on entry to the Fire service.
The Ambulance service
The ambulance service deals with emergencies and urgent cases as well as discharges, admissions and transfers. Ambulance crews comprise of Ambulance Technicians and paramedics. The Vehicles are designed to provide a clinical work place with the maximum ability. The Ambulance crews are highly trained in pre Hospital emergency care ranging from crash injuries to cardiac arrests. The work of Technicians and Paramedics is strenuous because they rarely know in advance the severity of the emergency they are being called to attend. This can range from minor injuries to a road accident involving seriously injured casualties.
Paramedics also deal with no emergency work such as:
- Out patients
- Disablement service centre patients
- Routine admissions and discharges
- Non urgent inter Hospital transfers
- Those unable to attend for other means
Task 3
Investigate the application process for a given public service
A public service is a service which is available to the public for free which is founded by the government.
Police stations in England and Wales have the same application process with slight variations depending on where they live. This is the current application process.
Stage 1: receipt of application
Stage 2: paper sift selection of best candidates based on eligibility and evidence provided on the application form
Stage3: Written and physical examination process
Stage4: one day assessment
Stage 5: reference checking
Stage6: two day extended assessment
Stage7: Medical examination and uniform fitting
Stage 8: formal acceptance (issuing of joining instructions)
Stage 1
This is the stage when you write or telephone the prospected police station for an application and any other information about the job. Here is an example of a letter that has been sent.
13 Kennel Road
Dogley
West Yorkshire
Pk9 90k
12 October 2003
Recruitment
Essex police
Springfield
Chelmsford
Essex CM2 6DA
Dear Sir or Madam
Request for application form (police constable)
Could you please send me an application form and any other information relation to the vacancies for police constable which you advertised in the Chelmsford Echo on the 11 October 2003.
Yours faithfully
B Eagle
Some forces require a preliminary application form before they are given the full application form. Some of the questions which would be in the from are:
- What you are applying for
- Surname
- Forename
- Address
- Telephone
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation
- Conviction/Cautions
- Summons/Court action for
- Illness/Disability/injury
- Previous application to this or any other force
- Ethnic origin ‘for purpose of monitoring only’
Whether or not you sent a letter or phoned your local police station you should receive your full application form within a week. It is very important that you fill in the application from to the best of your ability otherwise the police would reject it. You would have to send it in before the closing date because they would reject it automatically.
Stage 2
In this stage the police recruitment look more closely at your application form to see if there is anything they did not live. If the form is scruffy and written badly or if it appears to be written badly or if it appears to be written by someone else like your tutor. If your autobiography is boring then your form would land straight in the bin. They would particularly look at your criminal convictions. This would not necessarily disqualify your application but you have to be honest as they are able to find out. You must be a British citizen or a commonwealth citizen with rights of residence in the UK or a citizen of the Irish republic.
Stage 3
The written examination id often called PRIT (police initial recruitment test) this is a pencil and paper test where you sit down under examination conditions in a room. The test consist of five sections
The police initial recruitment test is not publicly available but examples are available for applicants so they know
Stage 6
Two day extended assessment
This is a residential assessment where you will be kept under lengthy observation. You may do some tests like in stage 4. Their also would be other tests like attitudes, relationships with others, beliefs and treatment. The police would look to see whether you are a leader or a follower. Whether you relate easily to people from different backgrounds.
Stage 7
Medical examination
The police like many other public services require a medical examination as part of the entry requirements. If you fail this, then you would not be able to join the police force. The examination would be given to those who are being strongly considered for the job. Having passed the medical examination you would be fitted with your uniform.
This is a list of Police partners:
Home office
Police associations and federations
Of jobs in the uniformed public services
- Police Officer
- Military Police
- Mid wife
- Nurse
Judge Police Authorities
Scotland
National services
Task 4
Investigate the entry requirements and opportunities for career development within a given public service
Entry requirements for the fire service
- Be aged over 18
- Have a good level of all round fitness
- Take both general written and practical tests
- Satisfy a criminal record check
Eyesight standards
- Use of aids to vision are possible at the recruit stage
- Corrected vision acuity should be 6/9 binocularly, and a minimum of 6/10 in the worst eye
-
The minimum uncorrected vision for recruits should be 6/18 in the better eye and 6/24 in the worse for both Whole time and Retained applicants.
-
An upper hypermetropic limit of +3.00 should be retained
-
Testing for myopic corrections is no longer required
Essential Factors
-
Must satisfy physical requirements of an Operational Fire-fighter, as defined by the Home Office Regulations
-
Successful completion of the Recruit Fire Service course
Desirable Factors
-
Ability to deal with the general public
-
GCSE standard of education
-
Practical trade with certificate
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE (Level and type of reasoning ability)
-
Should be a good communicator; self-motivated with ability to think for oneself.
-
Average level of intelligence required due to the nature of the varied work expected of a Fire-fighter
SPECIAL APTITUDES (Features specifically related to the post)
Essential Factors
-
Prepared to take responsibility
-
Experience of working with people
-
Promote and maintain a desire to learn
-
Be able to control actions of others
-
Must be aware of danger and react responsively
Desirable Factors
-
Medical/First-Aid skills
-
Ability to learn, absorb and retain theoretical, technical and practical knowledge
INTERESTS (Which might be job related)
Entry requirements for the Police Service
Age
You must be 18½ or above. We do not accept applications from anyone younger. There is no upper age limit, although constables and sergeants have to retire at 55.
Eyesight
In a Snellen's Test your eyesight must not be less than 6/24 in each eye. If you wear spectacles or contact lenses your distance vision must be correctable to a standard of 6/6 in one eye, 6/12 in the other and 6/6 binocularly. Candidates, who cannot distinguish principal colours, have only one eye or suffer from a squint or other morbid condition of the eye or lids will NOT be accepted. Any form of corrective laser or refractive surgery is not acceptable.
Health
This is assessed by Medical Questionnaire/General Practitioner's Report.
A medical examination is undertaken at a later stage though in certain circumstances you may be invited to one as a result of your completed forms.
Height
There are no height restrictions.
Nationality
Candidates must be British citizens, citizens of the Irish Republic, or Commonwealth citizens whose stay in the UK is not restricted.
Intellect
Formal qualifications are unnecessary but good English and mathematical skills are required. These are assessed in the Police Initial Recruitment Test that examines, in particular:
- Vocabulary, spelling and grammar;
- The degree of accuracy to recognise alterations and discrepancies in information;
- Basic practical every day mathematical skills;
- Verbal logical reasoning;
- Observation skills;
- Must demonstrate sufficient intellect to indicate that probationer training could be successfully undertaken.
Personal Physical Make-up
Police officers must have high personal standards including integrity and honesty.
A smart appearance and physical fitness are important.
High Potential Development Scheme
The High Potential Development Scheme (HPDS) is a structured career framework, which can lead to the most senior positions in the service. It aims to turn your potential into performance, whether as a highly effective middle manager in command and leadership roles, or beyond at the strategic leadership level of the police service.
The scheme is a competency based career development programme, which enables development at your own pace. Your personal, professional and academic development will be supported by your force career development officer, a coach/mentor, a Home Office Field Manager and a personal tutor.
Selection Procedures for the HPD Scheme
The selection procedure for the scheme is demanding: the key is preparation. All applicants for the police service, including those applying for the scheme, must pass the standard entry selection procedures. Promotion
