West Midlands Police will open its recruitment process for 800 new officers on November 21.
Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson announced plans in August to recruit 800 PCs over the next three years and more than 10,000 people have already registered their interest.
West Midlands Police will be accepting applications from people keen to join the force’s ranks by becoming a constable with the second largest force in the country. The force offers a wide range of specialist careers for officers, with new PCs able to progress over time to join the ranks of departments such as Motorway Police or Force Traffic − being trained to stage pursuits and stop dangerous drivers − or Investigations, where officers turn detective and track down those responsible for some of the region’s most serious crimes.
This week, a series of billboards appeared in key locations around the West Midlands encouraging people to consider a police career.
PCC David Jamieson said: “I want people from all backgrounds to apply to be a police officer to make the force look more like the communities it serves.
“We need to make sure that people from all communities apply to join the police to make sure we are harnessing the talents of all the people in the West Midlands.
“As we recruit 800 new police officers I am determined to make the force look more like the communities it serves.”
Chief Constable Dave Thompson added: “It is great news that we will soon be welcoming a new group of recruits into West Midlands Police, which will help us to provide an even better service by bringing fresh ideas into our workforce, directly from the communities we serve.
“It is important that we, as a police force, are representative of the people we serve and, in real terms, that means we need more people from some of our ethnic communities to make an application to join us.
“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. Our officers are key to delivering our vision of preventing crime, while protecting the public and helping those in need. Whether it’s responding to an emergency or working with local groups to help create a vibrant and caring community, our officers and staff will be the front line in inspiring confidence and really making a difference to people’s lives.
“The area we police is richly diverse, with around 30 per cent of local people coming from ethnic minority backgrounds. We want our force to reflect that and it is key that communities know that we have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“We have already made significant steps on recruitment. BME officers now make up nearly a third of our current recruits and we are hopeful that the next phase of recruitment builds on this so that West Midlands Police is representative of the many different cultures it serves.”
• West Midlands Police is the second largest police force in England and is currently undergoing a significant programme aimed at modernising the service. It covers 348 square miles and serves a population of almost 2.8 million, responding to more than 2,000 calls for help daily.
• WMP2020 is the programme of change which will radically overhaul all aspects of policing in the West Midlands. From the way in which the public contact the force to how it responds, investigates and prevents re-offending, this ambitious programme of work will modernise all aspects of the force, with people and technology at its heart. Never before has West Midlands Police undergone such a major review.
• Successful police applicants will need to complete two years as a probationary officer, following this, they may choose to develop their career by working their way up the ranks or specialising in a particular area of policing.
• Police Officer 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.
• Officer applicants are not required to have a Certificate in Knowledge of Policing.
• Staff vacancies can be found here: http://jobs.west-midlands.police.uk/
• Click here for more information or to register your interest in becoming a police officer with West Midlands Police. Applications will open on 21 November.
