Vacancy Information
Division / Department - Specialist Crime
Grade - Grade G
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - £27,413 - £32,740
Working Hours - 36.0 Hours per Week
The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.
The Role
Ready for a change? Do you fancy putting your skills to better use? Then why not join us and play a key role in protecting vulnerable victims and bringing some of most serious offenders to justice.
Be the key to saving lives
Surrey Police has a rare opportunity for the right person to join our tight-knit team providing a 24 hour spontaneous response to guide and support operational covert policing. At times you’ll be a very critical part of the decision making process that protects vulnerable people often in situations where there is a threat to life or of serious harm.
There’s definitely two sides to this role…
One where there is really important detailed routine computer work to complete where the focus is on keeping our operations lawful. There’s plenty of flexibility in how we manage our working day around this part of the role so that work-life balance is a true experience. Then there’s the side that means you’ll be providing a fast time response (including a 24/7 call response) when you will identify opportunities through technology and covert policing tactics that mean that Surrey Police find vulnerable people whose life could be under threat. You will be called upon to provide your expertise sometimes for several hours, this is the work that is very rewarding as you will see how your advice and suggestions have contributed to saving lives. You will play a key part in adding value to operational policing and you could be responsible for providing that single vital nugget of information that gets a result.
Our perfect candidate will have a good understanding of relevant international and domestic legislation that govern our most covert tactics and will already have a working knowledge of investigative processes and how policing works. You’ll be confident in ensuring that we are not overstepping into peoples’ privacy and yet at the same time you can be creative and proactive in providing operational solutions. You will be able to ask the right questions and translate technical legislative matters into everyday language. Your attention to detail will be impressive as will your ability to process routine information. This is a role where you will be using excellent communication skills with contacts across the whole of the Force and you are going to be ready to be resilient and tactful particularly with senior officers under significant operational pressure.
If you want to be successful for this role you’ll need to be ready to learn as you will be embedded into a world of continuous professional development. Our managers will support you with training plans that are geared to individuals’ needs and you’ll be encouraged and supported to become an accredited and trusted expert
Key Responsibilities
To ensure that the force is legally compliant on all Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) issues and ensure that it lawfully acquires Communications Data by acting as a Nationally Accredited Single Point of Contact (SPoC). Quality assurance of all applications, authorisations, reviews, renewals and cancellations in relation to applications for covert surveillance and use of Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS) To act as the central point of reference across Surrey and Sussex for advice and guidance on RIPA related matters
Understand and follow the Code of Practice when receiving, scrutinising, managing, validating and quality assuring applications for communications data. To act as a gatekeeper on behalf of the police by making recommendations as an accredited SPoC between the Police and Communications Service Providers (CSPs), internet service providers and social media companies in relation to the technical and tactical production and the legal application of Communications Data in accordance with relevant legislation and international, national and local policies.
Receive, scrutinise, offer advice and manage all requests for directed surveillance authorities (DSA) ensuring reviews, renewals and cancellations are completed on time and in accordance with RIPA, Codes of Practice and Procedures and Guidance.
Oversee, scrutinise, offer advice and assist in the preparation and presentation of intrusive surveillance and property interference applications, reviews, renewals, cancellations and authorisations. Making recommendations and preparing material for the Chief Constable that require prior approval of, or notification to the Surveillance Commissioners, and to facilitate the movement of applications and authorisations to and from the Chief Constable and the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO). Applications are considered under the RIPA and Part III Police Act 1997.
Assist in the assessment and quality assurance checks making recommendations and preparing material for the Force Authorising Officer (FAO) and Chief Officers in respect of applications, reviews, renewals, cancellations and authorisations for CHIS ensuring the Human Rights principles are met in accordance with the statutory requirements of RIPA.
Fast time communication data assistance to the force control room and other departments. Provide 24-hour cover (via call out ) in accordance with the call out terms of reference and provide expert advice to Force Control Room Inspectors, Force Gold and Silver commanders dealing with incidents. Work with minimum or no supervision to provide guidance and communications data for Grade 1 incidents.
Be responsible for providing expert advice to officers of all ranks concerning tactical opportunities in relation to communications data and covert authorities. Recommend the most appropriate tactic to use for specific lines of enquiry. Attend operational briefings to discuss and direct as to the availability of data and tactics and the most appropriate method of presenting the data. Advise on the legal implications, protocols and costs of processing varying communications data
Analyse information and data secured from Communications Service Providers following the application process. Produce appropriate intelligence products to allow this data to be understood by those involved in the investigative process and to reduce a mass of data to an understandable and effective product.
Responsible for the management and recording of all Operational Partnership Team authorisations, reviews and cancellations in accordance with Prison Rules.
Maintain a ‘helpdesk’ facility to all users of the Charter authorities system to provide support, advice and guidance in its business application and use, and to resolve problems that arise.
Skills & Experience
A thorough understanding of relevant international and domestic legislation governing covert policing, Proven experience of interpreting and evaluating large quantities of quantitative data to extract salient points and develop inferences to make recommendations for policing actions.
Experience that demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills as they will be required to advise and negotiate with all ranks and departments within each Force and liaise with outside agencies, especially communications service providers and the Investigatory Powers Commissioners Office (IPCO).
Proven ability to work under pressure and for prolonged periods of time particularly when called out of hours as this will be for crimes in action and threat to life incidents. A high degree of personal resilience is required as call outs are frequent.
Able to understand and interpret urgent requests and appropriately advise and brief chief officers.
High standard of problem solving skills and an ability to convey complex information in a manner suitable and appropriate for a non-technical audience
Excellent organisational and planning skills.
Ability to operate and good knowledge in use of computerised databases and spread sheets.
Credible and capable of handling matters up to secret level
Excellent time management skills and the ability to be flexible with matters which may run outside of normal working hours
Ability to prepare a high standard of both verbal and written reports and be able to work unsupervised.
Conversant with the operation of telecommunications and computer networks.
Ability to operate and interrogate computer systems in use throughout the force.
Further Information
For any further information or for an informal discussion about the role please contact andy.clarke@surrey.pnn.police.uk or 01483 631731
This vacancy will be based at Headquarters, Guildford. Please note that in 2024 Surrey Police Headquarters is due to move to Leatherhead.
Additional Information
Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly. You may wish to consider adding noreply@surreysussexpolice.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.
This post is being advertised in parallel with Force redeployment processes. Any redeployees who are identified will be given preference. This may result in the post being withdrawn at any point during the recruitment process.
If you are an internal candidate looking to apply for this role, please ensure that you discuss your application with your line manager before submitting an application. If you are conditionally offered the role your attendance record and any reasonable adjustments already in place will be discussed with yourself and your current line manager.
Please note that not all jobs are available for internal candidates across both Forces, the current agreed recruitment principles are;
- vacancies in collaborated units are available to all officers and staff across both Forces
- vacancies in non-collaborated units are only available to officers and staff within the Force with the vacancy unless it is advertised externally. If the vacancy is advertised externally and an officer or member of staff from the other Force is success it will result in a transfer of employment.
Surrey Police and Sussex Police Special Constables, Volunteers and Agency Staff (excluding self employed workers) covered under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) are eligible to apply for internal advertised posts.
Applications will only be accepted by clicking the 'Apply Now' button. CVs are not accepted as part of our recruitment process.
Diversity Statement
We are only as good as our people. It's really important to us that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we believe that as an organisation we'll benefit from the variety of thinking, approach and skills that diversity can bring; all of which helps us to deliver a better policing service.
We have worked really hard to create a safe, open and inclusive culture. We have a range of staff networking groups to provide specific support and advice and we are proud to be members of Stonewall and Disability Confident, and to be aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.
We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities so, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.