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Vacancy Information

This role is within a unit where Surrey Police and Sussex Police work in collaboration, whilst continuing to be two separate legal entities/employers with different terms and conditions.

Both Surrey Police staff and Sussex Police staff are employed in this unit on their own force terms and conditions.

Successful candidates may be appointed on the terms and conditions of employment of either Surrey Police or Sussex Police, depending on organisational requirements. A discussion will be held with the successful candidate to confirm the details of location, salary, allowance and hours.

Division / Department - Regional Collaboration
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Grade - Surrey Police Grade G / Sussex Police Grade 10
Salary Grade Range - Surrey Police £30,486 - £36,026 / Sussex Police £30,375 - £33,348
Politically Restricted - 
Unsocial Hours Allowance - 
Location - Surrey Police Headquarters, Guildford

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

Through classroom lectures, presentations and hands on dog training your role will be training and assessing the suitability of both Police Dogs and Handlers whilst training personnel in all aspects of GP dog handling to meet National Standards.

Working alongside internal and external agencies you will be required to instruct students in a wide spectrum of Police issues including continuation training and on occasions initial and refresher, general purpose dog training.

It is essential the post holder holds the following instructor certificate:-
NPCC General Purpose Dog Instructors Certificate.

Key Responsibilities

  • Instruct students (police and other organisations) attending continuation training and both initial and refresher dog courses in General Purpose, including classroom lectures and presentations, and ‘hands on’ dog training within the dogs expected work environment.
  • Teach students the recognised search systems currently employed by all UK police dog sections. To keep students abreast of the changes in demands to meet standards for NPCC dog instruction.
  • Train and assess the suitability of both dogs and handlers and pass and fail as necessary. This is to include visiting other sites, outside of the Dog School, to carry out these assessments.
  • Maintain a register of all venues of use by course, students, and dogs, and where necessary increase the number in order to ensure the variety and scope of dog training.
  • Prepare full written reports on students attending the dog school.
  • Take into his/her home address dogs purchased or offered as potential police dogs in order to assess their viability for the task. If suitable to care and train the dog in order to hand it over to a suitable student.
  • Keep abreast of current legislation appertaining to the carriage, keeping and use of substances used in dog training.
  • Be responsible for the care of training equipment.

  • To carry out any other tasks relating to the role of Police Dog Instructor, as requested by the Dog School Senior Instructor or Dog Section Inspector/Dog School Manager.

Skills & Experience

  • The ACPO / NPCC General Purpose Dog Instructor course certificate and has experience in the training and deployment of general purpose search dogs.
  • A flexible approach, and be prepared to work long and unsociable hours if required.
  • Ability to work effectively as a team member and make positive contributions to activities within a team environment.
  • An enquiring mind and a high level of interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
  • A methodical approach to work with the ability to assimilate, retain and apply all info and provide effective responses.
  • The ability to work to a high professional standard with little or no immediate supervision.
  • The ability to operate computer based systems and/or the willingness to undertake training to become proficient in Surrey Police and Sussex systems.
  • To have respect for race and diversity by having an awareness of equality and diversity issues in the working environment
  • Hold a clean full UK driving license and be able to pass a Police authorisation course to drive the class of vehicles used by the Dog School
  • The ACPO / NPCC General Purpose course Certificate and have been recently working or training a GP dog to NPCC standards.

Further Information

Please note that the selection process will consist of a paper selection followed by a formal interview with the Senior Dog Instructor and the Operational Dog Inspector/Dog School Manager Operations Command.

Please note that the additional dog handler allowance is subject to review and can be withdrawn at any point.

For further information please contact Geoff.Wiltshire@surrey.police.uk

The Advert to go live today for INTERNAL & EXTERNAL with both Surrey and Sussex Police.

The closing date for applications is Noon on 19th May 2022.

Interviews will take place on Tuesday 24th May 2022 at the Dog School Mount Browne.

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.

Surrey Police and Sussex Police work together in collaboration for this role, however they remain two different employers, with differing pay scales, allowances and terms and conditions including hours of employment.

If you are an internal candidate and 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. If you are successful in your application, you may be required to resign and transfer your employment, taking on the Terms & Conditions and pay scales of the Lead Force (if this is not your existing Home Force).

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.

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.

Diversity Statement

We are only as good as our people. It's really important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach and skills that diversity brings; all of which help us deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.

We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and Disability Confident, a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.

We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.