Police Detective

**Have you gained valuable skills from previous work or life experiences?**
**Could you communicate effectively with someone who has just been seriously assaulted, had a family member murdered or been robbed at knifepoint?**
**Could you make a positive difference to support the people of Kent?**

If you answered 'yes', then a career as a police constable through our detective programme might be the right path for you. No degree is necessary - we will provide you with the best training and support to enhance your existing skills and allow you to be the best you can be.

You will need to have strong team working skills, an eye for detail and be driven by your motivation to seek the truth and deliver justice for victims.

**Residency**
- hold a UK passport
- be a British Citizen, member of the EC or other states in the European Economic Area
- live in the UK with indefinite leave to remain in the country with no restrictions if you are a Commonwealth Citizen or foreign national

**Personal requirements**
You **must**:
**Application form**
- how you understand customer needs and provide effective support
- how you adapt your communication skills to meet the needs of different people
- how you solve complex problems and make good decisions
- how your experience or training is equivalent to a GCSE (or equivalent) in maths and has equipped you with the potential to undertake the necessary elements of the role
- how your experience or training is equivalent to a GCSE (or equivalent) in English and has equipped you with the potential to undertake the necessary elements of the role

When constructing your response, use examples from previous roles or life experience. You can use the STAR method to create your response; describe the **situation, **clarify your **task, **explain the **action** you took, list the **results**.
- **Example**_
In my current role as an engineering supervisor, I consider communication to be a really important part of leading my team. Although engineers often have their own tasks to accomplish, my management style uses regular communication and feedback to make sure everyone understands their targets. I ensure my team knows they can come to me with any questions or suggestions and I am very accessible through online chat software or on the phone. I also have daily meetings with my team so we can freely talk to each other about the day's projects and raise any questions or concerns.

Last year, one of my engineers had an idea for a new feature to one of our projects, but he needed help figuring out how it would work and how to implement it. We spent several meetings drafting ideas together and talking about the different aspects of the new feature. It took time, but our meetings and communication led to a successful new feature that we incorporated into subsequent projects.

**Training**
We will provide you with the best training and support to allow you to be the best you can be. Our two-year training programme will provide you with a blend of practical 'on-the-job' experience and classroom-based learning at our training college in Maidstone.

A mentor and detective tutor will be assigned to you to start your specialist training towards detective accreditation.

**Pay and benefits**
The job comes with pay and benefits that you can enjoy from your first day with us. You will also have job stability with varied career progression, leadership pathways and opportunities for promotion. You could work with our dog unit, become a cybercrime specialist, or keep the coastline safe with our Search and Marine Unit. Ultimately, it will be up to you to choose your path and the only limit will be your ambition.

Other benefits available include
- Police pension scheme
- Leave - including paid holiday, maternity, paternity, adoption, and parental leave
- Financial services - including savings, investments, and protection products
- Holiday Scheme
- Lottery scheme
- Local and national discounts
- Free gym and sports section

**Shifts**
For your first two years, you will be posted to a Local Policing team where you will be working a 24/7 shift pattern, on a ten-week (five-week rolling) rota.

There are a variety of shift patterns you could be working:
**Early turn**
- 7am to 3pm Sunday to Thursday
- 7am to 5pm Friday and Saturday

**Late turn**
- 12pm to 10pm Monday to Thursday
- 3pm to 1am or 5pm to 3am Friday to Sunday

**Night duty**
- 9pm to 7am Monday to Sunday

**Location**
During the recruitment process you will be asked which area in Kent you would prefer to work in. Your preference will be accommodated where we can, but this may not always be possible, and you could be posted to anywhere in the county.

**Health and fitness**
Policing is not easy. Not only do you need determination and drive, but **you also need to be healthy and have a good level of fitness.**

If you do some form of regular exercise, you should have no issue meeting the physical requirements of the job. You will be required to run