What does it take to work for the British Transport Police?

Do you want to do something that makes a difference? workingmums.co.uk’s second Careers Week webinar outlined what it takes to become a Police Community Support Officer [PCSO] or a Police Officer with the British Transport Police.

BTP is a police force that is dedicated to maintaining safety and security and protecting the travelling public on the transport network in England, Scotland and Wales. In the webinar, Joe Mills, Team Leader Officer Recruitment, outlined BTP’s values. The organisation puts diversity, equity and inclusion front and centre and has a goal of being the world’s leading police force. It also places a high value on continuous learning and teamwork.

BTP was the first UK police force to proactively recruit part-time officers. Flexible working is offered from day one, subject to review. Mills said the chief constable is a mum who is very passionate about getting more women into the force and in making it a modern and inclusive workplace. There is, for instance, a maternity leave policy of six months on full pay followed by six months on the statutory rate and phased returns as well as a maternity buddy scheme.

What skills do you need?

PCSOs have to have excellent communication skills as the role is public-facing and involves community engagement, for instance, going into schools, and good customer service skills. Police officers also need communication skills, critical thinking as they can be making decisions under pressure and may have to calm potential conflict situations, and empathy. Many people come in as PCSOs and then become police officers.  Similarly, some people come into the force through volunteering as special constables, which involves 10 weekends of training. Specials work 16 hours a month, usually alongside a full-time job and it is a good way of testing if you want to be a police officer and a way to harness your skills and confidence.

Full training for new police officer and PCSO recruits is offered at the BTP’s learning and development centre. This is 18 weeks full time and part-time options are available. Eight weeks are at the BTP’s headquarters in Islington and four weeks in the area where you are working. A third of the training can be done online from home. There are also mentoring and coaching schemes.

There is a lot of support through the application process with workshops and Q & A sessions with recruiters where you can find out more. The assessment process involves online assessments, with workshops offering tips on what the assessment process is looking for.  In the second stage assessment candidates are required to pass a fitness test, but you are allowed three attempts. After you receive a conditional offer of employment, you will be vetted.

Katie Beech, Student Officer Resourcing Advisor, said the force has a real family feel. Candidates come from every walk of life and the application process is open to everyone.

*To find out more go to the BTP’s careers page where it has blogs by officers and lists all roles, including HR, finance and other administrative and safeguarding roles. Also check out BTP’s jobs on workingmums.co.uk. Read our interview with two part-time BTP officers here.

**The video of the BTP webinar is posted on our Careers Week page. The Week continues until Friday with upcoming sessions including one with Codebar, a charity that facilitates the growth of a diverse tech community, and another with Realise about careers in early years education. There are also sessions with Tech Pixies founder, Joy Foster, and a discussion of the implications of AI for work.

Other live sessions that ran yesterday include a webinar with BAE Systems and another with AWE. BAE Systems spoke about its commitment to diversity and flexible working. It recently won the Private Sector Menopause Friendly Employer of the Year award at the Menopause-Friendly Employer Awards for its menopause support. Employees have a working passport which enables them to have conversations with new line managers about their needs, from caring to neurodiversity, should they move position within the organisation. AWE said it was 100% committed to flexible working wherever and whenever possible. It offers a nine-day fortnight and a range of family friendly policies, including a generous parental leave policy.

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