Contact Management (999/101 Call Handler)
The role of a 999/101 Call Handler
Can you imagine the terror of being chased by someone with a knife? Being in your car on your usual daily drive, when you’re suddenly upside down in a pile of twisted metal? Or perhaps being on hand to witness a serious assault? Now imagine being on the other side. The voice of reason bringing calm to a distressed parent whose child is missing. Keeping an injured and vulnerable person on the line while you update the control room about what’s happening, reassuring your caller that help is on the way. That’s the role of a 999/101 Call Handler.
Could you be a 999/101 Call Handler?
Our call handlers are the first point of contact for more than 1,000 emergency and 2,200 non-emergency phone calls, as well as hundreds more online interactions every day. One minute you’ll be taking a calm report from someone who’s seen criminal damage to a park bench, the next you’ll have to deal with someone you can’t understand because they’re just screaming and all you can hear in the background is people fighting.
As one of the most demanding yet rewarding roles in modern policing, you’ll need to stay calm under pressure, making key decisions whilst taking information from a caller, while being resilient enough to deal with distressing calls or taking abuse from someone you are trying to help.
As part of our contact management team, you will:
- be able to remain calm while handling emergency and non-emergency calls from the public on a daily basis
- have the resilience to deal with difficult situations while making important decisions under pressure
- work a shift pattern, including early, late, and night shifts – take a look at an example shift pattern
- make key decisions and demonstrate empathy with your caller who may be in a vulnerable position
We believe it’s important that our team are supported to be the best they can be – whether that’s through developing additional skills, providing supporting when things get tough, or through discounts and benefits to enjoy with family and friends away from the office.
Here are some of the reasons you should considering joining our team:
- The starting salary for a full-time role as a call handler is £36,644.41 (inclusive of the 33.5% shift allowance)
- 24 days of annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 29 days after five years’ service
- You’ll work towards a nationally recognised Emergency Service Contact Handler Apprenticeship qualification
- There are no upper age limits to apply, we value your life skills and experience
- Limited part-time shift patters are available – for more information, please contact RecruitmentStaffCM@thamesvalley.police.uk
- Access to discount schemes, including the Blue Light Card
- Membership of a Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Find out how we could be supporting you at Thames Valley Police.
To apply for the role you’ll need to meet particular criteria:
- Be 18 or over
- Have a minimum UK residency period of three years
- Be able to type at a speed of at least 27 words per minute with 75% accuracy
- Application
- Attend an online awareness session
- Undertake an online typing test
- Interview with competency based questions and a REID test, which includes extracting information and report writing
- Provisional offer
- Vetting, references, right to work and medical checks
- Training intake start date
Initial training takes place over five weeks, running Monday to Friday during regular office hours. You’ll gain the basic crime and legal knowledge that you’ll need, and learn how to handle calls about road traffic incidents, self-harm, domestic violence, neighbourhood disputes, and even escaped cows!
There will be three full sets of shifts where you will be sat next to your tutor, followed by another set where you will be mentored, in total 24 days of comprehensive training support in the Contact Centre itself.
Even after you’ve completed this training you’ll be sat with your team and have the support of your peers and supervisor. All of this is to give you confidence in yourself and supports you over the coming year as you work towards your Level 3 Emergency Call Handler Apprenticeship.
Initial training can take place at any of our three sites – in Kidlington, Milton Keynes, or Abingdon – and you will be compensated for you additional mileage over your normal commute.
You will also have a dedicated training day every ten weeks, which may be in person or online.
We believe in investing in our people and run tailored positive action initiatives to support our colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds in their personal and professional development, ensuring everyone has a level playing field to succeed, progress, and feel fulfilled in their careers.
Our call handlers speak to people who find themselves in stressful situations, perhaps at the worst moment of their life – and while our team members need to be resilient, we always ensure that we can support our staff. Whether that’s a debrief with a supervisor, or access to an independent counselling service at any time of day or night. Full support is also available from our welfare department, or the occupational health unit.
You can learn more about the support we provide at our Supporting You webpage.
The role of a Police Contact Enquiry Officer
Police Contact Enquiry Officers play an important role as the first point of contact for members of the public visiting a police station. You will also deal with internal customers, providing a high level of customer service to all.
Could you be a Police Contact Enquiry Officer?
You’ll deal with a wide variety of people, including victims of crime and offenders. Your role will vary from offering support and reassurance to vulnerable people, to reasoning with emotional, angry and sometimes confrontational visitors.
Attention to detail is key and there will be general administration and the responsibility for dealing with the receipt and return of property.
You will need to be assertive and have the ability to remain calm and think logically in challenging situations. Sensitivity and an appreciation of confidentiality and diversity is equally important.
As a Police Contact Enquiry Officer, you will:
- be the first point of contact for all members of the of the public visiting the police station
- provide high quality customer service for external and internal customers
- handle administrative tasks
- demonstrate sensitivity, confidentiality, and an appreciation of diversity
- deal with a wide variety of people
Take a look at the reasons for joining us as a Police Contact Enquiry Officer:
- The starting salary for a full-time permanent role is £27,449 (some locations will also attract an additional shift allowance)
- 24 days of annual leave plus bank holiday, rising to 29 days after five years’ service
- Access to discount schemes, including the Blue Light Card
- Membership of a Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Find out how we could be supporting you at Thames Valley Police.
- Have a minimum UK residency period of three years
- Application
- Shortlisting
- Interview with competency based questions
- Provisional offer
- Pre-employment checks including medical and vetting
- Start date and training course
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