Dorset Police today begins a recruitment drive for new police constables – the first external campaign in four years.
The campaign is expected to attract significant interest and marks the first time new police officers have been invited to join the Dorset Police team externally since September 2009.
The Force wishes to recruit an intake of 12–16 new officers in 2014/15 and has plans for a further 12–16 officers in 2015/16, dependant on Force demand. The campaign will initially launch to existing staff, before being rolled out to the general public on 30 October 2013.
Dorset Police is expecting a high level of interest and in order to cope with the expected demand, an online pre-assessment selection tool will be available. This will allow the Force to select through thousands of candidates prior to application.
Chief Constable Debbie Simpson said: “I’d encourage anyone who is interested in this extremely rewarding role to visit our website and find out more – it is a fantastic opportunity to join the Dorset Police team and make a difference. The Force is committed to selecting the best possible candidates and will ensure that the selection process is fair throughout.
“It is likely that we will receive significant interest and increased traffic through our website. I would like to remind everyone not to rush to get online – the pre-assessment tool will be available for a whole week from Wednesday 30 October and users will likely find the process more efficient if they wait some time before starting their application.”
Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, said: “Dorset police officers operate at the heart of the community, ensuring safety and security to those who work, live and visit the county.
“Despite operating in austere times we have to balance the workforce. It is right that we bring new officers into the policing family. We are striving to provide a more visible force, with an emphasis on neighbourhood policing.
“Until my election, the recruitment of police constables was frozen indefinitely. The new chief constable and I reversed the decision.
“A police officer’s role is about more than working to reduce crime. It is now just as much about reducing the fear of crime, working in partnership with communities to make a real difference and improve quality of life for everyone.
“Forging close relationships, building trust and understanding the issues within Dorset’s different communities all form part of the fundamental platform on which effective, credible policing is built.
“As a result, we must continue to recruit the right people from every background and use the full spectrum of their skills, knowledge and experience to make Dorset safer for everybody.”
A brochure has been made available on the Force website for anyone interested in becoming a police officer. Potential candidates are being urged to carefully read the brochure before contacting the Force by email only using the following address:
PoliceOfficerRecruitment@dorset.pnn.police.uk.
Once applicants have passed the pre-assessment tool, it may be necessary to use a random de-selection process before the full application stage. Further information about this process is included in the brochure.
