Police staff

From your first day with us, no matter which role you hold, you will start a career which makes a real difference. You will be supported - offered great learning experiences, development opportunities and the chance to progress. When you join Sussex Police, you become part of our policing family – we are with you each step of the way.

You will work with us to have a workplace where we:

• Enjoy coming to work and are committed to, and take pride in, being ourselves; being the best we can be.
• Work effectively with each other and our key partners; holding ourselves and others to account making sure we deliver a high level of policing.
• Value difference and recognise that diverse teams produce better results.
• Recognise individual and team effort and give everybody the opportunity to maximise their potential.
• Can be honest with our colleagues, irrespective of their rank or role.

We offer competitive salaries, annual leave entitlement and pension scheme. We also recognise the benefits of flexible working and are committed to equality of opportunity. A variety of paid leave types are also available to help with unexpected situations, for example, emergency dependents leave. There are also options for taking extended periods of unpaid leave.

To support your health and wellbeing we have excellent welfare services including employee assistance program, chaplaincy support and mental health first aiders who offer in-house service to support you mental health and wellbeing when you need it. You also have access to a variety of offers including the Blue Light discount card, keyworker housing schemes, and money saving offers on everyday essentials.

Sussex Police has a number of staff support networks, Unison support and advice for members, and Sussex Police Charitable Trust who offer a helping hand to Sussex Police officers, staff, special constables, pensioners and dependent family members in their hour of need. We have on-site gyms and a range of sports clubs, all of which aim to promote health, friendship and fun amongst police officers and staff. With 30-plus activities to choose from there’s something for everyone, irrespective of age, rank, experience or sporting ability.

There really is a role for everyone. Whether you’re interested in a public-facing role or playing your part within a support function, there are a number of potential career options. Responsibilities vary from entry-level to directors. You could be working shifts, office hours or flexi-time. Based at Headquarters or any of our stations throughout Sussex.

Here are some examples of roles that support us in our policing duties:

Force Duty Planner

Our Planners are responsible for the resourcing and duties management of all Police Staff and Police Officers. Managing abstractions, attendance and resourcing for normal policing activity together with pre-planned and spontaneous operations, both at Divisional and Force Level.

Camera Technician/Enforcement Officer

Service and maintain fixed speed camera and red light enforcement technology sites and provide mobile speed enforcement across Sussex. Other duties include completion of disclosure files, representing Sussex Police at Magistrates and Crown Court as well as giving presentations and attending public events. Although based at Shoreham, you will be required to travel around both East and West Sussex on a daily basis.

Corporate Communications Officer

Communications Officers are multi-skilled and able to operate across a variety of communication channels and disciplines both internally and externally. You will be part of a team that manages everything from social media content and news desk queries to internal communications and direct community messaging. 

Service Desk Operator

A business critical team within the IT department, acting as the entry point for ICT support work. Providing customer-focused first line support, you will also be responsible for the allocation and escalation of any unresolved calls to the wider ICT Department as appropriate, working closely with second line support teams.

Human Resources Assistant

Providing advice and guidance on policy, procedure and legislation, updating records, and administrative support for general Human Resources, Learning & Professional Development and Recruitment activities.

When you join Sussex Police, you can expect a career with variety, diversity, challenges, rewards and great learning experiences. Each role is vital to enable the force to serve the public, but it also matters to us. As such, we will give you:

• A good starting salary.
• 25 days per year annual leave, rising to 30 days depending on your length of service (annual leave based on 37 hours working week and 7.4 hour day).
• Great development experiences that will support future career opportunities and progression.
• A competitive benefits package including:

• Highly competitive pension scheme.
• Flexible benefits.
• An employee assistance programme for advice and counselling.
• Access to discounts, savings and cash back rewards.

• Progressive approach to flexible working, enhanced maternity and paternity leave and potential for a career break (after two years’ service).
• Opportunities to join various support networks, staff associations and sports clubs.

When you first start with Sussex Police you’ll have a lot of new things to learn. A significant amount of this will be ‘on the job’ training as you learn about your role and what you need to do to work effectively, but at other times you’ll need a formal course or be required to undertake some form of training. Learning & Development are here to help you throughout your career.

Unless you’ve started on a formal initial course, such as those provided for new officers, PCSOs and Contact Centre staff, your line manager will arrange to book you on a one day Induction course. The aim of the Sussex Police Induction Course is to explore with new members of police staff the knowledge, understanding and attitudes required to deliver the highest professional standards in service to the public.

Our Learning & Professional Development team are here to support, develop and guide our staff and help them to be the best they can be in their role and to encourage a capable and confident workforce.

You may also be supported for partial payment of professional qualifications as well as study leave to undertake a course that will enhance the skills, knowledge or ability of the individual either in their current or future role.

The application process for each role varies. As a minimum you can expect the following stages:

Stage One: Application form

Your personal details will be checked and that all eligibility criteria has been met.

Stage Two: Force interview

Interview conducted by a panel of Sussex Police representatives. This interview will be based upon the competency and values framework. 

Stage Three: Pre-employment checks

This is when we begin our pre-employment checks which consist of a medical questionnaire and vetting. Other pre-employment checks may apply depending on each role.

• Medical: you will be required to complete a questionnaire with your medical history.
• Vetting: this will assess you and your families’ criminal record, financial status and business interests.

If you have any questions about any roles or the recruitment process, please contact [email protected].

To join Sussex Police in any role you will need to prove your right to work in the UK.

Do I have right to work in the UK?

Your right to work in the UK depends on your immigration status - this is also called your ‘leave’. If you don’t have the right to work, you might be able to apply for it.

You automatically have the right to work in the UK if:

• you’re a British or Irish citizen.
• you have pre-settled or settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme - or you’ve applied and you’re waiting for a decision.
• you have a family permit from the EU Settlement Scheme.
• you have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.
• you have right of abode in the UK.

You might have a right to work in the UK if you have a visa with a time limit. This is called having 'limited leave to enter or remain’. 

If you entered the UK illegally or your leave has ended, you don’t have the right to work in the UK.

Proving your right to work in the UK

You might be able to prove your right to work online or by showing your employer certain documents. Any document you show your employer must be:

• valid - you can’t use a document that’s expired unless it’s a British or Irish passport.
• the original document - you can’t use a copy, however you can use a replacement birth certificate if you have lost the original.
• If your document is expiring soon and you’ve applied to extend your leave, you can still prove your right to work. You might need to use a different document or ask your employer to contact the Home Office Employer Checking Service (ECS) - it depends what kind of leave you have.

For further information about Right to work in the UK, please refer to the gov.uk website.

It's really important to us that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we believe that as an organisation we'll benefit from the variety of thinking, approaches and skills which diversity can bring; all of which helps us to deliver a better policing service.

We have worked hard to create a safe, open and inclusive culture. To find out more visit our Inclusion page.