Recruitment process for officers & staff

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.026933

I note you seek access to the following information:

First Request
a) Prior to the start of the Police Uplift Programme (September 2019) please could you describe the recruitment process for officers in detail, from first candidate contact until appointment.

b) Please could you describe the recruitment process for officers, as it stands today (20th October 2022), from first candidate contact until appointment.

In both cases, a flow chart or process chart will be acceptable as an aid to answer my request.

Second request
1) What, if any, training on trauma and its impacts is provided to newly recruited police officers and police staff?

2) At which stage during training is training on trauma and its impacts provided to newly recruited police officers and police staff?

3) What, if any, training, guidance, or counselling is offered to newly recruited police officers and police staff on
a) understanding, and
b) mitigating the impacts of any trauma that they may have received before joining the Police.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Question (a). Prior to the start of the Police Uplift Programme (September 2019) please could you describe the recruitment process for officers in detail, from first candidate contact until appointment.

Answer (a):

• Candidate submits application for their chosen entry pathway
• Candidate completes Apollo Sift (Behavioural style questionnaire)
• PNC check completed
• Candidate selects date to attend Day One assessment. ‘SEARCH’ assessment prior to implementation of Day One.
• Upon successful completion of Day One/SEARCH, candidate attends for their ‘Day 2 Assessment’ (Medical/fitness/biometrics/documentation)
• Pre-Employment checks commence upon successful completion of Day 2 assessment (Vetting and references)
• Conditional offer letter sent to candidates
• Once successful completion of Pre-Employment checks candidates receive their final offer letter.

Question (b). Please could you describe the recruitment process for officers, as it stands today (20th October 2022), from first candidate contact until appointment.

Answer (b):
• Candidate submits application for their chosen entry pathway
• Candidate completes Apollo Sift (Behavioural style questionnaire)
• PNC check completed
• Candidate selects date to complete their On Line Assessment
• Upon successful completion of On line assessment candidate attends for their ‘Day 2 Assessment’ (Medical/fitness/biometrics/documentation checks and face to face assessment – interactive assessments)
• Pre-Employment checks commence upon successful completion of Day 2 assessment (Vetting and references)
• Conditional offer letter sent to candidates
• Once successful completion of Pre-Employment checks candidates receive their final offer letter.

You may also be interested in the published information on the MPS website. To assist and for your convenience please access this direct at the following link:
Police constable | Recruitment process | Metropolitan Police

Q1 - What, if any, training on trauma and its impacts is provided to newly recruited police officers and police staff?

Answer 1. Newly recruited police officers receive ‘Well-being and Resilience’ training sessions with the aim to develop the student police officer’s approach to Health and Safety enhancing their understanding of their role as a constable and apprentice with a focus on their physical and emotional well-being.

Sessions delivered:

1) Well-being and Resilience – Describe and discuss signs and implications of stress, management strategies for self and colleagues with a focus on early interventions and peer support.

2) Well-being Research Exercise – Describe the support systems (and how to access them) within the MPS and their university for health and well-being including the attendance management policy, advice within the intranet and useful contacts.

3) Well-being and Resilience – Support – Describe and discuss signs and implications of stress, basic management strategies for self and colleagues with a focus on early interventions and peer support. Develop personal strategies to build resilience, personal support systems and an approach to gain more support when needed.

Within these sessions the following College of Policing (CoP) minimum content criteria is covered:

1.1 Physical and psychological wellbeing
1.2 Potential causes of stress within policing (including Nature of the work e.g. traumatic/dangerous incidents)
1.3 Being an apprentice
1.4 Coping strategies that can be applied to foster resilience and minimise stress (Building up support networks; knowing when and where to get support, inside and outside the police service; recognising unhealthy coping strategies; effective post-incident de-briefing; dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); mindfulness interventions; emotional awareness; reflective practice; welfare briefing and de-briefing)
1.5 Strategies that can be applied to support others who show signs of stress
1.6 The National Police Wellbeing Service (Oscar Kilo)

Q2 - At which stage during training is training on trauma and its impacts provided to newly recruited police officers and police staff?

Answer 2. The sessions as described above are delivered in week 3 of the Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) programmes to officers.

Q3 - What, if any, training, guidance, or counselling is offered to newly recruited police officers and police staff on
a) understanding, and
b) mitigating the impacts of any trauma that they may have received before joining the Police.

Answer 3. Training and guidance elements are covered in our response to your question 1 (with the knowledge and skills developed in the programme being transferrable).

All new recruits receive an input in their induction week on Health, Wellbeing and Trauma in policing by the Trauma Peer Support Lead and the Wellbeing Service Manager. They are informed of the difficulties faced in policing, coping mechanisms, and what support is available to them.

In terms of additional guidance and counselling, there is a wealth of information on the HR Knowledge Hub pages on the MPS intranet, including when to contact Occupational Health (OH) and when to contact the HR Case Management Service; how to access counselling and the other sources of support in addition to the counselling service. This is underpinned by line manager support provided from the start of the programme.