Designated Detention Officers (DDOs)
4. Training and development
On appointment, you’ll begin with eight weeks of training, to equip you with the skills required to be a DDO. You will receive training on all aspects of your role. Your training will help you build skills and knowledge in areas such as:
- where you sit within the Criminal Justice System
- relevant legislation and your designated powers
- how to use handcuffs
- officer safety techniques
- emergency life support skills
Training is delivered in small classes of around 12 people, where everybody in the class will be new to Met Detention. During this training, you’ll have a mixture of theoretical and practical sessions with debriefs to help you track your own progress and ask for help if you need it. We have a legislative requirement to ensure that all new DDOs are correctly trained to perform their role safely and effectively, so you will be assessed throughout the training course with a series of assessments. This is a pass or fail course. Please note, the role is dependent on successful completion of the mandatory training.
Once you graduate from training and start working within the custody environment, support is always available, both from your colleagues and your custody sergeant.
Probation
Your first year with us will be a probationary period. Think of it as your opportunity to demonstrate how well you’ve taken your training on board and developed the capacity to meet the requirements of your post.
Further training
Beyond your initial training to join Met Detention, we have opportunities for development and progression. Additional professional training will be offered as you progress through your first few months to expand the breadth of duties that you undertake.
Once you’ve joined our team and got your feet under the table, your line manager will work with you to understand your development needs and help shape development plans as appropriate.