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Work experience placements
Policy
Policy
summary
West Yorkshire Police complies with Authorised Professional Practice
(APP) which contains information to assist policing, and has
established a local policy procedure to provide clear standards and
guidelines on work placements.
The Force provides work placements to three target groups:
 students in secondary education aged between 14 and 16, who are
required to complete a work experience placement;
 students in higher or further education on a degree course or
equivalent; and
 young persons who wish to pursue a career within the police service
or wish to pursue work experience for other training reasons.
All young people applying for a work placement are expected to have
a genuine interest in the police service as a career.
This policy procedure outlines how people on work placements will be
given the opportunity to gain as wide an appreciation of the police
service as possible, within a risk managed environment.
Aims
The aims of this policy procedure are to:
 explain the responsibilities of the divisional commanders,
departmental heads and line managers;
 explain the responsibilities of the person on a work experience
placement;
 provide corporate Force processes for the intake and management
of work experience placements.
Scope
This policy procedure applies to all police officers and police staff.
Compliance
Equality Act 2010
Data Protection Act 1998
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
APP Engagement and communications
Work
placement
undertaking
To give you as much experience as possible of the process of
obtaining a future post, you will be required to:
 complete an application pack; and
 submit this at least eight weeks before your requested placement.
This will be sent out by the local nominated person for the relevant
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division or department.
Force
undertaking
The Force will try to allocate work experience placements based on
availability, school subjects being taken and potential career paths
applicants are interested in.
However, due to high volume of requests we receive, we cannot
guarantee a placement to every individual that applies.
Chapter 1
Restrictions on placements
Introduction
Placements will be restricted based on risk assessments and health
and safety regulations.
Restricted
areas
Areas that are currently unable/restricted to participate due to risk,
health and safety or sensitivity or confidentiality issues are listed here:
Department
Restriction
Counter Terrorism unit No access permitted due to nature of work.
Quality and Standards
Section
Control rooms
Confidentiality, sensitivity of data, possible
health risks such as trauma.
Dog section
Health and safety.
Public protection unit
No access permitted due to nature of work.
Patrol / frontline
No access permitted due to nature of work
for those under 18 years of age.
Police radios
People on work placements will not be issued with police radios.
Types of placements
Introduction
Placements are categorised as ‘non-operational’ or ‘operational’:
Category
Non operational
Operational
Placement with
administrative or support departments, not include
any core policing duties.
police officers and police staff on core policing
duties in addition to any other “non-operational”
duties.
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Non operational
Criteria
The criteria for non operational work placements are:
 they should not normally exceed two weeks in length; and
 the minimum age for placements is 14 years of age or at least year
ten in school.
Additionally for adults or young people with disabilities longer term
volunteering opportunities may be available. See police support
volunteers policy procedure for more details.
Availability
There is no requirement for division and departments to provide work
experience/placements for students. Decisions are to be made locally
based on availability of staff and suitable opportunity for involvement
of a student. However in terms of engagement with the local
community every effort should be made to accommodate at least
some requests annually.
Work placement opportunities are available in:
 Corporate Communications Section;
 Corporate Support Department HQ;
 Divisional administration departments;
 Divisional Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs);
 Divisional NPT support departments;
 Business Services Department;
 Finance and Business Support Department;
 Force Performance Improvement Unit HQ;
 Force Training school;
 IT Department; and
 Operational Support Services Division, Mounted Section.
Operational placements
Criteria
The criteria for operational work placements are:
 they should be of one week in length; and
 the minimum age for placements is 16 years of age or at least year
eleven in school.
Availability
Work placement opportunities are available in:
 NPT departments - daytime only for 14 – 18 years of age and subject
to risk assessment;
 patrol / front line - over 18 years of age only and subject to risk
assessment regarding times, i.e. common sense must be applied
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with regards to the time of day and area and the risks must have
been assessed; and
 sensitive or specialist units but placements will only be granted in
exceptional cases, i.e. work placements from partner agencies.
Attending
incidents
People on work placements can attend routine incidents and must be
briefed to follow instructions. Members of staff should use their
discretion regarding incidents which may be unsuitable for work
placements (particularly those under 18 years of age) to attend.
Observing an
interview
People on work placements can sit in on interviews as observers
providing the defendant and solicitor do not object.
Chapter 2
Member of staff being shadowed – rights and
liabilities
Right to
refuse
You have the right to refuse to be shadowed by a person on work
placement and such a refusal will not reflect on you in anyway.
Legal liability
The Chief Constable (as your employer) and the Office of the Police
and Crime Commissioner have legal liability for the work placement.
The only time you, as an individual, would be liable is if you:
No
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Reallocation
Liable
knowingly place them at risk when the circumstances dictate
an alternative. An example would be attending an incident
knowing you will encounter a violent person but you do not
safeguard the person on work placement;
wilfully or negligently interfere with the provisions made for
the work placement's health and safety; or
consent or connive to allow unsafe acts to be committed with
another officer.
Where work commitments do not allow an allocated work placement
person to work with you, you should ensure that they are reassigned
to another member of staff.
If there is no alternative, you should inform their supervisor.
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Problems
If the person on work placement gives you cause for concern, you
must inform their supervisor immediately. Measures will then be taken
to investigate the circumstances and provide a solution.
A work placement can be cancelled at any time.
Admin
Last reviewed:
Scheduled for review:
August 2013
August 2016
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