Applicant’s Information Pack About Us The Cleveland Police area covers approximately 230 square miles and has a population of around 560,000. Situated on the fringe of the beautiful North Yorkshire moors, the area offers a host of indoor and outdoor activities and events for every taste. We have a significant coastline with some of the highest cliffs in the UK. The area’s landscape is dominated by the steel and chemical industries alongside locations of outstanding beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We have a long heritage of innovation and development: the first passenger trains ran from Stockton; and Middlesbrough was the birthplace of the explorer and map-maker Captain James Cook. Redcar hosts the world’s oldest surviving lifeboat and Hartlepool’s historic quay is also home to Britain’s oldest warship afloat - HMS Trincomalee. The area hosts Championship and League One football and the Tees Barrage watersports centre. Our town centres offer quality shopping by day and lively night-time economies. Middlesbrough is home to the University of Teesside, which supports over 29,000 students, and a contemporary art gallery, Middlesbrough's Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) which opened in January 2007. Stockton hosts Durham University Queen's Campus where nearly 2,000 students are based within the modern waterfront location. 1 The area’s regeneration continues with the development of the North Shore of the River Tees and the erection of the 'iconic' Infinity footbridge at Stockton on the Tees. Major investment has recently been made in the region's further education provision with new facilities at Stockton Riverside, Hartlepool, Darlington and Middlesbrough Colleges. Middlesbrough College opened in September 2008 and is one of Tees Valley's largest single standing structures with five storeys and covering 32,000 square metres. Two prisons are situated within the area, HMP Kirklevington Grange and HMP Holme House. The former prepares long-term detainees for release back into the community, whilst the latter acts as a local holding establishment for over 1,200 inmates. The Force prison liaison officers provide a valuable function in monitoring the imprisonment, management and release of offenders in our area. The area is a major production centre for the chemical industry. This results in the large scale transportation by road, rail and sea of hazardous substances. As well as being a key economic player, the chemical industry presents the local emergency services and their partners with a significant major incident risk. The industrial heart of the area has a strong infrastructure that is well served by the transport network, including an international airport and the UK's 4th largest seaport (by volume). The Force's rural areas border the North Yorkshire Moors, offering great beauty and scope for leisure and sporting activities. The area also hosts the new RSPB reserve at Saltholme, which opened in January 2009. Our Standards Cleveland Police expects the highest standards of behaviour and conduct from our officers and staff, and that they uphold our vision and values. Any allegations of officers and staff not meeting these standards are fully investigated, and can result in disciplinary action. 2 Our Vision and Values Cleveland Police will work with others to deliver high quality, professional policing services that focus on protecting you from harm and responding to local needs. Our priorities for 2013 / 14 are to; Keep you safe Reduce crime Reduce anti-social behaviour Secure financial stability and deliver value for money Cleveland Police Values PROFESSIONALISM – “Meet the Standard” Acquire and apply knowledge, skills and best practice to enable all officers and staff to respond to customer needs. HONESTY and INTEGRITY - “Do the right thing” Act honestly, openly, impartially and fairly. Have an objective approach that is consistent and reflects the highest ethical standards. COMMITMENT - “See things through” See things through to the end; putting the task and the needs of others first. This requires loyalty, a willingness to take responsibility and the energy and determination to succeed. PRIDE – “Have a sense of worth” Take pride in delivering high quality, professional policing services directly to our communities or supporting those that do. 3 RESPECT - “Show consideration for others” Treat people with respect and dignity regardless of their background or circumstances, showing tact, empathy and compassion. FORWARD THINKING – “Change for the better” Encourage creativity, innovation and long term thinking to identify ways of delivering better outcomes for people and provide value for money. Further information about Cleveland Police can be found by visiting our website; http://www.cleveland.police.uk/ 4 Job Specification You will be responsible for the overall organisation and direction of the Special Constabulary. The key to your success will be your ability to recognise the strengths of a service rooted in neighbourhood policing and demonstrate the leadership style necessary to build key relationships across the Force area. As the force’s senior Special Constable, the successful candidate will, among other tasks, work in direct support of Assistant Chief Constable (Territorial Policing) to: Coordinate the activities of the Special Constabulary at force level (including in relation to out of force deployments) Support the force’s other operational commanders in delivery of the force’s objectives and annual plan Provide leadership for the Special Constabulary and supervision for its senior managers Reflect the capabilities and opportunities presented by the Special Constabulary within the Force’s ‘Orbis’ transformation programme Assist in the development and delivery of future strategy for the Special Constabulary within Cleveland Police, including in the areas of structure, diversity, recruitment, training and deployment Plan the workforce Manage a budget Represent the interests of the Cleveland Police Special Constabulary both regionally and nationally Establish and manage links with wider communities and other volunteers Role Profile Personal Qualities 1. Decision making You will need to assimilate complex information quickly, weighing up alternatives and making sound, timely decisions. You must gather and 5 consider all relevant and available information, seeking out and listening to advice from specialists and key stakeholders. You will have to ask incisive questions to test facts and assumptions, and gain a full understanding of given situations; identifying the key issues clearly, and the inter-relationship between different factors. You must be able to consider the wider implications of different options, assessing the costs, risks and benefits of each. You will be expected to make clear, proportionate and justifiable decisions, reviewing your decision making as necessary. 2. Leading change You will be expected to establish a clear future picture and direction for the Special Constabulary, focused on delivering the force vision and strategy. You will identify and implement the changes needed to meet force objectives, thinking beyond the constraints of current ways of working, and be prepared to make radical change when required. You should think in the long-term, identifying better ways to deliver value for money services that meet both local and force needs. You must have the ability to encourage creativity and innovation within the Special Constabulary. 3. Leading people You must be able to inspire people to meet challenging organisational goals, creating and maintaining the momentum for change. You will be required to give direction and state expectations clearly; talk positively about policing and what it can achieve, building pride and self-esteem. You will need to create enthusiasm and commitment by rewarding good performance, and giving genuine recognition and praise. Promoting learning and development, giving honest and constructive feedback to help people understand their strengths and weaknesses, and investing time in coaching and mentoring staff is a key function of this role. 4. Managing performance Much depends on your ability to create a clear plan to deliver operational unit performance in line with force strategy and objectives. You will agree demanding but achievable objectives and priorities for the operational unit, 6 and assign resources to deliver them as effectively as possible. It is important that you are able to identify opportunities to reduce costs and ensure maximum value for money is achieved. You must highlight good practice and use it to address underperformance; delegate responsibilities appropriately and empower others to make decisions. You must monitor progress and hold people to account for delivery. 5. Professionalism You must act with integrity, in line with the values and ethical standards of the Police Service. You will deliver on promises, demonstrating personal commitment, energy and drive to get things done. You will define and reinforce standards, demonstrating these personally and fostering a culture of personal responsibility within the Special Constabulary. You must be able to demonstrate an ability to ask for and act on feedback on your own approach, continuing to learn and adapt to new circumstances. You will take responsibility for making tough or unpopular decisions; demonstrate courage and resilience in difficult situations, defuse conflict and remain calm and professional under pressure. 6. Public Service You will promote a real belief in public service, focusing on what matters to the public and will best serve their interests. You will be responsible for ensuring that all staff understand the expectations, changing needs and concerns of different communities, and strive to address them. You will build public confidence by actively engaging with different communities, agencies and strategic stakeholders, developing partnerships and ensuring people can engage with the police at all levels. You will ensure that staff understand partners' perspectives and priorities, and work co-operatively with them to deliver the best possible overall service to the public. 7. Working with Others You will build effective working relationships with people through clear communication and a collaborative approach. You must maintain visibility to 7 staff and ensure communication processes work effectively throughout the Special Constabulary. You must demonstrate an ability to consult widely and involve people in decision-making, speaking to people in a way they understand and can engage with. You will champion the treatment of people with respect and dignity regardless of their background or circumstances, promoting equality and the elimination of discrimination. You will treat people as individuals, showing tact, empathy and compassion. You will influence others by selling ideas convincingly, setting out benefits of a particular approach, and striving to reach mutually beneficial solutions. You must express your own views positively, constructively and fully commit to team decisions. Eligibility criteria All candidates for appointment as a Special Constable must have attained the age of 18 years. All candidates for appointment as a Special Constable must be of good character. There is no upper age limit for appointment to the Special Constabulary, but candidates must be in good health and able to satisfy forces’ fitness, medical and eyesight standards The decision to appoint individual Special Constables remains at the discretion of the Chief Constable of the local force. All candidates for appointment as a Special Constable must satisfy the Chief Constable that they are sufficiently competent to perform the role of Special Constable, and be able to demonstrate competency in written and spoken English and numeracy. A candidate for appointment as a special constable who is not a national of an European Economic Area (EEA) member state must have permission to enter or leave to remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period. That is to say those applicants must be resident in the United Kingdom free of restrictions or have an entitlement to be so. 8 The Government policy objective concerning Special Constabulary recruitment is to encourage individuals from all backgrounds with the necessary attributes and motivation to apply to join. Employees in certain occupations are ineligible to be appointed as Special Constables due to legislation. The nature of some occupations may make them unsuitable for the employment of a Special Constable where there is a significant potential for individuals in these organisations to abuse their powers and privileges as a police officer, either on or off duty. If you are doubt as to whether this applies to you then please contact the Force Recruitment officer for clarification. Special Constables must not belong to the British National Party (BNP), National Front, Combat 18 or any other organisation whose constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements are incompatible with the duty under legislation [Equality Act 2010] to promote racial equality. Selection process Your Expression of Interest will be sifted against the Force and national eligibility criterion in the first instance. Your expression of Interest will then be assessed against the role specific criterion outlined in the advertisement and contained in this document. If successful at this stage, you will be contacted regarding attendance for interview in Cleveland. The interview will be competency based and questions will reflect the skills and attributes highlighted in the role profile outlined above. You may be asked to deliver a presentation to the interview panel on a topic presented to you on the day of your interview. What to do next Expressions of Interest should set out on no more than two sides of A4: Personal details Brief synopsis of any career within the Special Constabulary 9 Brief synopsis of experience outside of the Special Constabulary Reasons for application A Curriculum Vitae should also be provided as should the names and contact details of two referees who are able to support your application. For those applicants who are serving Special Constables or Police Staff, at least one of the references should be from a regular officer of at least Superintendent Grade. The closing date for submissions, which should be sent direct to Recruiting@cleveland.pnn.police.uk, is 5pm Friday 13th September 2013. Details of any short listing / interview process thereafter required will be communicated following receipt of Expressions of Interest. 10