Metropolitan Police Careers

Communications Officers are the first point of contact for members of the public requesting police support.

They answer emergency 999 calls and high priority calls as efficiently as possible, obtaining and recording accurate information, assessing the level of police response required and initiating the appropriate action as quickly as possible.

Where no police action is required, they provide advice and guidance to the caller. In all cases, callers are dealt with in a calm, courteous and professional manner, and if necessary, firmly to obtain essential information.

The size and importance of this role cannot be underestimated, especially when you consider the Metropolitan Police Service receives about 2.5 million calls a year – in excess of 200,000 calls a month.

Pay & allowances

On appointment of your standard contract, you will receive a starting salary of £20,894 gross per annum. In addition you will receive a ‘cost of living’ increase, negotiated annually and payable from August of each year and a London Location Allowance of £3,466 (Zone 1 Bow and Lambeth Central Communication Command) or Zone 2 (Hendon Central Communication Command) £1,883.

In addition, you will receive a 10% flexibility allowance and upon completion of training a 20% shift allowance.

Annual incremental spine points will achieve progression from minimum to maximum of the pay scale currently £24,015

Location

Vacancies are at Central Communications Command centres in Lambeth, Bow and Hendon.

Hours of work

To ensure that we continue to provide a service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all Communications Officers are required to work shifts, including weekends and nights. Shifts can vary from 8 to 12 hours in length. Please refer to the Information Pack to see the shift patterns worked at Central Communications Command. You may be placed on either shift pattern, depending on the needs of the business at the time you are posted.

Training

All Communication Officers receive just over five weeks of full-time training at the Hendon centre. This is followed by just over five weeks of one-to-one coaching, which may be at Lambeth, Bow or Hendon. You must pass this training to continue in your role.