Guidance Notes for Police Staff Application for Employment

Guidance Notes for Police Staff Application for Employment Please refer to the following guidance when completing your application form. Thank you for your interest in working with the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland. If you require the application form or these guidance notes in an alternative format, please contact the Central Recruitment Team on 01355 566 350. General Advice As far as possible, the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland requests that all applicants complete and submit their application in electronic format. If you require to complete your application by hand, please use black ink. All applications must be received no later than 4.30pm on the advertised closing date unless otherwise stated on the advert. Only fully completed applications received by the deadline will be considered for shortlisting. Please do not send a C.V. or attach this to your application as this will not be accepted as a completed application. It is important that you review and all the published information carefully, which will normally include: Guidance Notes (this document), Application Form, Equality and Diversity Employment Monitoring Form, Advert, and Job Description and Role Profile/Person Specification. If you have any queries about the available documents please contact the Central Recruitment Team. The advert, job description, role profile/person specification will give you the information necessary to identify if you possess the skills and knowledge required for the post and will therefore assist you in deciding whether or not you should pursue your application further. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Section 1. Vacancy Details It is vital, that you complete all information requested accurately. All information required for Section 1 will be contained in the advert or within the published documents. Section 2. Personal Details Complete your personal details accurately prior to submission. This will help us keep you updated with the progress of your application. Where an email address is provided, you may be contacted using this regarding your application. Alternatively applicants may be contacted by post. If an email address is provided, you should regularly check your email mailboxes, including the junk folder in case our correspondence is automatically re-directed there. Applicants should be aware that the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland will not amend the arranged recruitment process in the event of correspondence being sent automatically to your junk mailbox. Saving our email address as a contact in your email account can assist with this issue. If your personal details change during the recruitment process, please ensure you advise the Central Recruitment Team and local Recruitment Team dealing with your application of the amendment(s) as this could impact on your application should you be progressed to the later stages of the process. Section 3. Driving Licence In Section 3 you should only provide details of your driving licence, if this is a requirement outlined in the essential criteria for the post you are applying for. If the vacancy documentation does not specify a driving licence is essential for the post, there is no need for applicants to complete this section. Insert N/A in this section if a driving licence is not essential. Where the role applied for does require candidates to possess a driving license those shortlisted from the application stage to progress will be required to produce their driving licence (both parts) at interview. Section 4. Residency and Eligibility to Work in the UK and for the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland The sole purpose of this section is to establish your eligibility to work in the UK and for the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland. Residency For Recruitment Vetting, a period of three years UK residency applies. The calculation of this period refers to the period immediately before an application is made, and not any other three year period, or any other accumulation of time spent in the UK. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 2

In certain circumstances, it is possible for the minimum residency period for Force Vetting levels to be removed. This can only be done where it is possible to make checks in the relevant jurisdictions with local Law Enforcement and National Security bodies, which are equivalent to the enquiries which would be made in the UK, on both the applicant and all family members and associates. In cases where it is not possible to make the equivalent checks, the residency criterion will be stringently enforced. Eligibility to work in the UK In accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, any successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to undertake employment in the UK. Consequently, you will be required to provide one of the original following documents at your interview, if you are shortlisted through the application process: a UK passport; an EEA or Swiss passport or National Identity Card; a UK Residence Permit issued by the Home Office; a passport or other document issued by the Home Office which has an endorsement stating that you have a current right of residence in the UK as a family member of a national from an EEA country or Switzerland who is resident in the UK; a passport or other travel document endorsed to show that you can stay indefinitely in the UK, or have no time limit on your stay; a passport or other travel document endorsed to show that you can stay in the UK, and carry out the type of work on offer without having a work permit; or an Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office to an asylum seeker stating the holder is permitted to take up employment. If you cannot provide one of the documents listed above, then you must provide two documents from the following combinations: An official document bearing a National Insurance Number (eg. a P45, P60, National Insurance Card or Letter from a Government Agency) along with: o a full birth certificate issued in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Ireland; or o a certificate of registration or Naturalisation stating that you are a British Citizen; or o a letter from the Home Office stating that you can stay indefinitely in the UK; or o an immigration status document issued by the Home Office; or o a work permit or other approval to take employment issued by Works Permit UK, along with either: o a passport or other travel document endorsed to show that you are able to stay in the UK; or o a letter from the Home Office confirming that you can stay in the UK and take the employment on offer. We may also require proof of residence in the UK and require an original document which provides your current address, such as a utility bill, bank statement or most recent council tax bill. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 3

Section 5. Education NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Please provide details of the highest level of qualification you have obtained, including details of any qualifications specified on the job description or role profile/person specification. You should also detail any study you are currently undertaking, including anticipated date of completion and level of qualification. If your application is shortlisted to the interview stage, you will be required to provide certificates for all qualifications listed in Section 5. Section 6. Training and Development Please provide details of any apprenticeships, training or job related courses etc that you have undertaken that you think are relevant and appropriate for the post applied for. Section 7. Membership of Professional Bodies Please provide details of any professional body you are a member of, or currently working towards gaining membership of. You may be requested to provide proof of your membership if shortlisted for interview. Section 8. All Previous Employment Details Please provide as much information about your current/most recent role as possible. You should then list of all your previous employment history in chronological order, with the most recent first, in the table provided. The details provided in this section will assist the local Recruitment Team shortlisting your application in gaining an understanding of the transferable skills and experience you will bring to the role applied for. Section 9. Evidence in Support of Application Following the closing date, all completed applications received for the vacancy will be shortlisted by the local Recruitment Team responsible for managing the vacancy Recruitment process. Shortlisting will be undertaken carefully by assessing the information provided on the application forms against the requirements of the post. Section 9 affords applicants the opportunity to evidence their suitability for the role applied for. You should refer to the advert, job description and role profile/person specification as a guide and evidence the transferable skills you will bring to the role that you have gained through education, training, employment and/or volunteering. The advert, job description and role profile/person specification will detail the essential and desirable competencies associated with the role. You can find a copy of the relevant competency framework on our police staff recruitment web pages, which details the performance indicators for all competencies that may be relevant within essential, supervisory and managerial roles. The evidence provided in Section 9 should link your skills and experience to the essential and/or desirable competencies relevant for the role. No assumptions will be made about your skills and abilities, so your supporting evidence should be detailed and accurate in relation to your knowledge, skills and experience. Your completed evidence should be written in paragraphs for each competency specified in the job advert and should be kept to a maximum of 150 words per competency. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 4

Section 10. References NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED You should provide details of two referees from your employment history, one of which should be your current/most recent employer. If you are applying direct from education, you should provide a referee from the relevant institution. Character/personal references should only be provided where you have not been employed or where you are self employed. Referees will not be contacted until the successful candidate(s) have been identified from the selection process. The Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland reserves the right to contact previous employers not specifically provided in Section 10, if there is reason for doing so. Section 11. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 You should note that by virtue of Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (as amended), does not apply to posts within the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland. You are therefore not entitled to withhold information about a previous conviction on the grounds that it is for other purposes spent under the Act. You are required to disclose pending cases and convictions including all traffic offences, formal cautions by the Police for any offence (including cautions as a juvenile) and spent convictions. It also includes charges brought against you by any agency reporting to the Procurator Fiscal or the Crown Prosecution Service. If you have been convicted or cautioned you may still be eligible for appointment depending on the nature and circumstances of the offence. However failure to disclose details could count against you and is likely to result in your application being rejected. The information you provide for security screening will be verified by reference to information already held on computer. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the Central Recruitment Team. Section 12. Declaration This section must be completed by the applicant to confirm that the information given throughout the application form is true and complete to the best of the knowledge and belief of the applicant. If you provide any false information or omit relevant information, this may result in the disqualification from the recruitment process or withdrawal of any offer of employment or disciplinary action being taken, including dismissal. By emailing or sending this application to the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland, applicants confirm their acceptance of the terms of this declaration. Should you submit your application electronically and are invited for interview; you will be required to sign the emailed copy of your application. Section 13. Guaranteed Job Interview Scheme The Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland is committed to positive action in the recruitment and selection of people with disabilities. We guarantee an interview to any applicant who has a disability, as defined under the Equality Act 2010, and who meets the essential criteria for the post. Please regard this as an opportunity to let us help you by advising us of any aspects which could present difficulties and any suggestions for overcoming these. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 5

Please provide information about your disability, relevant to the post applied for. This information assists us to consider your application on its merits and avoids assumptions being made. In some cases this information is important in terms of Health and Safety, access to work locations, or alerting us to any potential needs for aids/adjustments in the workplace. Reasonable adjustments will be made throughout the selection process, if required, for candidates with disabilities. If you are shortlisted for the next part of the selection process you should notify the local Recruitment Team accordingly of any adjustments required to facilitate your attendance. Equality and Diversity Employment Monitoring Form The Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland recognises the need to ensure equality of opportunity for all applicants and employees and is committed to appointing the most suitable applicant for the role. The Equality, Diversity and Dignity Standard Operating Procedure confirms the Service is committed to eliminating discrimination on the grounds of any protected characteristic or other non-job related factor. Your application will be treated in accordance with this policy. To enable us to monitor the effectiveness of our policy, please complete the Equality and Diversity Employment Monitoring Form. This form will be detached from your application and the information provided will be recorded electronically and retained by the Central Recruitment Team only. The Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland promotes the use of positive action, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, to encourage a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve and therefore welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Submitting Your Application Form Once you have completed all sections of your application form, you should return it along with a completed Equality and Diversity Employment Monitoring Form. Both forms must be received by the Central Recruitment Team no later than 4.30pm on the advertised closing date unless the advert states otherwise. Only completed applications received by this deadline will be considered for shortlisting. It is requested that, where possible, all application forms for police staff vacancies are completed and returned electronically to recruitmentcentre@scotland.pnn.police.uk. If, however, you require to complete the application form by hand you must ensure that your application is posted in time to reach the following address no later than 4.30pm on the advertised closing date unless the advert states otherwise; Central Recruitment Team, Training and Recruitment Centre, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, G75 8GR. If sending your application via post, it is your responsibility to ensure the appropriate postage is paid for the size, type and weight of letter. Forms with insufficient posting may not be delivered in time and will therefore not be included in the shortlisting process. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 6

Additional Information NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED You will receive an email confirmation for receipt of your application form. Thereafter you will be notified via email or letter of the outcome of your application once shortlisting has been completed. If your application has been successful through the shortlisting process, you will be invited to attend a further selection process. As a minimum, this selection process will consist of a competency based interview, although there may be other selection methods used, such as typing tests, psychometric testing, driving assessment etc, depending on the role applied for. Confirmation of any additional selection methods for a role will be detailed in both the job description, role profile/person specification and in the advert. If there is insufficient space provided on any section of the application form to fully answer the question, please attach a continuation sheet to your submission. You must clearly mark which section(s) your additional information applies. However this does not override the direction detailed in Section 9 regarding a limit of 150 words per competency. Interview During any interview you will be asked a number of questions in line with the essential and desirable competencies relating to the role. A full copy of our competency framework is available on our police staff recruitment web pages to allow candidates to prepare for interview. In planning for the interview, you should think carefully about how you might be able to demonstrate to the interview panel that you can meet the criteria. It is useful, for example, to think about experiences you have had which demonstrate particular skills or abilities. You will be required to bring all requested documentation with you to your interview. Confirmation of the required documents will be included in your invite email or letter and will be in line with the guidance outlined above. Additional Screening/Vetting Procedures Vetting Procedures Due to the sensitive nature of the work carried out by the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland, vetting checks must be undertaken in respect of the preferred candidates and his/her immediate family prior to an offer of appointment being made. If you are shortlisted for interview you will be issued with a Police Staff Vetting Form which must be completed and returned at interview stage. You must obtain permission from each person named on the form to include their details. The information provided for vetting will be verified by reference to information already held on computer. This is necessary to firmly establish that if you are the successful applicant there are no concerns regarding your suitability for the post in terms of access to confidential information and/or personal contact. Please place the completed Police Staff Vetting Form in a sealed envelope, marked with your name and the post applied for, and hand this to the interview panel following your interview. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 7

You should note that under the Data Protection Act 1998 (as amended) the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland is a registered data controller, and, as such, the information on this form may be stored on a computer database, or other storage medium. Similarly, in examining the contents of this form, reference may be made to information already held on a database. Medical Screening Once the successful candidate is identified and a provisional offer of employment has been made, there is a requirement to complete a Pre-employment Medical Questionnaire. The completed questionnaire is confidential and will only be considered by the Occupational Health Department to determine whether the individual is fit for the post and to identify any adjustments which may be required. Data Protection Act 1998 Your completed application form, or any other personal information which we obtain about you during the recruitment process, will be stored and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). The data will be processed in relation to your application to work for the Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland, or for the inclusion in your personal records if your application is successful. The application forms and interview notes for unsuccessful applicants will be retained for a period of six months from the date of interview. By submitting an application for employment, you are consenting to the recording and use of the information provided. Further Information Applicants with further queries regarding their application form should contact the Central Recruitment Team by emailing recruitmentcentre@scotland.pnn.police.uk or phoning 01355 566350. Version 1.00 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 8