Force
Bedfordshire Police
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HIDDEN - Role Type
PCSO Campaign
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Contract Duration
Permanent
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Contract Type
Full Time
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Department
Local Policing - Community
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Location
Kempston
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Grade
Scale 4
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Salary
£27,204 (Up to £34,413.62 with allowances)
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Please note, if this is a paid role and the role is part time then the salary quoted will be pro rata based on the hours worked per annum.
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Allowance
Shift Allowance, Weekend Working Allowance
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Annual weekend working hours
241.20 which monetary value is - £3,401.06 per annum
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Shift allowance %
14%
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Hours / Week
37
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Tenure
Yes
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Tenure period in months
12
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Due to the extensive training programme required for this role, the successful candidate will not be able to apply for another police staff role within Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Hertfordshire police forces for the period of time stipulated above, from their start date. They may apply to be a Police Officer.
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Competency and Value Framework (CVF) Level
1
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Closing Date
30/09/2026, 23:55
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Job Description
This advert is for Bedford/North Bedfordshire and may cover any of the following locations – Bedford, North Rural Bedfordshire including Willington, Shortstown, Clapham, Bromham, Shambrook and Turvey.
Are you somebody who enjoys building relationships and talking to people? Do you like solving problems and thinking on your feet? Would you like to know that every day, you are making a difference to people’s lives?
If you answered ‘yes’ to the above questions, then consider the role of Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) with Bedfordshire Police.
The policing family is an exciting and diverse workforce, and we have many different roles within the force, which includes PCSO. Within this role you will be giving vital support to vulnerable people and victims of crime within our communities, working with both young and old building trust and relationships between the public and the police. You will work alongside regular officers in a dedicated community policing team to help embed neighbourhood policing across the county. We will work with you to maximise and hone your existing skills to help you reach your potential and maintain the highest possible levels of public safety.
Becoming a PCSO can also be an entry route in to policing, if you do not have the relevant qualifications for our PCDA- Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship route, then by completing at least two years as a PCSO you would be deemed as having the necessary experience, and would be equivalent to the level 3 qualification required, (GCSE qualifications would still be needed for the PCDA route).
Full UK manual driving licence is required for the role.
If you wish to apply to start your career as a PCSO, complete the online application form by the closing date.
Your application will be reviewed to ensure you met the eligibility requirements, you will then be invited to undertake SIFT which is an online situational judgement assessment and then a competency-based interview. If successful following these stages your pre-employment checks will include vetting, medical and references.
Due to this role involving shift work, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment with our Occupational Health Unit.
Please note that we are looking to fill intakes over the next year, so your start date may not be immediately after all your checks are complete.
Please note: This role has been identified as high-risk in relation to potential DNA and fingerprint contamination within forensic processes. As such, successful candidates will be required to provide a DNA and fingerprint elimination sample as part of their pre-employment checks.
The sample will be used to conduct a speculative search against our database and then solely for contamination elimination purposes and held on a secure elimination database in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR.
Provision of this sample is a condition of employment for roles identified as high-risk.
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For more information on the Competency Values Framework (CVF) please click HERE
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Help us deliver outstanding policing for everyone.
We believe that to serve our communities effectively, we need people from all backgrounds, bringing a wide range of life and professional experiences. This helps us reflect the communities we serve and ensures we deliver the best possible service.
Why Choose a Career in Policing?
Bedfordshire Police is recognised as a pioneering and forward-thinking service, responsible for policing a large, diverse, and multicultural population.
If you're looking for a meaningful and rewarding career—where you can make a real difference, take on new challenges, and gain a wide variety of experiences—then we want to hear from you.
What We Offer
We’re proud to support our people with a comprehensive benefits package, including:
Pension Schemes: Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, with employer contributions and death-in-service benefits.
Generous Annual Leave: 24 to 33 days (depending on rank and length of service).
Sick Pay: Up to six months full pay and six months half pay (depending on service).
Family Leave: Occupational maternity, adoption, and paternity pay (depending on service).
Carers and Discretionary Leave
Flexible Working: Including compressed hours, flexible shifts, job sharing, annualised hours, and agile working (role dependent).
Wellbeing Support: Local wellbeing teams, on-site gym facilities and exercise classes (location dependent).
Sports & Social Clubs: Enjoy discounts, trips, and events through our dedicated clubs.
Cycle to Work Scheme
Blue Light Card App: Option to sign up for discounts in-store and online for emergency service workers.
Financial Support: Access to Police Mutual for savings plans, insurance, loans, and independent financial advice.
Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential support for personal and professional wellbeing.
Staff Support Networks: Including groups for Black and Minority Ethnic colleagues, LGBTQ+ colleagues, disability awareness, menopause support, faith-based groups, and more.
Trade Union Membership: Access to UNISON.
Career Development: Opportunities for progression, promotion, and leadership training.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to building a workforce that is inclusive and truly representative of the communities we serve. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, especially those currently under-represented in policing, including:
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities
People of all ages and abilities
All faiths and religions
LGBTQ+ communities
Individuals from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds
All applications are assessed fairly and based on the evidence you provide and your suitability for the role.
Disability Confident Logo
Recruitment and Selection Policy
Internal applicants who are at risk of redundancy or in need of redeployment and pass the selection process, will be offered the role over the remaining internal and external applicants.
Police Barred and Advisory Lists
Individuals placed on the Police Barred and Advisory lists will not be considered for employment by the police for a minimum of 5 years from the date of listing in the case of gross misconduct, or 3 years from the date of listing in the case of poor performance.
Vetting and Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and operate safer recruitment processes, to ensure a police service that employees are proud to work for because they feel safe, valued and part of a happy and supportive work environment. All employees and volunteers therefore will be subject to background checks including vetting and references.
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Document
Beds Police Community Support Officer Role Profile.pdf – 3137KB Opens in a new window
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Bedfordshire PCSO Shift Pattern.docx.pdf – 23KB Opens in a new window
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PCSO leaflet.pdf – 2142KB Opens in a new window
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Bedfordshire Police recognises the growing use of AI tools in preparing job applications. While these tools can support you in expressing your skills and experience more effectively, their use must align with the principles of honesty, integrity, originality, and personal accountability. We want to learn about you and your own personal experiences and how these make you suitable for the role, this will be assessed throughout the recruitment process including at interview, which AI cannot replace. Please click HERE to find out more about the acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in our recruitment process.
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