Communications Operator North Wales Police

Cambria; St Asaph; Remote; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

North Wales Police is recruiting Communications Operators for the Force Control Room in St Asaph to handle 999/101 calls and coordinate police response across North Wales. The role requires initial training, the ability to work within a busy, bilingual environment, and a commitment to high-quality service.

Permanent positions are 37 hours per week on a shift pattern; a Welsh language Level 3 is required. Training is Mon–Fri for 6 weeks, with a 4-on, 4-off shift cycle thereafter.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in communication/business/customer field.
• Typing speed of ~25–30 wpm.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team or independently.
• Computer literate with Windows systems.
• Problem solving skills and ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
• Good geographical knowledge of North Wales.
• Demonstrate Welsh language level 3 or higher.

Responsibilities

• Answer 999 and 101 calls and dispatch police to incidents.
• Record intelligence to inform policing operations.
• Provide crime reduction advice and reassurance to callers.
• Collaborate with emergency services and partner agencies.
• Complete full-time training Mon–Fri in St Asaph or Colwyn Bay during first 6 weeks.
• Operate in a bilingual environment with Welsh language requirements.

Skills

NVQ Level 3

Typing 25–30 wpm

Communication skills

Teamwork

Windows IT literacy

Problem solving

Calm under pressure

Welsh language level 3

North Wales geography

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Communication/Business/Customer field

Tools

Windows OS

Job description

We are currently recruiting for both permanent and temporary vacancies. Permanent positions are 37 hours per week on a shift pattern. Temporary positions are available for 6-12 months and are day shifts only. Please note the temporary role does not attract shift or weekend allowances.

Our Force Control room based in St Asaph is where ourCommunications Operatorsanswer 999 calls and non-emergency 101 calls, as well as sending police officers to incidents across North Wales. Our operators are hard at work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year keeping North Wales safe.

The role of a North Wales PoliceCommunications Operator, is one of the most rewarding and varied roles you are ever likely to have. This rewarding career offers an opportunity to play a pivotal role in the force and join a unique profession where you can really make a difference and take a great sense of pride in doing so. No two days are the same for our Communication Operators, one minute you could be taking the details of a missing person and the next you could be sending officers to reports of a robbery in progress.

Initial investigation– you will be trained to ask initial questions to establish the risk/severity and if there are any lines of enquiry or investigation such as evidence, or forensic opportunities. You will manage expectations of the reporting person providing crime reduction advice and reassurance.

Partners– you will work with other emergency services and partner agencies, supporting the work they do and arranging for police involvement where this is needed.

Advice– many of the non-emergency calls received are resolved by our communication operators. This could be through offering advice or signposting members of public to more appropriate agencies when it is not a matter dealt with by the police. With each contact you will be managing expectations advising what police can and cannot do.

Recording intelligence – from information given by our communities you’ll be identifying and recording information to share with other parts of the organisation, to inform our future policing operations.

Service delivery– you will be part of a professional team who deliver a good service by being focused and alert to deal with whatever the next call could bring and dealing with sometimes constant calls to a professional standard.

Shift Patterns

You will be part of a shift rota, pre-planned for 32 weeks in advance if you are full time worker and pre-planned 64 weeks in advance if you are a part time worker, providing you with ample time to pre-plan your calendar to fit in your personal life alongside your profession.

The core shift pattern is 4 on, 4 off (10,11 and 12 hour shifts, 2 days followed by 2 nights).

Example shift pattern

Day
Shift Pattern
1
7am – 7pm
2
7am – 7pm
3
7pm – 7am
4
7pm – 7am
5
Rest Day
6
Rest Day
7
Rest Day
8
Rest Day
times and shifts will vary

For the first 6 weeks within the role, you will undertake full time training from Monday to Friday in either St Asaph or Force HQ in Colwyn Bay, to ensure you are fully confident in undertaking this unique position. As you will not be working shifts or weekends during this training period you will not attract shift and weekend working payments.

To be considered for the role you will need to evidence in your application;
You have an NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification, in Communication/Business/Customer related field, or an equivalent amount of proven relevant experience.
You can type around 25 – 30wpm.
You have good communication skills together with the ability to work well in a team environment or on your own initiative.
You are computer literate to an intermediate level together with windows systems and/or relevant experience.
You have the ability to evidence problem solving skills.
You have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
You have good geographical knowledge of North Wales.

North Wales Police are a bilingual organisation and for this role, you’ll need to demonstrate a minimum of level 3 Welsh skills.

This Vacancy is to fill intakes in 2027