Detention Officer - Male Only

Cheshire Constabulary; Runcorn; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Shift allowance 20%

Job summary

Cheshire Police in the United Kingdom is recruiting Detention Officers for permanent roles across custody suites. The successful candidate will support custody officers in detention, welfare of detainees and property, and the administration of the Custody Service.

The Detention Officer will handle routine duties including restraining detainees when required, photographing and fingerprinting, and security checks.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a people-oriented environment
• Must pass a relevant PNC course
• Must be able to work a 24 hour shift pattern
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Basic literacy and numeracy skills

Responsibilities

• Provide assistance to custody officers and independently restrain detainees when necessary
• Administer support and manage detainees' welfare and property
• Control detainee movement within the cell area and supervise visits
• Ensure detainees' health and welfare needs are met
• Respond to inquiries related to detained persons

Skills

Communication skills

Literacy & numeracy

Conflict management

Teamwork

Education

PNC course

Job description

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.

Shift Allowance

Allowance percentage 20%

37

Closing Date 18/10/2026, 23:55

Detention Officer, Permanent Opportunity working within the Custody Suites

Cheshire Police are currently seeking to recruit Detention Officers to ensure the current demand and requirements are met across our range of custody suites. Due to the nature of the role and the statutory requirements when handling detainees, and our current staffing the Constabulary are specifically seeking to appoint male applicants only for this role at this time, as there is a genuine occupational requirement for additional male Detention Officers.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a permanent male Detention Officer to work in the Custody Suites. The successful candidate will work within the Custody team providing support and assistance to the Custody officer in the detention and welfare of detained persons and their property, and the administration of the Custody Service.

The Detention Officer will be involved in managing the day to day of wellbeing and management of detainees, take photographs, fingerprints and perform non-intimate searches with or without consent and ensure appropriate bagging of exhibits. The Detention Officer will search cells and rooms within the cell area, check visitors and their baggage to ensure no breaches of security.

The main responsibilities will be…..

• Provide assistance to a police officer or independently to restrain, using reasonable force, detained persons who become violent and place those persons in a contained environment, ensuring that any damage to the property or equipment is reported to the custody officer.
• Administration support.
• Control the movement of detainees within the cell area in relation to exercise periods, toilet facilities and to supervise visits by official representatives and relatives ensuring that security considerations are complied with.
• Ensure that all prisoner’s health and welfare needs are attended to and met.
• When necessary deal with all enquiries in relation to detained persons.

For more detail information, please review the Role Profile attached

Do you have the right skills and experience?

• Basic literacy and numeracy skills.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience of working within a people orientated environment.
• Typically some experience of supervising people in an institutionalised environment will be an indication of a candidate’s range of acquired skills.
• Specific training will be provided.
• Must be able to pass a relevant PNC course.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Must be able to work a 24 hour shift pattern of work.

This recruitment is seeking to balance the male/female ratio of Detention Officers to meet the requirements made from the ratio of male/females detainees. As a result positive action under section 159 of the Equality Act will be applied at interview as part of this process.

Cheshire Police seek to recruit Male Detention Officers to ensure the current demand and requirements are met of male detainees. Of the arrests that are made in Cheshire on average over 80% are male detainees. At present there are more female Detention Officers than male. Part of the Detention Officer duties involve searching / supervision of detainees and in some cases this involves assisting Police Officers conduct strip searches so the Detention Officers must be of the same gender.

FOR POLICE OFFICER NEW RECRUITS ONLY

FOR POLICE OFFICER NEW RECRUITS ONLY The Constabulary recognises that some may possess additional skills such as fluency in other languages; if you have such a skill and are willing to be contacted about this potentially being considered in relation to deployment and posting decisions, please highlight this in the application. Please note that any posting decision will be made by the organisation as is its prerogative however in circumstances where there is a cultural-competence/skill that may also enhance the Constabulary's service to its communities then in consultation with an individual and their consent then a posting may be agreed accordingly.

Please note the following Custody locations within Cheshire - Middlewich, Blacon, Runcorn

The Competency Values Framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes behaviours required by all officers and members of staff and it will be used in the recruitment process to assess your suitability for the role to which you are applying.

It is not a requirement that you should have a detailed knowledge of the framework, should you wish to familiarise yourself with it to support you in the recruitment process please follow the below link.

Cheshire Constabulary is fully supportive of diversity, equality and inclusion and strives to employ a workforce which is representative of the community it serves.

Applications are welcomed from all underrepresented groups and support will be made available throughout the recruitment process for all applicants. Under-represented groups include:

• People of ethnic minority
• Individuals who identify as having a visible or invisible disability
• Gender in relation to female representation for PC entry routes
• Gender in relation to male representation for Staff entry routes