Forensic Identification Trainee

Sussex Police; Lewes; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Sussex Police as a Trainee Forensic Identification Officer, where you'll work in a collaborative team dedicated to safeguarding vulnerable individuals. In this role, you will undergo extensive training in fingerprint identification and contribute significantly to criminal investigations, providing expert testimony in court as needed. We offer a supportive environment and a commitment to career progression within the police force.

Benefits

Career progression

Contributory pension scheme (LGPS)

Generous annual leave allowance

Discounts for everyday spend

On-site gyms

Generous parental leave

Financial and mental wellbeing support

Discounted healthcare scheme

Qualifications

• Ability to analyse and think using visual images.
• Willingness to undertake Police and computer systems training.
• Good eyesight to carry out meticulous work.

Responsibilities

• Perform fingerprint analysis and identification using ACE-V methodology.
• Undertake training and maintain competence through regular testing.
• Provide specialist advice to Investigating Officers.

Skills

Numeracy

Literacy

Analytical Thinking

Attention to Detail

Education

Good standard of education

Job description

This role is within a unit where Surrey Police and Sussex Police work in collaboration, whilstremaining two separate legal entities/employers with different terms and conditions.

Both Surrey Police staff and Sussex Police staff are employed in this unit on their own force terms and conditions.

Successful candidates may be appointed on the terms and conditions of employment of either Surrey Police or Sussex Police, depending on organisational requirements. A discussion will be held with the successful candidate to confirm the details of location, salary, allowances and hours.

Division / Department - Specialist Crime
Grade - Surrey Police Grade F / Sussex Police Grade 9
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - Surrey Police £30,495 - £35,020 / Sussex Police £29,649 - £32,247
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week
Shift Allowance - Yes
Politically Restricted - No
Location - Lewes

The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.

Chief Constables' Message

We really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe.

We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you.

We wish you all the very best with your application.

The Role & Key Responsibilities

From your first day with us you will be part of a policing family making a real difference.

It is our mission to identify and protect vulnerable people, prevent and respond to harm and keep people safe.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our small but dedicated team in the Forensic Identification Services Unit (FISU) as a Trainee Forensic Identification Officer. Based in HQ Lewes this is a Sussex Police based role and as such you would be employed on Sussex Police terms and conditions.

This is anoffice based role and as a Trainee Forensic Identification Officer, you will be responsible for providing an accurate and efficient service using friction ridge detail as a positive means of identification.

Fingerprint Identification is achieved by analysing and comparing friction ridge detail from different sources (e.g. an area of friction ridge detail from a crime scene with a corresponding area of friction ridge detail from a fingerprint form), using ACE –V methodology. An Identification is made when it is determined by the practitioner, that in their opinion, both areas were made by the same person.

You will undertake initial Fingerprint Training, which may be external or in house and continue your training for approximately three years. Ultimately gaining Fingerprint Expert status. You will subsequently, professionally gather and report evidence to assist in the investigation of crime and support the prosecutions of offenders and provide Expert Witness Evidence in court.

You will ensure that all of your duties are performed in accordance with customer expectations and in line with the FISU Service Level Agreement and all other documented procedures, working in an ISO 17025 accredited environment.

You will enhance, analyse, compare and evaluate crime scene marks against elimination fingerprints and nominated suspects and utilise the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, to establish or exclude identity to support investigations and criminal justice requirements. Ensuring that all actions are recorded and retained for audit, adhering to Bureau Procedures in line with ISO 17025, legislation and the Forensic Regulators Code of Practice.

You will be point of contact for Investigating Officers and other key customers to provide specialist advice in line with FISU Service Level Agreements.

You will be responsible for prioritising your workload and maintain an active working knowledge of changes in technology and legislation relating to fingerprint identifications via mandated courses and independent research and be involved in project groups as new processes and procedures are developed and introduced.

You will be expected to undertake the day to day routine maintenance of equipment including validation and calibration in line with ISO 17025.

You will be required to undertake external and in house training in fingerprint examination and complete the units defined in the Fingerprint Training Plan to achieve and maintain competence of fingerprint examination through regular competency testing and peer review

Skills & Experience

The essential skills for this role are that you have a good standard of education with proven numeracy and literacy skills

Training, both in house and externally is mandatory and you may be expected to attend external residential training courses.

You must be able to demonstrate an aptitude to perceive, analyse and think using visual images (there will be an assessment and aptitude test as part of the recruitment process).

You will progress through a training and development programme designed to provide the skills to fulfil the role and work independently. You will be able to do this once you have successfully completed a training program, fulfilled the key accountabilities and demonstrate competence as outlined in the competency framework. This will include assessment of technical knowledge and practical skills. Completion is dependent upon passing training courses and you completing the various requirements of the training and development plan. It is envisaged that this will normally take approximately three years but is very much dependent on the individual and may take longer.

You need an aptitude to study and maintain records of continued professional development and competence.

You will be eager and willing to undertake training on all required Police and other bespoke computer systems.

You will need to undergo security vetting to the appropriate level.

Good eyesight (with or without correction) is required in order to carry out detailed and meticulous work.

There will be a Training Contract applied to this role, which will require training fees to be repaid should you leave within 12 months of the initial training course or after 12 months of any subsequent courses.

Why Work With Us?

Policing is an exciting 24/7 business and we all have commitments outside work. We’re invested in supporting people to balance their life with work and we encourage flexible working. We are open to conversations about job shares and part time working. We encourage agile working, giving you the opportunity to manage your own diary and work wherever you give the best service to the public. This may include flexi-time and home working.

We take pride in looking after our people and offer a variety of benefits;

• career progression
• contributory pension scheme (LGPS)
• generous annual leave allowance
• discounts for everyday spend
• on-site gyms and a range of sports clubs
• generous and supportive parental leave
• financial and mental wellbeing guidance and support
• discounted contributory healthcare scheme

The closing date for applications is 12th August 2025.

The estimated dates for assessment to be held is the middle of September 2025, with successful candidates being invited for interview at the beginning of October 2025.

Unsuccessful interviewees who achieve the required benchmark set by the recruiting officers will be held in a pool for 6 months and may be contacted and offered a position should any further vacancies arise.

For any further information regarding this role please contact:

We are only as good as our people. It's important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach, and the skills that diversity brings; all of which help us to deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.

We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of Disability Confident, hold Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status, are a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and are aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.

We are committed to being an anti-racist police service. We promise to challenge injustice, ensure fairness and to uphold anti-racist principles in both our organisation and our communities. For more information, you can read our full anti-racism statement here .

We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status, or religious belief, we would love to hear from you.

Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly. You may wish to consider [e-mail] your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.

This post is being advertised in parallel with Force redeployment processes. Any redeployees who are identified will be given preference. This may result in the post being withdrawn at any point during the recruitment process.

Please note that not all jobs are available for internal candidates across both Forces, the current agreed recruitment principles are;

• vacancies in collaborated units are available to all officers and staff across both Forces
• vacancies in non-collaborated units are only available to officers and staff within the Force with the vacancy unless it is advertised externally
• if the vacancy is advertised externally and an officer or member of staff from the other Force is successful it will result in a transfer of employment

Surrey Police and Sussex Police Special Constables, Volunteers and Agency Staff (excluding self employed workers) covered under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) are eligible to apply for internal advertised posts.