Investigation Support Officer

Bellspire Group Ltd; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A public safety organization seeks a motivated Investigation Support Officer to assist in high-quality investigations. Responsibilities include interviewing witnesses, managing evidence, and maintaining communication with victims and social services. Applicants must have a full UK driving licence and be ABE trained. Strong analytical and communication skills are essential for success in contributing to public protection and community safety.

Qualifications

• Experience in safeguarding vulnerable persons.
• Recent experience of criminal investigations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Interview witnesses and victims to collect statements.
• Coordinate and manage seizure of evidence.
• Undertake investigative research and maintain records.
• Support and liaise with victims and witnesses.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Investigative skills

Flexibility

Proficiency in IT applications

Education

Driving licence (full clean UK)

ABE trained

Job description

Hiring Now: Investigation Support Officer - Essex Police (Scale 5)

Location: Sandford Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6DT

Hours: 37 per week

Start Date: 31 December 2025

Duration: 19 Weeks

Status: Police Staff

Overview

Join Essex Police as an Investigation Support Officer (ISO). Essex Police are seeking a highly motivated and detail‑driven Investigation Support Officer to assist in delivering high‑quality investigations and safeguarding outcomes. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with strong analytical, communication, and investigative skills to contribute directly to public protection and community safety.

Main responsibilities

• Interview witnesses and victims of crime, assisting in regard to suspect interviews, taking high quality, accurate statements for inclusion into case files and undertaking assessment of the veracity of statements and the potential reliability of witnesses in Court in order to ensure evidence is correctly captured and recorded to support investigations.
• Coordinate and manage the seizure and viewing of CCTV, viewing material, analysing information, and recording elements in comprehensive reports of evidential and intelligence value; coordinate house to house enquiries in order to support investigations and provide evidence in person at court as required.
• Undertake a range of investigative research through relevant systems and procedures, maintaining accurate records, analysing information, and producing a range of reports, in order to support the investigation of offences by the department.
• Where necessary, support and liaise with victims and witnesses of crime, providing information and updates in relation to case progress and signposting them to the appropriate person, in order to ensure that they receive appropriate support and also to assist in progressing investigations.
• Assist in searches, and act as exhibits officer when appointed, ensuring the integrity of evidence retrieved, recording receipt of exhibits, organising the storage and appropriate security of exhibits, including the handling of hazardous materials and returning items when authorised to do so, in order to ensure the continuity of evidence and the correct recording of physical evidence and property.
• Submit complete and correct paperwork observing the highest professional standards, within set time limits and ensure evidential integrity through the collection of all relevant documentation, information or data that will be required by the officers to form an overall picture of the circumstances of the case.
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and force policy, for example criminal law, PACE, CPIA and RIPA, in order to ensure investigations and documentation is of the highest standard and complies with such legislation and policy.
• Ensure good communication and sharing of information with children's social care, to ensure that child protection case conferences are attended, joint investigative and safeguarding actions are completed, and 3rd party material is obtained and viewed.
• Conduct safeguarding actions as required, as part of the investigative process to ensure risks presented to victims, witnesses and suspects are mitigated.

Qualifications & Experience

• Recruitment vetting required.

Necessary experience: The post holder will be required to travel as part of their duty and therefore a full clean UK driving licence is essential. The post holder is required to be ABE (Achieving Best Evidence) trained.

Desirable qualifications: PIP2 and SOTO (Sexual Offence Trained Officer) qualifications, recent experience of safeguarding vulnerable persons, and recent experience of criminal investigations, conducting interviews and taking statements in investigative process, with both adults and children.

Desirable attributes: High degree of flexibility to accommodate operational needs, highly motivated, pro‑active, excellent communication skills, ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and statutory partners, ability to prioritise workload, work without close supervision, manage multiple cases simultaneously, and proficiency in IT applications and Microsoft Office. Knowledge of force intelligence systems such as Athena and PNC is desirable but training can be provided.

This is a designated post. A high level of integrity is required due to the confidential and sensitive material dealt with by the post holder, with post holders expected to undertake a pre‑employment health surveillance questionnaire prior to acceptance within the post. The post holder may be requested to work extended hours at short notice as required in order to support urgent operational needs, with a requirement to start at other designated locations as required.