Detention Officer

Job Description

Employed as a civilian member of staff these officers support the custody sergeant in the care of those in police cells.  Duties could include conducting cell visits, arranging for food service, orgainising medical checks, tidying cells,  taking phone calls for detainees, conducting searches, taking finger prints and writing reports. Detention officers often do shifts in this work and may require you to work weekends, bank holidays, days and nights as required. Entrants to this career are required to undertake an initial training course and obtain home office clearance.  These checks take some time to complete and require you to have 10 years of employment history to account for. 

Their are no set entrance requirments to this career but a good standard of education would be useful as well as an ability to work in a team, show initiative, and be able tostay calm and controlled in potentially stressful situations. Detention officers work for security contracts or can work for local police force's. 

More Information
Met Police Detention Officers Profile
Day in the Life of a Custody Detention Officer

Police Service