Response Constable

This profile has recently been updated to include the CVF 2024 and core skills, and the new version can be found on College Learn by entering the Profile title in the search function. Please note this profile is out of date and is in the process of being reviewed.

Response Constables provide frontline response to a wide range of incidents that may include complex and confrontational situations.

• Respond to a wide range of incidents in an appropriate, professional and timely manner, in accordance with guidance, policies and procedures, in order to support public confidence in policing.
• Assess immediate threat, harm, risk and vulnerability to determine a proportionate response in line with the law, policy and guidance to protect life and property, preserve order, prevent the commission of offences and bring offenders to justice.
• Take initial control of the incident as the primary agency, and where appropriate liaise with supervision, partners and other agencies to develop initial and dynamic working strategies.
• Conduct efficient and effective investigations, determining the significance of information, intelligence and evidence from a variety of sources to generate lines of enquiry, inform decision making, achieve appropriate disposals that are public-focused and to support evidence based policing.
• Engage with victims, witnesses, and the vulnerable, in accordance with equality, diversity and human rights considerations, to provide initial support in line with the victim codes of practice.
• Identify and manage suspects in line with codes of practice and legislation to achieve the agreed working strategies.
• Maintain awareness of actual and potential risks to individuals, groups and businesses, taking appropriate action to protect and support those in need of public protection to pre-empt or effectively address safety / vulnerability issues.
• Collate and record information, intelligence and evidence gathered, where appropriate recording crimes and incidents in accordance with national standards, to ensure the investigation can proceed promptly and effectively.
• Justify and professionally account for actions and outcomes to ensure adherence to legal frameworks and key working principles, policies and guidance

Prior Education and Experience:

• Experience of attending incidents and problem solving, particularly in difficult circumstances, including major and critical incidents and in the application of Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP) principles
• Experience of applying the National Decision Model and 10 Principles of Risk

Skills:

• Strong communication skills with the ability to present and set out logical arguments clearly and adapt language, form and message to meet the needs of different people / audiences.
• Good team working skills demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support as required.
• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders, understanding their needs and concerns.
• Skilled in applying specialised driving skills, where trained, to provide an appropriate response to incidents.
• Problem solving skills with the ability to identify cause and effect and develop a course of action designed to target root causes as well as manage impacts.
• Able to interpret and apply guidance to a specific activity.
• Able to critically question and identify potential opportunities to enhance efficiency and/or effectiveness within own area of work.
• Able to identify, analyse and manage risk to inform balanced, proportionate, evidence based decisions.
• Able to review and reflect on own performance objectively and to develop and follow an appropriate improvement plan.
• Good time management skills with the ability to appropriately prioritise and plan own work.
• Able to interact positively with the public and consider the impact public perceptions of procedural justice have on policing.
• Able to provide first aid to an appropriate level.
• Skilled in applying personal safety tactics, including de-escalation through effective communication and the use of appropriate tactical options, including equipment and restraints.
• Skilled in the use of standard and specialist IT software and equipment to fulfil role requirements.
• Able to develop and maintain professional resilience in dealing with complex and challenging situations.

• Maintain an up to date understanding of Police Regulations and College of Policing Guidance, best practice and any local policy applicable to the operational police context.
• Maintain and update key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to criminology, legislation, policy and practice across all functional policing areas of operational policing.
• Maintain knowledge and understanding of new approaches identified by evidence based policing research and problem solving, test and synthesise these into working practice, championing innovation and changes to practice.
• Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving crime threats and priorities and current best practice to tackle these in order to enable a pro-active and preventative approach.
• Maintain personal resilience through understanding the health and wellbeing of yourself and others.
• Identify and share ways to enable continuous and public-focused improvement to the service.
• Complete all annual and mandatory training.

Not applicable.

• Police Constable
• Response Sergeant
• Response Inspector