Apprenticeship training course

Police community support officer (level 4)

Working as part of a neighbourhood policing team to help deal with and prevent crime.

• Qualification level: 4 ; Equivalent to higher national certificate (HNC).
• Typical duration: 12 months
• Apprenticeship category: Protective services
• Maximum funding: £9,000 ; Maximum amount government will fund ; for apprenticeship training.
• Skills:
  Skills an apprentice will learn

  • Foster, promote and maintain channels of communication and develop close working relationships with key groups, multi-agency partners and individuals across the community
  • Communicate effectively, in accordance with the varied needs of differing situations, individuals, groups and communities, including those who may be victims, witnesses and vulnerable people, supporting diversity and inclusivity through their communications
  • Provide initial support to vulnerable people and assess their needs for further support, including providing advice on accessing that support
  • Gather, handle and submit information and intelligence from a variety of sources to support law enforcement and to maximise policing effectiveness
  • Work under the direction of their line managers and community-based Police Constables, contribute to developing, planning and implementing preventative and problem-solving policing approaches to local concerns and issues, including providing assistance to review, analyse and share the results of evidence-based initiatives
  • Work alongside partner organisations or as part of a multi-disciplinary team to improve, mitigate and solve community problems, issues or concerns
  • Provide an initial response to incidents (where necessary) in-line with legal and organisational requirements and the limits of their responsibilities, including appropriate planning (e.g. strategies for managing traffic flow), for responses based on analysis of all relevant information at hand
  • Provide support for victims and witnesses at policing incidents, including advice to identify and access sources of additional support (or accessing sources on behalf of individuals) and post-incident help, and where appropriate, delivering any necessary follow-up assistance
  • Apply appropriate conflict management tactics e.g. appropriate communication (not hands on physical techniques) where absolutely necessary and in-line with the powers bestowed on them, issued equipment (where applicable), the training they have received and organisational policy and procedure

Full information on Police community support officer (level 4) is available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

Find training providers for this course

Apprenticeship location

Check if a provider can offer this training for the apprenticeship location.