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Police roles
What is international policing?
British police officers are deployed to PSOs to reform domestic police forces and help them build the respect and confidence of the local community. Less frequently, they may carry out executive policing duties. International policing missions also have an important role in the fight against organised, cross-border crime.
Recruitment and selection
The International Secondments Team (IST) writes to Chief Constables and Police Forces HR departments once a year with an application pack detailing the missions for which the FCO are expecting to make contributions over the following year. Interested officers are asked to apply through their Home Force, and not directly to IST. When vacancies become available officers are offered a place through their Force and then complete training before being deployed to a Mission.
Pre-deployment training and administration
Medical examinations are conducted immediately prior to pre-deployment training. Pre-deployment training covers a wide range of areas including life in mission, mine awareness, firearms, first aid, training with language assistants, political and legal briefings, and scenario based training for the roles officers will carry out in specific missions. In addition, those selected for a position in Iraq also undertake a two-week firearms course.
The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) holds a stock of kit which officers can try on during their pre-deployment course.
Secondment agreement
Once the secondment agreement is signed, a letter of approval for overseas service is issued by the Home Office, the Northern Ireland Office or Scottish Executive under the relevant Police Act. Secondments are for a period of twelve months. Extensions can be requested through the mission locally, apart from those who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan where extensions cannot be requested (unless there is a strong operational case).
Deployment
Contingent Commander
IST also appoints a Contingent Commander to each Mission. The Contingent Commander undertakes this role in addition to the job they are assigned by the mission. The Contingent Commander is the UK officers' first point of contact for welfare, personnel and other support issues. They are also responsible for ensuring that appraisals are completed on time, managing leave and channelling extension requests to IST.
Performance and Development Review and Appraisal System (PDR)
In consultation with the Home Office and HM Inspector of Constabulary, IST introduced a PDR process at the end of 2004 for all serving and retired police officers who are deployed on Missions. The PDR process helps officers set objectives and to record the performance and development of new skills whilst abroad. This is also a very helpful tool to the FCO in assessing officers' experiences in the field and their contribution to the peacekeeping mission in which they serve. The appraisal form is similar to the Police Performance Development Review and its compatibility with the existing police appraisal system should help integrate international experience with the officer's domestic career.
Return and reintegration
The re-integration course
Under ACPO guidelines, Chief Officers are encouraged to give officers a block of 28 days leave when they return to the UK at the end of their deployment, though this remains at the discretion of the officer's Force. Officers will be invited to a re-integration course at MDP Wethersfield at which they are able to discuss any issues they had at post, e.g. with equipment, and make suggestions for future missions. This is very useful to officers and allows the FCO to look at areas for improvement for future deployments.