Information about the role of a police personal watercraft rider, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A police personal watercraft rider is a specialist operations position within the operational support sector of policing. It's a service deliverer role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
The role of the police personal watercraft (PPW) rider is to conduct safe, effective and lawful marine policing operations, helming and navigating PPWs, to deliver operational policing tasks, in accordance with statutory regulations and National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) guidance.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Operating in accordance with The Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) Regulations 2023and the Workboat Code Edition 3 - Annex 3 The Safety of Police Boats (SoPB), to ensure safety and legal compliance.
- Helming the PPW during the landing and recovery of passengers and equipment at unconventional landing sites, including beaches, fixed ladders, piers, rocks and structures, to ensure safety under varying environmental conditions.
- Helming the PPW during response, vectoring and pacing operations at both low and high speed, positioning and shepherding and positional dominance, in accordance with national guidance, policy and procedure, to ensure effective marine policing operations.
- Leading tactical decision making by considering real-time situational information, risk assessment and operational options, to ensure a safe, lawful and proportionate marine policing response.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 1: practitioner
- We take ownership – Level 1: practitioner
- We collaborate – Level 1: practitioner
- We support and inspire – Level 1: practitioner
- We analyse critically – Level 1: practitioner
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 1: practitioner
Values
The CVF has three values that apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. These are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing. This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
- Communicating and influencing – Level 1
- Problem solving – Level 1
- Performance management – Level 1
- Relationship management – Level 1
- Change management – Level 1
- Managing people – Level 1
- Managing resources – Level 1
- Planning – Level 1
- Use of IT – Level 1
Education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following standards, training and qualifications should be met.
Previous education, qualifications and experience
- Successful completion of the operational passenger course delivered by an NPCC-approved marine policing trainer.
In-role education, qualifications and experience
Where no existing external powerboat certification is held, successful achievement of the following minimum qualifications must be obtained before being authorised to undertake the role of PPW rider.
- Successful completion of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) personal watercraft one-day course.
- Successful completion of the RYA powerboat level two qualification or powerboat advanced certificate of competence.
- Successful completion of an RYA basic sea survival qualification.
- Successful completion of a marine VHF operator qualification.
- Successful completion of a Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)-approved first aid qualification.
- Successful completion of a police-endorsed ML5 or ENG1 medical examination.
Where external powerboat certification is held, this will be subject to review and assessment by an NPCC-approved marine policing trainer, to ensure the following minimum certification before being authorised to undertake the role of PPW rider.
- An RYA personal watercraft one-day course or equivalent certification
- An RYA powerboat level two qualification, powerboat advanced certificate of competence or equivalent certification.
- An RYA or equivalent International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) basic sea survival certificate.
- A marine VHF operator's certificate.
- An MCA-approved first aid certificate.
- An ML5 or ENG1 medical certificate.
- Successful completion of the PPW qualification delivered by an NPCC-approved marine policing trainer.
- Successful completion of public and personal safety training (PPST).
- Successful completion of job-related fitness test (JRFT) to the level required for the role.
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence. CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR) conversations.
Learning and accreditation
In addition to meeting all MCA statutory requirements, the following training and registration requirements should be maintained to ensure operational competence and effective performance in the role.
- Undertaking a minimum of eight hours of CPD every 12 months.
- Ensuring that no period of marine policing inactivity exceeds six months (183 days).
- Complete all core training and learning as required by the force.
- Any exemptions to learning and accreditation requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy.
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- maintaining currency of knowledge and understanding regarding changes to legislation, national policy and guidance applicable to marine policing
- maintaining currency of knowledge and understanding regarding new and innovative approaches to marine policing as identified by evidence-based policing research and problem-solving
- maintaining a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving crime threats and priorities and current good practice to tackle these to enable a proactive and preventative approach
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