Information about the role of a police search adviser, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A police search adviser is a specialist operations position within the operational support sector of policing. It's a team leader role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
A police search adviser (PolSA) acts as a chief officer’s adviser on counter terrorism search and other search-related matters, planning searches and controlling search teams on low risk and other police search operations, and supporting and developing search team and force search training.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Conducting required checks prior to searching, liaising with appropriate departments and specialists to assist effective search planning.
- Obtaining and advising on the necessary and required authorities to ensure searches are conducted legally.
- Planning searches in accordance with threat and vulnerability assessments, taking into account the objective of the search, risk assessments, resource requirements (including specialist equipment) and suitably trained personnel and contingencies to mitigate the threat and provide a high level of assurance.
- Briefing and tasking personnel assisting in the search using appropriate briefing guidelines to provide clarity and uniformity to the individuals involved in the operation.
- Conducting safe and thorough systematic searches in accordance with relevant legislation, including human rights legislation, policy and procedures to ensure searches are carried out effectively and safely.
- Recovering exhibits and relevant evidence to assist with prosecutions.
- Managing search operations, responding dynamically when required to ensure the effectiveness of the search is maintained.
- Recording details of searches to comply with legislation and policy.
- Conducting debriefs of involved personnel and input information back into the intelligence system to aid future planning.
- Planning and managing searches for missing people to locate the missing person, protect vulnerable people and gain intelligence and evidence for prosecution if required.
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 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We take ownership – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We collaborate – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We support and inspire – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We analyse critically – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
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.
Education, qualifications and experience
Previous education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following training, learning and qualification requirements should be met.
- Must be a current licensed search officer.
- Successful completion of licensed search officer course level 2 licensed by the College of Policing.
- Confirmed as operationally competent by an in-force mentoring programme signed off by a chief officer.
Learning and accreditation
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following standards, training, learning and accreditation requirements should be met.
- To maintain the accreditation/license the PolSA must undertake a minimum of four searches in a twelve month period with no period of inactivity greater than six months, maintain an operational competence assessment and portfolio log and relicense every three to five years by attending a recognised College of Policing course.
- Complete eight hours compulsory professional development each calendar year as per police search adviser's manual (restricted document).
- 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:
- combining exercises with outside agencies, for example, fire and rescue service, military or search and rescue
- assisting with training packages for search level 1 and level 2 including re-licensing
- keeping up to date with developments within the search community through search news, ops flash or knowledge hub
- attending annual PolSA CPD event(s)
- assisting with College LSO and PolSA courses
- conducting peer reviews of live and historic incidents
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