Job Advert
**THIS POST IS ADVERTISED REGIONALLY TO ALL 7 FORCES**
Job Title: Senior Technical Surveillance Officer
Salary:£48459 - £52194
Contract Type:Permanent
Location:Wakefield but responsible for YHROCU Geographical Area
Shifts and Allowances
No Shift Allowance
Agile or Office?
Combination of Office and Operational throughout the YHROCU Geographical Area
No Agile Working
Mon-Friday 08:00 – 16:00 with overtime opportunities and a paid 24/7 Operational/Management call out responsibilities on a rota basis
Role Description
The YHROCU Technical Surveillance Unit supports and assists in the gathering of Intelligence and Evidence on behalf of investigations into all levels of criminality with the priority being in support of Serious and Organised Crime, Major Crime investigations and Anti-Corruption. The Senior Technical Surveillance Officer role is critical to ensuring the department successfully obtains and delivers this intelligence and evidence to its customers.
The Senior Technical Surveillance Officer is responsible for the line management, of Technical Surveillance Officers within the team to support the delivery of a high-quality service to our ROCU and Force customers within the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Organised Crime Unit Region (YHROCU).
Role and Responsibilities
•Supervisory responsibility and daily line management of up to 8 staff
•Proactively managing the performance, attendance and wellbeing of police officers and police staff against the required standards
•Provide advice and expertise to support, mentor and manage the Technical Surveillance Officer to ensure staff are performing to the best of their abilities, in accordance with the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP), Regional and National Standard Operating Procedures and guidance, RIPA and IPA Legislation and CAA regulations.
•Attend local and regional covert strategy meetings (CSM) as the departments representative and offer guidance, support, advice in support of a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) operational objectives and strategies.
•To manage, develop and deliver lectures, training, demonstrations and presentations to Police, Police Staff and other agencies on Technical Surveillance related matters
•manage both own and team’s workload to ensure work is evenly distributed across the team and is completed in a timely manner. and is completed with the correct technical response to the highest quality achievable
•Ensuring all relevant administrative work is completed in support of any technical deployment to a high standard to ensure IPCO compliance.
•provide specialist support and technical assistance with covert and overt surveillance operations and to assist in the detection and prevention of serious crime across the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Expectations
•Lead by example and behave in line with the Police Code of Ethics ensuring that the force values and behavioural expectations are clearly understood and considered by managers, officers and staff in their decision making and actions, reinforcing and influencing them through all interactions and processes.
•Proactively manage the performance, attendance and wellbeing of police officers and police staff against the required standards
•Lead by example, treating others with dignity, fairness and respect at all times, regardless of identity, background, status or circumstances.
•Embrace and invest in West Yorkshire Police’s approach and commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI), recognising its importance and value. Implement this commitment wherever possible in day-to-day duties and interactions with colleagues and our communities, with an aim to integrate equality and human rights into everything we do.
•Provide advice and expertise to support, mentor and manage the Technical Surveillance Officer to ensure staff are performing to the best of their abilities, in accordance with the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP), Regional and National Standard Operating Procedures and guidance, RIPA and IPA Legislation and CAA regulations.
•Manage and undertake departmental research and evaluation of new technologies and help manage the implementation and development of new capabilities into the department as tasked by the Regional Technical Surveillance Manager in order to increase the quality, effectiveness and capability of the service provided to our customers.
•Attend local and regional covert strategy meetings (CSM) as the departments representative and offer guidance, support, advice and supporting documentation to all ranks of Police Officers on the departments capabilities and capacity in support of a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) operational objectives and strategy.
•Responsibility for the Installation, onward management and operation of the whole range of specialist electronic surveillance equipment ethically and in accordance with Authorised Professional Practice, RIPA/IPA legislation and CAA regulations ensuring any product obtained is of a high standard for presentation at court.
Essential Criteria
•Relevant degree level qualification OR significant equivalent accredited professional experience.
•Extensive experience working within Technical Surveillance including operational experience deploying Technical Surveillance assets across all aspects of Technical Surveillance.
•Successfully completed all the current relevant College of Policing TSU Courses as per the Authorised Professional Practice.
•Ability to successfully complete any additional relevant College of Policing TSU Courses as per the Authorised Professional Practice.
•Ability to successfully complete all relevant first line manager management courses.
•Current and full UK/European driving licence required and the ability to travel nationally when required
•Prepared to work long and unsociable hours on occasions, often at short notice.
•Can demonstrate the ability to self-motivate and work effectively on own initiative while working and making informed decisions under pressure in stressful and challenging situations.
•Ability to participate in a 24/7 stand-by rota to ensure that short notice operational requirements can be met. Once called out, Staff are expected to be at the identified place of work to commence duty within the hour. Willingness to also participate in the managers call out rota including the gathering and dissemination of information to support the technicians called out.
•Ability to exercise a high degree of confidentiality.
•Excellent supervisory, teamworking, communication and organisational skills required to help successfully deliver Technical Surveillance.
•Ability to undertake and pass management level vetting and Security Clearance vetting.
Benefits
The Yorkshire & Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strive to build a service that reflects a wide variety of skills, knowledge, perspectives and backgrounds, and we particularly encourage applicants from under represented groups.
Previous supervisory or management experience preferably within a technical environment is desirable however training will be provided with a combination of relevant College of Policing and local level 1 management courses.
As a member of West Yorkshire Police, you will have access to discounted goods and services through the Blue Light Card scheme, yearly cycle to work schemes, NHS Salery Sacrifice vehicle leasing scheme and other financial savings and investment opportunities.
How to Apply
Please complete the application questions and attach your CV and Cover Letter detailing why you are suitable for the role, to qualify you MUST redact all personal information:
Name
Age
Sex
Address
Email Address
Closing Date 31st May 2026 23:55hrs
Key Dates:
Shortlisting of candidates will take place early June with interviews to take place towards the end of June.
The successful candidate will be subject to enhanced personal and financial vetting checks prior to appointment.
Unconditional offer will be subject to successful vetting checks
The post is suitable for job share.
West Yorkshire Police is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all minority groups and individuals who identify with one or more of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
Applicants should be aware that it is not always possible to carry out adequate vetting checks on persons who have not been resident within the UK for the last five years. Therefore, where this applies, applicants may be refused because it was not possible to vet them to the appropriate standard.