Contact Management Centre Officer - Apprenticeship (Kidlington)

Thames Valley Police

Oxford Spires Business Park (OX5 1NZ)

Closes in 11 days (Sunday 18 January 2026)

Posted on 5 January 2026

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Summary

Our teams are the first point of contact for over 1000 emergency and over 2200 non-emergency phone calls and over 100 interactions via our digital platforms every day. As a Police Call Handler, you will perform one of the most demanding roles in the modern police force and one which is key to inspiring satisfaction and confidence in the community.

Wage

£36,644 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Please see the Thames Valley Careers site for more information on our benefit schemes

Training course
Emergency contact handler (level 3)
Hours
6 on 4 off. 2 earlies ranging from 07:00 to 17:00. 2 lates ranging from 10:00 to 02:00 (Sun-Thurs) or 03:00 (Fri & Sat). 2 Nights ranging from 21:00 to 07:00.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 18 May 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

30

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • Handling emergency and non-emergency calls. You will have to be able to remain calm whilst taking control of a call and getting as much information as possible by asking the right questions and recording that information so it is relayed to the officers responding
  • Crime Recording - using our systems to take reports of crime and making sure everything is recorded according to guidelines.
  • Working with partner agencies to record other incidents in which the Police play a role
  • Signposting members of public to more appropriate agencies when it is not a matter dealt with by Police
  • Dealing with requests/queries via online platforms

Where you'll work

Thames Valley Police
Oxford Spires Business Park
OX5 1NZ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

THE CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THAMES VALLEY

Training course

Emergency contact handler (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Use appropriate sector specific phraseology.
  • Operate communication systems.
  • Operate software systems.
  • Communicate in a calm manner considering the caller’s circumstances.
  • Build and establish appropriate rapport.
  • Use clear language to convey instructions, avoiding jargon and sector specific terminology.
  • Overcome barriers to effective communication.
  • Use appropriate questioning techniques to gather relevant information to the incident.
  • Use appropriate listening techniques to gather relevant information to the incident.
  • Record relevant information appropriate to the incident accurately, clearly and concisely and review information already held on the incident where applicable.
  • Manage the expectations of the public, colleagues, internal and external partner organisations.
  • Provide advice or information appropriate to the incident, giving safety advice when necessary and adapting response when required.
  • Identify and assess risk, take action and record appropriately.
  • Update internal and external colleagues when applicable.
  • Decide and apply grading or prioritisation guidelines appropriate to the incident.
  • Analyse information and apply relevant policy, procedures or regulations appropriate to the incident.
  • Advise on the appropriate course of action, signposting to other organisations when required.
  • Undertake tasks simultaneously, seeking assistance when necessary.
  • Complete any resulting actions accurately and efficiently at the end of the contact
  • Use appropriate sector specific phraseology.
  • Operate communication systems.
  • Operate software systems.
  • Communicate in a calm manner considering the caller’s circumstances.
  • Build and establish appropriate rapport.
  • Use clear language to convey instructions, avoiding jargon and sector specific terminology.
  • Overcome barriers to effective communication.
  • Use appropriate questioning techniques to gather relevant information to the incident.
  • Use appropriate listening techniques to gather relevant information to the incident.
  • Record relevant information appropriate to the incident accurately, clearly and concisely and review information already held on the incident where applicable.
  • Manage the expectations of the public, colleagues, internal and external partner organisations.
  • Provide advice or information appropriate to the incident, giving safety advice when necessary and adapting response when required.
  • Identify and assess risk, take action and record appropriately.
  • Update internal and external colleagues when applicable.
  • Decide and apply grading or prioritisation guidelines appropriate to the incident.
  • Analyse information and apply relevant policy, procedures or regulations appropriate to the incident.
  • Advise on the appropriate course of action, signposting to other organisations when required.
  • Undertake tasks simultaneously, seeking assistance when necessary.
  • Complete any resulting actions accurately and efficiently at the end of the contact

Training schedule

  • The apprenticeship takes approximately 18 months to achieve. Once completed, you will receive a level 3 apprenticeship in emergency service contact handling
  • During the apprenticeship you will receive structured on and off-the-job development, which will include classroom training and personalised tutoring, to develop your competence in responding to emergency and non-emergency calls
  • The on and off-the-job development includes the use of communication systems and software, communication skills, risk assessment and decision-making, and technical knowledge and understanding of incidents relevant to policing
  • The development is predominately delivered in blocks of learning
  • The first 5 weeks of training will most likely be based at Kidlington (HQ North or South). After that, it will be at the location you are applying for

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4/C)
  • Maths (grade 4/C)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Team working
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

Please note due to the sensitivity of the role you must be 18 years or over at point of application Please note all applicants must attend an awareness session to progress to the next stage, please note we have the current dates upcoming; Wednesday 21st January 2026 at 18:00 until 19:30 and Thursday 22nd January 2026 at 18:00 until 19:30.

For more information on this role and Thames Valley Police as a company please visit https://tvpcareers.co.uk/roles/contact-management-999-101-call-handler/

About this employer

Preventing and thoroughly investigating crime, supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice. This commitment can’t be achieved by any one person alone; it relies upon a team of over 8,000 staff, officers and volunteers, working alongside partner agencies and the public. Together, we aim to build stronger, more resilient communities, providing a modern police force which meets the needs of the public we serve. Exciting challenges lie ahead – new digital technologies and ways of working are transforming the way we protect our communities. To ensure we deliver a high-quality service, we require the very best talent to be a part of the TVP family. This is your opportunity to take on a role with pride and confidence, inspiring change in our communities. It’s a unique and rewarding career. A career worth living.

https://tvpcareers.co.uk/roles/contact-management-999-101-call-handler/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Progression opportunities include:

  • Those within the department and control room, such as becoming a supervisor or/and operational manager
  • Becoming a Police Officer
  • Applying for internal roles within Thames Valley Police

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THAMES VALLEY

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000006509.

Apply now

Closes in 11 days (Sunday 18 January 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.