Fingerprint Expert

About the Opportunity:

A rare opportunity has arisen to work in the Staffordshire Police Fingerprint Bureau as a Fingerprint Expert, based at Staffordshire Police Headquarters, Weston Road, Stafford.

The position is open to fully qualified Fingerprint Experts (Fingerprint Examiner- Reporting) with recent experience of working in an ISO 17025 accredited UK Fingerprint Bureau.

Applications for the role will also be considered from suitably qualified Fingerprint Officers (Fingerprint Examiner non-reporting) currently working in a UK Fingerprint Bureau.

In order to be considered for this role as a Fingerprint Officer, you must:

• Have passed the initial Fingerprint Course and be able to provide evidence of ongoing competency as a Fingerprint Officer covering a minimum period of two years’ service in an ISO 17025 accredited UK Fingerprint Bureau.
• Be willing to complete an Advanced Fingerprint Course and work towards achieving competency in order to qualify as a Fingerprint Expert.

A Progression bar will be placed on the ‘G’ grade (HR to advise point on pay scale) for this post until successful completion of the Advanced Fingerprint Course & qualification as a Fingerprint Expert has been achieved.

Staffordshire Police is continually striving to deliver the best possible service for the county’s residents, businesses and visitors. It is a fast-paced organisation, adaptive to modern policing needs and open to continual improvement.

Everyone who works for the force has an important role to play in shaping the future of Staffordshire Police. The force seeks people who will champion new ways of working, be collaborative and agile and represent in a fair and ethical manner those that Staffordshire Police serves.

The purpose of the role is to provide an accredited, high quality and effective Fingerprint service for Staffordshire Police.

The Fingerprint Expert’s primary role is to enhance, analyse, compare, evaluate and verify friction ridge detail marks using the ISO 17025 accredited and Forensic Science Regulators Statutory Codes of Practice compliant remote transmission and manual checking processes to identify and exclude individuals to support investigations.

You will also use the IDENT1 fingerprint system to search marks to identify individuals against the criminal records, Immigration and PRUM Fingerprints databases.

Requirements of the role:

As a Fingerprint Expert you will have excellent written and oral communication skills, a high level of attention for detail and shall be expected to undertake the following:

Ensure that all fingerprint work is carried out in compliance with documented standard operating procedures and is completed in a timely manner to meet customer agreed service levels.

Independent verification of the evaluation decisions of other Fingerprint Experts in the Bureau to provide results which will be used to support the investigation of crime.

Produce and provide reports, statements and written and oral fingerprint evidence and intelligence.

To provide specialist advice, expert opinion and interpretation to assist colleagues and the wider criminal justice system. This will involve liaising with Police Officers and staff of all ranks, both within and outside of the organisation.

Record evidence of ongoing competency through the use of dip sampling, peer review and the participation in inter-lab comparisons, proficiency and competency testing.

Maintain professional qualifications through continuous professional development.

Being committed to maintaining Fingerprint Bureau accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 and compliance with the Forensic Science Regulator’s Statutory Codes of Practice.

Undertake training to become an internal auditor to ensure accreditation and compliance can be maintained across the Forensics Department.

About the Fingerprint Expert role:

The role is based in the Fingerprint Bureau, Weston Road Police HQ.

Your working hours will be Monday to Friday covering office hours between 07:30-16:30 via flexible working.

Fingerprint Experts also cover Sundays via an on-call rota & this is paid at the standard on-call rate. They also cover Bank Holidays at the appropriate remuneration rate.

The post holder may be required to attend court or incident scenes countywide; therefore, a full driving license will be required.

Further details of the key tasks, responsibilities can be found within the role   profile.

For further information regarding this role please refer to the job description or contact:

Principal Fingerprint Expert Gary Nicholls (gary.nicholls@staffordshire.police.uk)

Please tailor your CV to the requirements of the role profile.

Closing date: Thursday 3rd October 2024 12:00

Benefits of working for Staffordshire Police:
•    Flexi time – flexible working
•    Cycle to work scheme
•    New car salary sacrifice scheme
•    Self-referral free physiotherapy
•    LGPS Pension Scheme - Employers Pension contribution 21.5% Staffordshire Pension Fund - Home (staffspf.org.uk)
•    Annual Leave Entitlement - starting at 28 days plus bank holidays 
•    Sick pay scheme
•    Fostering friendly policy
•    Family friendly policies – maternity, paternity, parental leave, adoption
•    No weekend working unless on-call
•    Occupational Health services
•    Staff associations
•    Reward and Recognition
•    Blue light Discount Card
•    Staff restaurant at both Police and Fire HQ’s
•    Free parking on site

Staffordshire Police / Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is fully supportive of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and strives to employ a workforce that represents the community we serve.

Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit.  We encourage and welcome applications from  all underrepresented groups which include: Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, female, people who have a disability, those who are neurodivergent and persons of the LGBTQ+ community.

We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted step-In support and advice sessions.  If you have the skills, experience and values, that here in Staffordshire Police / Staffordshire Fire and Rescue we pride ourselves on, then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please email the team on positive.action@staffordshire.police.uk positive.action@staffordshirefire.gov.uk