Police Service of Northern Ireland - Candidate Charter

Candidate Charter - Police Officer

Deloitte is the independent recruitment agent managing key stages of the recruitment process for Police Constables on behalf of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Stages managed by Deloitte include:

  • Provision of information on the recruitment process through a dedicated recruitment website;
  • Advertising vacancies and communicating with candidates until the end of the merit list stage;
  • Managing the application stage through provision of an online application form and equality monitoring form;
  • Determining if candidates meet eligibility criteria which includes age, nationality, computer literacy and education (determining whether education eligibility criteria is met will include assessing evidence of qualifications attained);
  • Conducting an initial assessment of candidates' verbal reasoning and situational judgement skills through an online initial selection test;
  • Assessing candidates against the Competency Values Framework (CVF) for Policing Professionals through the assessment centre;
  • Providing the Police Service of Northern Ireland with a merit list of candidates, in merit order, following completion of the assessment centre stage.  

Management of the recruitment process then passes over to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who complete the following:

  • Vetting process aimed at maintaining the public's confidence in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This process considers issues such as previous convictions, social media activity, financial health of candidates and the presence of tattoos which may be deemed to be offensive;
  • Physical competence assessment to consider a candidate's physical ability to undertake the role of a police officer;
  • Health assessment to consider if you are fit for the full range of operational duties while working shifts (vision, hearing and body composition will be assessed, together with any reasonable adjustments required by candidates);
  • Pre-employment Substance Misuse Test. You will be required to undergo a pre-employment Substance Misuse Test. This is normally completed at the same time as the health assessment;
  • Online learning package which has to be undertaken and successfully completed by the candidate.     

This charter outlines:

  • The standard of service you can expect during the Deloitte managed stages of the recruitment process;
  • What you can do to help the Deloitte Recruitment Team to help you;
  • The process to be followed should you feel that you have not received the standard of service that you expect, i.e. the complaints process.  

1. The Deloitte Recruitment Team Will Help You By

✓ Dealing with your application as quickly as possible and keeping you informed about progress and decisions;

✓ Giving you accurate information throughout the recruitment process;

✓ Being polite and easy to liaise with - our staff are specially trained to meet your needs; they will treat you with respect and will do their best to understand your personal circumstances;

✓ Being fair - how we treat you during the recruitment process will not be affected by your community background, gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, domestic status, age, political opinion, whether or not you have a disability, or whether or not you have dependants;

✓ Treating everything you say to us as confidential;

✓ Complying with the requirements of the Data Protection Act and GDPR laws;

✓ Asking for your views and using them to improve the service we provide (we will give you the opportunity to provide feedback anonymously throughout the recruitment process);

✓ Responding to issues within our control at assessment events immediately, and if this is not possible, noting what was at issue in case of the need for further review;

✓ Responding to any formal queries or complaints by email within 5 working days. If we cannot deal with your query fully within the 5 working days of receipt we will tell you why and advise if there is anything you need to do.

2. To Help The Deloitte Recruitment Team We Need You To

✓ Take responsibility for your own application and follow all instructions (either written or verbal) fully and meet deadlines / attend appointments when they are set;

✓ Give us complete and accurate information;

✓ Double-check your data inputting on your application form, as the personal details provided will be used for all future correspondence regarding your application. Pay particular attention to spelling / omissions and bear in mind that auto-correct functionality on some devices can affect data accuracy;

✓ At application stage, provide a valid, working email address, to which you have ongoing access for the full duration of the recruitment process. If you have several different email addresses, you must consistently use the one specified at application stage;

✓ Tell us about changes in your circumstances as soon as they occur, such as a change of address or email address;

✓ Give the correct Unique Identity Number (UID) if you contact us about your application. (Deloitte will issue you with a UID after your application has been processed);

✓ Understand that, so we have a detailed documentary written record of all your transactions, and for security reasons, the primary form of communication with candidates is via email. We therefore cannot discuss your application via telephone. (Please do not telephone Deloitte reception, as they will not be able to transfer your call). All correspondence will be with you only (we cannot enter into correspondence with any third party unless we have received your instructions permitting this in writing);

✓ Provide photographic identification when attending for assessments - please note that only a driving licence (with photograph), passport, Northern Ireland electoral identity card, EU National identity card, HM Forces identity card, or Citizen Card will be accepted;

✓ Provide evidence of qualifications that form a part of your application (GCSEs or equivalent) within the deadlines required by carefully following instructions that will be provided;

✓ In relation to any request you make for a reasonable adjustment to arrangements for testing (e.g. related to a disability or condition) understand that Deloitte will ask to review evidence in relation to the request. Such evidence should be complete diagnostic evidence, addressing exam adjustment needs. Specific instructions and details of the format in which evidence should be supplied must be followed in full, or evidence may not be accepted. Evidence will be reviewed to determine the appropriate adjustment to be applied;

✓ Raise any concerns that you have regarding the recruitment process immediately (and not later than seven calendar days) after the issue happens. In the case of an issue arising at assessment centre, you must raise the matter with the lead administrator immediately so that we can deal with it on the day. Any concerns must be submitted formally by email. Please note any appeals lodged after results have been issued will not be considered;

✓ In relation to the Initial Selection Test, ensure that you have a stable internet connection before starting to take the test;

✓ Note; it is the responsibility of the individual applicant to bear any expense associated with participation in the recruitment process themselves (e.g. cost of travel to any recruitment event);

✓ Be respectful to our staff and your fellow applicants in all dealings. Poor behaviour contrary to the Police Service of Northern Ireland's high expectations of its employees may lead to your automatic disqualification.

3. Your Application

✓ The Deloitte Recruitment Team aim to deal with your application as quickly as possible. Indicative timelines for each stage in the recruitment process are included on our website www.joinpsni.co.uk and in the Guidance for Applicants. We will keep you updated at each stage in the process regarding when you will hear about outcomes.

✓ We shall not discuss your performance in the recruitment process with you or give out results over the telephone.

✓ All correspondence will be with you only, and will be dealt with in a confidential and secure manner.

4. Equality Monitoring

✓ The Equality Monitoring Form will be held securely outside the administration unit. Neither administration staff nor assessors will have access to these forms. This information will not be used in deciding your progress through the recruitment process or in determining your suitability to be appointed as a Police Constable.

5. Initial Selection Test (IST)

✓ This test will comprise of a number of online sub-tests (a Situational Judgement Test and a Verbal Reasoning Assessment) which you will be required to pass in order to progress through the recruitment process. (You will have the chance to undertake practice tests via the www.joinpsni.co.uk website. You will only have one opportunity to submit the fully completed IST per recruitment campaign). The tests will be marked by the online examination host with Deloitte doing a further sense check on results to ensure the accuracy of the marking. The decision regarding your test outcome will be final. 

6. Assessment Centre

✓ At the assessment centre, professional assessors and lay assessors will assess you against defined behaviours and values during exercises. These behaviours and values are developed in line with the Competency Values Framework (CVF) for Policing Professionals. Assessors will independently mark and then agree your rating for the competence being examined. Their decision is final. 

7. If Things Go Wrong During the Deloitte Managed Stages: Complaints Process

✓ The Deloitte Recruitment Team strive to get things right first time, but if you think we have made a mistake please contact us. We we look into matters straight away and correct anything that we find to be wrong. We shall investigate any complaints arising from your application and respond accordingly. N.B. Complaints must be sent by email to info@joinpsni.co.uk and received by Deloitte within seven calendar days of any incident arising. Your complaint will initially be reviewed by an experienced Recruitment Administrator and as necessary by the Recruitment Manager.  

✓ Please remember you should raise any concerns that you have regarding the recruitment process immediately (and not later than seven calendar days) after the issue happens. In the case of an issue arising at assessment centre, you must raise the matter with the lead administrator immediately so that we can deal with it on the day. Any concerns must be submitted formally by email. Please note any appeals lodged after results have been issued will not be considered.

✓ If you are not happy with the response provided by our Recruitment Manager, an escalation process is in place whereby complaints will be reviewed by our Recruitment Director and ultimately by our Recruitment Partner. 

✓ You can help by giving us the information we ask for as quickly as you can.

✓ Our complaints process is managed in line with Deloitte's Ethics Code, and Deloitte's Ethics and Independence Partner will be referred to if necessary.

✓ Please do not contact the Police Service of Northern Ireland directly with any complaint associated with the Deloitte managed stages of the recruitment process, as these complaints will be referred back to Deloitte by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in line with the agreed complaints process. Rest assured though, that we keep the Police Service of Northern Ireland HR Management Team appraised about any complaints received that are escalated to the Deloitte Recruitment Director and the associated resolution.

8. Independent Oversight

✓ Deloitte and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have strict processes in place to ensure that a fair and objective assessment of all applicants is reached. If anything does go wrong, you can be sure that we will be fair and transparent in all matters.

✓ Mechanisms exist within the recruitment process that help to ensure that the process is reliable and fair to all. Of particular note is the involvement of members of the wider community in the recruitment process, including:

  • Independent Lay Assessors who were recruited in an open recruitment process, are fully trained and attend all assessment centres to work alongside the Deloitte Recruitment Team to assess applicants, providing independent, impartial challenge where necessary;
  • Independent Community Observers (ICOs) who attend a proportion of assessment centre events unannounced to oversee that the process is fair and equitable and that candidates are treated in a consistent manner. ICOs report to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, who in turn feedback to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

✓ Freedom of Information Act: If you have a request for anything other than personal information then you should contact Corporate Information Branch, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Brooklyn, 65 Knock Road, Belfast, BT5 6LE or email foi@psni.police.uk.

9. Contacting the Deloitte Recruitment Team

✓ The primary form of communication with candidates is via email. 

✓ You must provide a valid, working email address, to which you have ongoing access. Failure to provide an accurate, working email address may lead to your application being rejected.

✓ When you contact us please include as many personal details as possible, this will expedite our reply to you. If you are a current candidate please include your name and UID number when you email us.

✓ Please forward confirmation of any changes in your personal details to us by email immediately. We cannot make any amendments to your personal details until written notification has been received. 

✓ If we receive an email we will reply to you fully within 5 working days. If we cannot deal fully with your email within 5 working days of receiving it, we will tell you why, and tell you if there is anything you need to do.

✓ When you deal with us by email or in person you can expect to receive information that is accurate, clear and helpful. Please address all correspondence to the Recruitment Manager.

✓ For security purposes, Deloitte staff will not disclose their names within email. Please be assured that communication from Deloitte is traceable and that although Deloitte staff do not provide their names overtly, the identity of the individual members of staff involved is known. Communications are monitored by management for quality assurance purposes.

✓ In addition to checking your email regularly for updates from Deloitte, we recommend checking the 'recruitment news' section of our website frequently in case of update. In the event of an emergency or exceptional update we will post news online via our website in the first instance. (Check www.joinpsni.co.uk/police-officer > Recruitment News on the homepage). 

✓ All candidates are reminded that it is their personal responsibility to check their email folders for communication from us. This includes 'junk' folders, as some email providers filter emails from us. Once an email has left our system, it is your responsibility to ensure that you read it, and take appropriate action. Please check your email folders frequently. Note that; in the event that an email from us is deemed undeliverable or rejected by your email system, Deloitte cannot follow up on the matter by other means of communication, so it is in your best interests to check regularly that your email mailbox is functioning correctly.

10. Help Us To Improve Our Service

✓ The Deloitte Recruitment Team will ask you for feedback on the service that we provide and we value your comments. Your views are taken into account as we continuously seek to improve our service.

✓ We will ask you to complete feedback questionnaires at each stage of the recruitment process. You can complete these anonymously and your comments will not affect your application.

11. Contact Us


The Police Service of Northern Ireland Managed Stages

If you are successful at the assessment centre and meet all of the minimum criteria required (e.g. you have provided valid evidence that you have 5 GCSEs including English Language, or equivalent), then you will progress to the next stages of the recruitment process which are administered by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. 

The Police Service of Northern Ireland Police Officer Recruitment Team will contact you on receipt of receiving the merit list from Deloitte. You will be informed where on the merit list you are placed to help manage your expectations as to when you can expect to be contacted to commence the next stages of the process. All communication from the Police Service of Northern Ireland to you will be conducted via the email address you provided in your application form. 

You will be provided with contact details for the Police Service of Northern Ireland Police Officer Recruitment Team when they first contact you. It is important that all contact in regards to the Police Service of Northern Ireland managed stages of recruitment should be sent to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (and not the Deloitte Recruitment Team). You will be expected to update the Police Service of Northern Ireland with any changes to your personal details, or if your circumstances change meaning you cannot make a scheduled assessment. 

The Police Service of Northern Ireland Police Officer Recruitment Team will deal with all merit list applicants efficiently and effectively, however if you want to raise a concern or you are not happy with how your application is progressing, details of who you should contact within the Police Service of Northern Ireland Police Officer Recruitment Team will be provided to you. Issues are first reviewed by an experienced Recruitment Team administrator, and an escalation process is in place whereby complaints will be reviewed by the Police Recruitment Manager and ultimately by the Head of External Recruitment.