Pound Officer

Job Title: Pound Officer

Salary: The starting salary is £39,447.20 which includes allowances totalling £2,841.

The salary is broken down as £30,507 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £32,639 Plus, a location allowance of £1,841 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000, 20% shift allowance and weekend premiums when on shift.

Location: Charlton car pound, London, SE7 7HY

In addition to large-scale transformation, there's the unique and ever-evolving challenge of policing London. This means that as a Met employee, there are more opportunities for you to get involved in making London the safest global city in a time of unprecedented change within the UK's largest Police Service. 

The Vehicle Recovery Examination Services (VRES) is a key part of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) drive to tackle vehicle crime on the streets of London.  We work in partnership with a number of external agencies and MPS contractors to remove, recover, restore and dispose of vehicles that are involved in collisions, serious and organised crime that require forensic examinations or those that are seized under Police powers for no insurance or unlicensed use. We support frontline policing and operate 24/7/365, we have our own unique in-house policing team and a command and control team. 

 We operate out of two compounds at Perivale (Ealing) and Charlton (Greenwich), processing approximately 40,000 vehicles per year. We deal with everything from two-wheel bikes all the way up to and including HGV’s.   Our work has a direct impact upon the service the MPS delivers Londoners, and it is vital we are able to continue to deliver this service to meet current and future demands. 

The post holder’s primary role is to process the storage, movement and administration of all vehicles and property that have been recovered to VRES. This includes vehicles that have been removed under the Road Traffic Act 2005, Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), Sect.99 RTRA, Sect.59 Police Reform Act 2002, Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and Statutory powers. The role involves confirming vehicle identities, using police systems and the use of specialist equipment in order to preserve the forensic integrity of vehicles. Ongoing support of criminal investigations and continuity of evidence. The post holder will provide a first-class service to all customers, including those from the MPS, MOPAC and County Forces, ensuring seized vehicles and property are restored to the legal owner and returned to the Highway correctly insured. The post holder will deal with MPS personnel, members of the public, contractors as well as internal / external telephone and email enquiries. Be responsible for handling and processing various methods of payments, provide day-to-day administrative support and act as a conduit between service providers (internal and external). The post holder will be expected to learn and utilise a range of IT systems as well as undertake a variety of checks using these systems. The post holder will be required to use specialist equipment and be responsible for maintaining and implementing local and organisational policies and protocols as well as health and safety policies and protocols. The post holder will be expected to work in all weather conditions. The post involves a significant amount of heavy-duty manual handling. 

Key Responsibilities

• Receiving, processing and disposal of vehicles and property in the pound in accordance with statutory regulations.  
• Supervising of loading and unloading of vehicles in accordance with statutory regulations including Health and Safety at Work Act, Institute of Vehicle Recovery standards (IVR), Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and  
  Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR 
• Receiving and processing of vehicles, to include, confirming vehicle identity upon arrival, the accurate completion of vehicle removal forms, entering the information contained on the forms onto the ELVIS system and ensuring a high degree of accuracy is achieved. Being competent in and utilising a number of internal and external programs including, CAD, PNC, CRIS, COPA, Experian, MIAFTER, HPI, HPI Crushwatch as part of the receiving and booking on  
  On occasion using additional programs such as ILP, CRIMINT, custody imaging and DVS. 
• Move vehicles into designated storage area. Where applicable considerate to the provision of evidential continuity in relation to vehicles removed under PACE, POCA, RTA and statutory removals. 
• Use of specialist vehicle movement equipment, ensuring the correct Health and Safety and operating procedures are followed at all times and complete all necessary paperwork in relation to this equipment. Reporting any faults found in the vehicle moving equipment to the pound manager. 
• Processing of vehicles including searching post forensic examination, restoration or pre-disposal checks. Processing and recording of property, including cash, drugs, weapons and valuables in accordance with VRES SOP’s. 
• Significant numbers of vehicles removed by VRES are accident damaged and present significant Health and Safety risks. These vehicles require careful processing as they present danger from damage and fluid spills. Ensuring care is taken when undertaking this work and  in accordance at all times with Health and Safety Risk Assessments and using dynamic Risk Assessments when required. 
• Dealing with oil and fuel spills as a result of accident damaged vehicles. These must be dealt with in accordance with Health and Safety risk assessments and disposed of in accordance with environmental legislation. 
• Conducting regular pound inventories, identifying vehicle movement issues, checking physical inventory against electronic records ensuring 100% accuracy. Compiling a post inventory report detailing incorrect movements, discrepancies, vehicle husbandry and general performance. 
• Undertake preliminary vehicle document checks at triage point. 
• Working within front counter areas, open to the public daily. Being proficient in handling and examining driving licences, ownership documents, and insurance policies. Utilising bespoke ID verification equipment, police, insurance and vehicle databases as well as own knowledge of security markings to authentic such documentation 
• Considerate to providing high level customer service and remaining professional at all times, dealing with a wide variety of people from all walks of life, including victims of crime and those that are wanted for arrest. Processing of customers in line with time current VRES guidelines. To include assimilating intelligence and financial query resolution. 
• Undertake checks on PNC, HPI, MIAFTR and CRIS. 
• Scan all documents produced onto the ELVIS database. 
• Accept cash, cheque and credit card payments from members of the public.
• Completing statements and exhibiting property and items identified. Working with Police officers to facilitate any front counter arrests arranging for officers to attend the pound using the Airwave police radio system.
• Complete returns on a daily basis in relation to volumes of customers seen and refused at the  
  front counters using MS Excel 
• Undertake a broad range of administration duties, using effective written and verbal skills to respond to email, telephone and correspondence received in relation to vehicle reviews and restoration.  
• Dealing with general telephone enquiries. 
• Send written notification to drivers and registered keepers of seized vehicles. 
• Recommend vehicles for scrap /auction and liaise with approved scrap and auction agents. 
• Expected to complete ELS and OST training. 
• Comply and maintain site and corporate health and safety and security protocols.
• Undertake a broad range of cleaning duties involving gritting the pound, cleaning equipment, clearing rubbish from around the site, inside of vehicles and within office areas .
• Ensuring compliance and adherence to the principals of the Data protection Act 1988 Section 29, including dealing with requests for information received from other agencies. 
• Any other duties commensurate to the post as designated by the Pound Manager.  

How to apply

Click the apply now button below and start your career at the Met. Applications will be via a detailed CV, Personal Statement, and online application form. Your personal statement should outline why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role. (NB. Please do not attach 2 copies of your CV).

Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 12th April 2024.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk