Serious and Organised Crime Tactical Advisor (SOCTAC)

To provide tactical guidance and options in the development and implementation of tactical plans to tackle the serious and organised crime threat

• Provide advice, guidance and information in line with legislation and policy and at an appropriate level to the situation in support of investigative and/or operational aims and objectives.
• Contribute to the development of plans and threat and harm reduction strategies that are aligned to the 4P principles (Prevent, Prepare, Pursue and Protect) to ensure operational effectiveness.
• Provide up to date knowledge on relevant legislation, national and regional policy and standards for operational practice to support decision making.
• Provide timely, accurate and relevant advice to the Lead Responsible Officer on the available tactical considerations and options to support command decision making and the effective policing of pre-planned and spontaneous public events.
• Evaluate the tactical considerations/options to assist in achieving the aims and objectives and to address identified contingencies based on all relevant factors in accordance with legislation and policy.
• Provide advice on how to record decisions, actions, options and rationale in accordance with current policy and legislation to ensure there is an audit trail and to support law enforcement.
• Identify and agree with the Lead Responsible Officer the roles of the SOCTAC and others within the operation, liaising with key personnel and contributing to the planning and briefing processes as required, in order to achieve strategic, tactical and operational aims and objectives.
• Seek and obtain a briefing if the overall strategy has been set, including the aims, objectives and parameters in order to identify the operational context.
• Evaluate threat, risk and community impact assessments and their implications in order to identify how the situation may develop and the contingencies which may arise.
• Engage in and contribute to the debriefing process to ensure information is effectively transmitted and to contribute to organisational learning.

Prior education and experience:

• Must have knowledge of covert tactics and associate RIPA applications.
• Demonstrable experience of complex information gathering and problem solving.
• Must have experience and understanding of partner engagement in their force.

Skills:

• Able to set out logical arguments clearly, adapting language, form and message to meet the needs of different people/audiences.
• Able to appropriately prioritise and plan own work and use resources effectively and efficiently.
• Able to identify cause and effect and develop a course of action designed to target root causes and mitigate risks.
• Able to identify potential opportunities to enhance efficiency and/or effectiveness within own area of work.
• Able to work effectively in a team to achieve shared objectives, demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support as required.
• Able to review own performance objectively and to take steps to maintain and enhance competence and professional standards appropriate to the role.
• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with peers, senior managers, partners and other stakeholders.

• Maintain an up to date understanding of Police Regulations and College of Policing Guidance, best practice and any local policy applicable to the operational police context.
• Maintain and update key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to criminology, legislation, policy and practice across all functional policing areas of operational policing.
• Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving crime threats and priorities and current best practice to tackle these in order to enable a pro-active and preventative approach.
• Maintain knowledge and understanding of new approaches identified by evidence based policing research and problem solving, test and synthesise these into working practice, championing innovation and changes to practice.
• Understand the impact of the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) Learning the Lessons reports relating to investigation, e.g. importance of case file management.
• Familiarise yourself with other relevant IOPC reports, e.g. Police use of force: evidence from complaints, investigations and public perception and relevant HMICFRS (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services) reports e.g. PEEL Assessments.
  Read the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) guidance on investigative practices, Relations with the Police and apply.
• Regularly share best practice with colleagues e.g. contribute to relevant POLKA communities or deliver informal briefings.
• Maintain a working knowledge of how other government agencies, such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), can assist in the investigation of cases.
• Understand and develop knowledge of other roles within policing e.g. work alongside other colleagues in another department to further operational knowledge of one other’s roles.

Not applicable

Lead Responsible Officer