NPAS Tactical Flight Officer
Role Purpose
Provide air operation support to NPAS stakeholder police services by carrying out such activities as might be required including navigation and equipment operation, in line with NPAS policy and strategic direction to ensure an effective air support provision within a borderless environment.
Key Accountabilities
• Contribute to the safe and effective deployment and operation of the aircraft and related equipment in the air and on the ground in accordance with operating manuals, standard operating practices and health and safety considerations.
• Support effective police operations from the air through deploying and navigating the aircraft carrying out effective searches and dealing with emergency situations.
• Maintain operational efficiency of the base by undertaking specifically allocated tasks in accordance with relevant NPAS guidelines.
• Participate in the promotion of NPAS to the public and stakeholder police services in order to maintain a positive perception of the National Police Air Service role.
• Manage human factors and their effects on police aviation. Create and maintain working relationships and effectively take part in debriefs giving and receiving feedback as required.
• Comply with fitness to fly regulations and standards thus maintaining capability to discharge the duties of the role.
Behaviours
All roles are expected to know, understand and act within the ethics and values of the Police Service.
The Competency and Values Framework (CVF) has six competencies that are clustered into three groups. Under each competency are three levels that show what behaviours will look like in practice.
It is suggested that this role should be operating or working towards the following levels of the CVF:
Resolute, compassionate and committed
Inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership
Intelligent, creative and informed policing
Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Prior education and experience:
• Awareness and understanding of the principles of providing air support to police services and the ability to interpret aviation legislation, including the air navigation order and air operations manual.
• A demonstrable understanding of policing, ideally gained from within a policing environment in order to provide a support service to the front line to agreed service standards.
Skills:
• Ability to pass the NPAS initial recruitment test. This includes multi-tasking, spatial/situational awareness testing and map reading/interpretation exercises.
• Ability to interpret geographical and physical features from the air and relate them to the mapping and vice versa.
• Ability to successfully complete the tactical flight officer’s course pass the line checks during the process. This includes operation of police aircraft, role equipment and night navigation.
• Ability to read maps effectively. This includes the ability to create and interpret a six figure OSJB 1:50000 map reference.
• Ability to swim.
• Ability to complete 15 metre shuttle run to level 6.4 or above.
• Achieve the TFO medical standard.
• Good communication skills with the ability to listen to others.
• Able to produce concise reports or other documents.
• Skilled in the use of use standard IT packages, systems and/or databases to fulfil role requirements.
• Able to use resources efficiently in own role and to comply with financial rules and procedures.
• Able to identify potential opportunities to enhance efficiency and/or effectiveness within own area of work.
• Able to break down a straightforward problem into component parts and determine appropriate action.
• Able to interpret and apply guidance to a specific activity.
• 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 appropriately prioritise and plan own work.
• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Keep up to date with changing legislation and current national priorities relating to all key areas within policing and how this may affect you in your role.
• Keep up to date with new approaches to evidence based policing.
• Maintain a working knowledge of how technological advances might facilitate offenders in committing crimes and keep up to date with advances in policy, processes and practices used to investigate cybercrime.
• Complete all annual and mandatory training including fitness tests, personal safety training and first aid.
Professional Registration/Licenses
Not applicable.
Links to other Profiles
NPAS Base Manager
NPAS Line Pilot