Dog Handler

Please note that this role is NOT remote, you will be based from one of the following locations: Birmingham, Bristol, Chelmsford, Crawley, Gillingham (Kent), Slough, Solent, Stevenage, Tolworth (Surrey).

The Operational Support Unit (OpSU) are looking for a candidate to carry out the role of an operational dog handler (police dogs) accredited and licensed as per the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) National Canine Training & Accreditation Scheme (

NCTAS) for the following dogs

• Firearms Support Dog (FSD)/General Patrol Dog (GPD), AND,
• Cash, Drugs, Firearms Detection Dog or Digital Media Detection Dog.

The post holder will support National Crime Agency (NCA) operational delivery with the use of police dogs, this will include arrest and search, as well as surveillance and support to Mobile Armed Support to Surveillance Teams (MAStS).

The role of an NCA Dog Handler is diverse and no day is ever the same. The successful candidate will deploy all over the UK in support of NCA and partner agency tasked activity. This will include arrests of subjects, search of premises, open area searches as well as support to covert activity including providing dog support to firearms operations. NCA dog handlers have responsibility to maintain their accreditations and manage the welfare of the dogs under their care.

Successful candidates must also undertake a suitability assessment to ensure they are suitable for working with/handling police dogs, (this may be waived for existing experienced police dog handlers). This will be an assessment of working with dogs, assessed by competent handlers and instructors. This may be over multiple days. The Nominated Officer will have the final decision on a candidates suitability to be a dog handler following this assessment. Details of this assessment will be provided to candidates who progress past the initial sift. As part of the initial application the Dog Unit will need to assess candidates home address for suitability to house working dogs.

The role of dog handler requires 24/7 responsibility for 2 operational dogs. Dogs are kennelled with their handlers at their home addresses, this is not negotiable. Dogs will be kennelled in boarding kennels for annual leave, when operational requirements dictate and at the discretion of the handler and supervisor. All kennelling, vet bills, food etc. is provided.

The NCA requires all criminal investigators to hold accreditation at one of the relevant levels of the Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP). PIP is an accreditation programme for Detectives and Criminal Investigators which is owned by the National Police Chiefs Council and governed by the College of Policing.

For more information and to apply please follow the link.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.