The Hampshire & IOW familiarisation course is our opportunity to welcome you to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and for you to settle in. We will also cover any training gaps before you then move into your posting location. After you have attended your Hampshire & IOW familiarisation course, you will then move into your posting location, to start providing a fantastic service to the people of Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

Courses are usually held at our Training HQ located in Hamble Lane, Hamble, Hants SO31 4TS. Parking is available on site and there are two railway stations within reasonable walking distance. The course duration is approximately 6 days. The typical pattern of the course is Week 1 Monday – Friday (0900-1700).  Week 2 Monday (0900-1700) and day 7 is potentially the first day on duty with your new team* (*subject to change)

You need to make an appointment with Uniform Stores for a fitting, prior to your start date, and details of how to book an appointment with Uniform Stores will be provided to you when you are issued with a firm offer. Stores are located at our Strategic HQ in Eastleigh, Hampshire. Uniform will be issued on the afternoon of the first day of training.

If you have applied to an advert which has advertised a relocation assistance payment, you may be eligible to apply for a relocation payment. If you have applied to an advert which has offered a relocation assistance payment, you are encourage to read the Relocation Assistance for Police Officers Procedure linked here. Should you wish to discuss eligibility having read the procedure or if you have any questions please contact the Workforce Postings and Structures Team: HIOWCWorkforcePostingsandStructures@hampshire.police.uk.

Current skills such as driving do not automatically transfer due to differing standards. Public order is trained to a national standard so we can transfer that over as long as you can provide the training history. Taser can be transferable, if you are currently trained and within 12 months of your last refresh, we can transfer this over. This may require a one-day refresh. Skills that are identified as necessary for your role or related to a development need will be assessed by your line manager after your arrival in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary to determine what additional training or input is required to meet our standards. Before joining us you will be asked to provide a copy of your training records to assist us with this assessment.

Only pre-booked annual leave that was declared during the recruitment process will be honoured. Any other annual leave requests will be looked at on a case-by-case basis in accordance with our leave and abstraction policies.

Your leave year will start on the date you join Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and any outstanding annual leave from your previous force will not carry forward. Once your leave year starts you will have your full entitlement to use in the 12 months that follows. Each year your annual leave entitlement will be refreshed on the anniversary of you joining Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.

The expectation is that officers remain in each post for a minimum of 2 years, including non-voluntary moves and postings to custody. Applications for specialist posts within your first two years will be looked at on a case-by-case basis if exceptional circumstances apply. The two year requirement does not prevent applications for promotion which can be made whenever opportunities are advertised. When you accept a position with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary you are agreeing to abide by the posting decision of the force.

Officers have the freedom to live in an area of their choice, provided that any travelling to/from work does not adversely affect their welfare or operational effectiveness.

There is a two-year minimum posting expectation before you could apply for a specialist post, which may only be waived in exceptional circumstances.

Yes. If you meet the eligibility criteria for promotion, then you can apply whenever these opportunities are advertised.

Officers are paid in accordance with national pay scales, and you would transfer across to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary on your current pay point to reflect your length of service. If you are re-joining following a break in service we will need to verify your service with your previous force in order to place you on the correct pay point accordingly to Police Regulations.

Salaries are paid directly into an officer’s bank or building society account on the 15th of the month. Salary is paid 2 weeks in advance and 2 weeks in arrears e.g. if your joining date was 8^th August, you would be paid on 15th August for the period 8th to 31st August. Being paid correctly and on time is dependant on us receiving all relevant information from you and your current force before joining. If information is received late then this may affect you being set up as a new starter in time and you may not be paid correctly, particularly where your joining date falls close to payday or during payroll closure dates.

Increments are calculated based on length of service in accordance with national pay scales. Your increment date will be based on the information we receive from your current force in respect of previous service dates. If you have had a break in service, then your increment date will need to be calculated taking into account any changes to police pay points and pay freezes that have occurred since your original joining date.

Officers in receipt of rent or housing allowance with their current force will be paid the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary equivalent allowance. Officers not in receipt of housing/rent allowance are entitled to a £2,000 p.a. South East Allowance.

Postings can be anywhere within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and by joining the force you are making yourself available to be posted to any location within the two counties.

As part of the recruitment process, you will have the opportunity to express your posting preferences and we will take these into consideration then.
The expectation is that officers will remain in each posting for a minimum of 2 years.  During this period requests to transfer may not be supported by management. 

Although you may be allowed to apply for specialist posts during this period, it is unlikely you will be released until you have been in your current post for 2 years.  This requirement does not affect your ability to apply for promotion opportunities.