Firearms Trainer

An excellent permanent opportunity has arisen within the Blackrock Specialist Training Centre (BRSTC) in Portishead, North Somerset as a Police Staff Firearms Trainer.           

Firearms officers are an essential resource required to keep our communities safe with a force area that includes an international airport, miles of picturesque coastline, a huge network of roads, numerous towns and rural villages as well as several large busy cities. 

As a Firearms Trainer, you will be working together in a professional, highly motivated team delivering firearms training to all armed officers under the BRSTC training agreement. They come from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Gloucestershire Constabulary and Wiltshire Police. Training Firearms officers enables them to remain operational deployable to all three forces.

You will be supporting, developing and facilitating learning of firearms tactics and weapon handling to a broad range of officers. From those on an Initial Firearms Course, to experienced ARV officers completing refresher sessions and specialist courses and annual training. 

You will be delivering and assessing training events and courses both internally and to multi agency partners in accordance with the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum, designing curriculum content and undertaking research. 

In this role, your main responsibilities will include:

• Delivering training to Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO) and assisting with additional firearms courses/training events.
• Maintaining electronic training records, including the issue and suspension/withdrawal of firearms authorisation permits.
• Taking responsibility for the development and assessment of AFOs and Commanders making written and oral recommendations regarding continued suitability to perform the role.  
• Responsible for the maintenance of operational and training equipment including vehicles, on a daily basis.
• Carrying out Health and Safety risk assessments and be responsible for the health and safety of staff within a high risk training environment.
• Taking a key role in national working groups relating to firearms policies and procedures, influencing policy at a local, regional and national level.
• Maintaining a Continuous Professional Development record and accreditations in line with the role.

Skills, experience and qualifications required:

• Experience in the delivery of firearms training in accordance with the NPFTC.
• Hold a teaching or training qualification to NVQ Level 3 in Training and Development or equivalent (AEAT – Award in education & Training) and be willing to achieve IOSH (Managing safely) within 12 months of appointment.
• Qualified as a Police National Firearms Instructor (within the last 3 years trained in Module F1 of the NPFTC.
• Experience of carrying out risk assessments.
• Experience of carrying out research to make recommendations.
• Experience of maintaining equipment and records.
• Experience of designing courses.

You will also be required to comply with the following:

• Annual hearing and eyesight test in line with national standards.
• ARV qualification standard and the national instructor qualification standard set by the College of Policing.
• Possess an Enhanced First Aid qualification and be prepared to undergo annual re-qualification as required by the College of Policing.
• To achieve and maintain the required level of fitness for the role.
• Meet the required role profile annually.

Please note, this role involves constant travelling around the South West using allocated work vehicles. A current driving licence is required.

We welcome applications from current police staff members and external applicants, including retired police officers. Please note, there is a separate vacancy ID 2122 available for existing police officers or transferees.

To be eligible to apply for this role you must have a 3 year ‘checkable history’ in the UK – ideally this means that you would have been resident in the UK for the last 3 years.

For further details about this role please contact Black Rock Specialist Training Centre BlackRockSTC@avonandsomerset.police.uk .

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