Serco Plc
Prisoner Escort & Custody Driver
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Prisoner Custody Officer (PCO) in Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS) – Watton Vehicle Base, IP25 6JB
Location: Watton Vehicle Base, IP25 6JB
Join us in shaping a safer justice system as a Prisoner Custody Officer (PCO) in Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS), where you’ll contribute to high-stakes custody and transport operations.
The Role
As a PCO, your core responsibilities include:
- Escorting detainees securely between prisons, police stations, and courts
- Assessing and monitoring welfare during transit (including constant checks and comfort stops)
- Conducting post-detainment searches, paperwork, and reporting
- Performing vehicle and equipment checks pre-duty
- Ensuring compliance with all operational and security protocols
- Competency-based operation: maintaining focus under pressure, de-escalation of risky behaviours, and incident response
Your role extends beyond transport – you may also:
- Serve detainees in courtrooms, court cells, or detention facilities
- Balance shifting work patterns, including 24/7 availability with occasional overtime
- Collaborate closely with a tasked crew to ensure safe detrawn procedures and welfare for both escorts and those in captivity
Daily Expectations
- Operational demands take precedence – shift end times can extend beyond standard 40hr weeks.
- A single 12-week rota is provided in advance to support shift planning.
- Part-time hours and fragmented schedules are not permitted (full dayblocks only).
What We Offer: Salary & Benefits
Initial Competency Pay
- Starting: £24,596 per year (35hr/week), with clear progression:
| Year | Base Salary |
|---|---|
| Pre-competency | £24,596 |
| Year 1 | £28,109 (40hr/week) |
| From Sep 2026 | £29,205 |
| Year 2 | £29,932 |
| Year 3 | £30,496 |
| Year 4 | £31,063 |
Additional Earnings
- Driving allowances (based on licences and vehicle duty):
- B/B1 licence: £600/year
- C1 licence: £2,400/year
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Average scenario
Rounded with typical 8-hour weekly overtime, first-year income ranges between £34,805–£36,605.
Requirements: Qualifications & Attitudes
No prior experience is mandatory, but? ✅ You must hold the full UK driving licence (B/B1 for basic duties; C1-licensed officers strongly preferred). ✅ For C1 licence holders, a valid Driver CPC is advised.
Essential Traits & Competencies
- Unwavering trustworthiness and compassionate professionalism
- Physical fitness suitable for strenuous duties and extended travel
- Strong verbal/written communication for handling detainees, partners, and documentation
- Transforming, goal-oriented mindset—you’ll meet unpredictable demands daily
- Resilience under pressure (calm thinking for operations gone wrong)
- Enhanced decision-making when handling security situations
- Substantial respect for confidentiality and safeguarding protocols
Safeguarding & Security requirements
- Enhanced DBS and enhanced MoJ (v2 clearance)
- Ongoing drug/alcohol testing (random in-work)
- Recharged confidentiality (exempt from Rehabilitation of Offenders duties)
Training and Development
Serco delivers 43-day competitive salary-paid training – covering theory and practical scenarios. Ongoing mentorship ensures competence consistently.
Pay through promotion:Serco prioritizes support to progress from competency through established roles like:
- HC Crime Inspector/Matron (to prison appointment/issues)
- Business Manager for Custody/PECS
- Senior Supervisor/Service Director
Benefits Package
- ** Somerset/Family Leave**: 20 days (25+ after 7 years) + bank holidays (pro-rated).
- Health & Wellbeing:
- Pension: 6% employee contribution, matched by the company.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and free mental health support via MIND.
- Simplyhealth personal/cash plan: £250/year of dental, prescriptions, optical.
- Discounts on gym membership at Serco-run fitness centres.
- Merits & Vouchers: Savings with major retailers, cinemas, and retail partners.
- Development Initiatives: Access to online courses, SercoInternal Training Certifications, Leadership coaching.
- Diversity & Inclusion: Strong networks for gender (SercoInspire), multicultural (SercoEmbrace) ancestry and neurodiversity/accessibility (SercoUnlimited).
- Hybrid Support: Role in part aligned to Serco’s hybrid onboarding strategy (where possible).
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Recruitment Process
- Online Application: Eligibility questions plus online structured assessment
- Virtual Assessment centre: Virtual interview (competencies?, generic roleplay, and slight documentation test) sole progression hurdle
- Clearance Reviews: DBS checks and verification (2 years of visa timeline required for non-UK; local MoJ council mandatory).
- TrainingStart Date: Final confirmation offering dates post-access phases
Serco Mission & Ethos
At Serco, our global presence means: ✅ Working in critical industries from healthcare to immigration delivery. ✅ Innovating public service models for better outcomes. ✅ Protecting vulnerable groups through leading technology/process methods.
Our folks are core to success. By joining Serco, you afford critical connection to our 50,000-strong employee networks.
Key Commitments
- Serco embraces drafting adjustments to enable success across applicants’ abilities.
- Confident employer: 25 years as a leading force in advancing collaborative Corporate social responsibility and inclusion.
Our team always actively supports diversity, rewarding inclusiveness with commitments such as:
- Gold Inclusive Leadership: Recognized for fairness.
- ‘Ban the Box’ approvals: Empower persons with histories to showcase prospect.
- Global Employee Networking: Professional guilds built on pride/togetherness.
#pecs #prisonerescortdriver
Apply now with prompt-forward confidence. E-mail j&icareersUK@serco.com for queries. Does your role have substance? Apply today.
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