BIOT Lead Investigator and Crime Manager

Are you ready to embark on a one-of-a-kind professional journey? The Chief of Police (CoP) for the British Indian Overseas Territory Police Service, Diego Garcia, invites applications for a PIP 2 trained Police Detective Sergeant to join the team based in Diego Garcia. This is initially a 1-year posting. It is an exciting opportunity to leverage your expertise and leadership skills in a truly unique environment, working alongside a multi-disciplined team of civilian and military police personnel.

Information & background 

The British Indian Ocean Territory specifically is a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean with a fascinating and complex history.  It is a prized defence asset, home to a strategically important joint US-UK military facility on the island of Diego Garcia. For more information about BIOTA, please visit our website.  

Diego Garcia is a beautiful but remote place.  There is no permanent population, but a mixture of US and UK military and multinational civilian contractors, spend time there to deliver the operation of the base.  Levels of crime in BIOT are generally low – ensuring they stay that way is a key objective and the successful applicant will have a key role to play in that. 

The British Indian Ocean Territory Police Service currently comprises of eleven police officers. They are responsible for policing on Diego Garcia and across the wider Territory.  The successful applicant will play a key leadership role within this team, helping boost capability and, with the wider police team, increase resilience when the CoP is out of the Territory. You will be managed locally by the CoP who routinely engages with local stakeholders and London based colleagues, updating them on local challenges, issues, and other BIOT Police Service matters.  

Who you are: 

The successful applicant will be sworn in as a BIOT civilian police officer based in Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands of the Chagos Archipelago and will report to the Chief of Police, and other senior officials in the BIOT administration. 

• Proven Experience: Applicants will either be currently serving police officers from a Home Office force or must have voluntarily left UK policing or retired within the last 3 years. 

• Dedicated Leadership: Must be minimum of substantive Detective Sergeant with a minimum of 3 years’ experience supervising staff and driving exceptional investigative outcomes. We welcome applicants with a background in detainee / prisoner investigations team.  

• Expert Investigator: Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality investigations through the justice system, leading to successful prosecutions. Candidates will preferably have experience of and/or qualifications in dealing with public protection, neighbourhood policing, or gender-based violence. 

This is more than just a job; it’s an adventure in professional excellence, collaboration, and service. Diego Garcia offers an unparalleled opportunity to make a meaningful impact whilst working in a distinctive, multicultural setting. 

Are you ready to lead, inspire, and make a difference? Apply today! 

What we’re looking for 

We are seeking someone with the ability to build capability and effective processes, who can operate with a high degree of independence and professional integrity. The role requires confident autonomous working, sound investigative judgement, and the ability to operate credibly in an operational environment, with experience of working alongside the military desirable. 

This is an outstanding opportunity to apply your policing experience in a fascinating, complex and important environment.  The successful candidate will lead criminal investigations, while developing and overseeing our crime management framework that helps deliver both the highest standards and stringent security.  

Within BIOTA there is an operationally independent police force and several customs and immigration officers.  The successful candidate will also work closely with the Senior Customs and Immigration Officer, the Principal Legal Adviser, and Coroner as needed. This will all involve a strong focus on effective safeguarding, working closely with BIOTA’s Head of Law Enforcement policy and safeguarding lead.  

Diego Garcia is where staff and contractors are based. Due to the sensitivities and restrictions placed on travelling to the islands, this post is unaccompanied (i.e. you are unable to bring any dependents and visitors are not permitted). 

Job Description and Key Accountabilities: 

• Lead, manage and deliver upon all aspects of the investigative response to all relevant matters.  

• Contributing to the setting, monitoring and assessment of police service key performance indicators in alignment with wider objectives, taking corrective action as necessary to ensure the achievement of police service goals.
• Building capacity and capability of investigative processes. 
• Analyse performance data and information against service objectives in order to effectively inform workforce planning, budgets and the measurement of service goals. 

• Lead the safeguarding response, liaising with relevant partners and stakeholders, to uncover hidden harm and ensure the needs of those most at risk are prioritised and managed in an effective and proportionate manner.

• Support the continued professional development and mentoring of all BIOT Police Officers, across the full spectrum of policing duties, with a specific focus on investigations and investigative functions.

• Support the Principal Legal Advisor (PLA – the BIOT equivalent of the public prosecutor) as required during criminal trials. 

• Ensure the completion of required investigative disclosure as the lead Disclosure Officer and to manage all matters relating to the closure and archiving of investigative casefiles. 

• Act as the single point of contact in relation to requests for information from partners or outside agencies, ensuring that we fulfil our legal obligations and requirements in these areas.

• Maintain responsibility for police held property, and in particular, the management and storage of evidential exhibits.  

Behaviours 

The post holder is expected to know, understand and act within the ethics and values of the British Indian Ocean Territory Police Service. 

The Competency and Values Framework (CVF) 2024 has three values and six competencies. Each competency has three levels (Levels 1, 2 & 3) that show what behaviours will look like in practice, for this role candidates will be expected to be performing at Level 2. 

The six competencies in the CVF are: 

• We are emotionally aware  

• We take ownership  

• We collaborate  

• We support and inspire 

• We analyse critically  

• We are innovative and open-minded  

In addition, you’ll need high levels of personal resilience, ideally with experience of working in difficult or remote locations. 

Qualifications & Training 

• Candidate must have met all necessary UK national police promotion requirements as defined in the National Police Promotions Framework (NPPF) or previous OSPRE process for the rank of Sergeant, as a minimum requirement. 

• Have experience of undertaking and leading investigations and will be a minimum of PIP 2 qualified and be able to demonstrate professional and occupational competence within this area. 

• Hold a current and full UK Driver’s license. 

• Be willing to undertake vetting to SC level. 

• Candidate must be at substantive Detective Sergeant rank or above, who can evidence a minimum of 3 years operational experience at National Police Chiefs Council Detective Sergeant level. 

• This role can be physically and mentally demanding, if successful you will be required to complete and pass Personal Safety Training which will refresh and develop skills in personal safety, arrest, and restraint techniques. 

• Applicants must be mentally resilient. 

• Must be able to pass a medical and annual police fitness test as required. 

Desirable competencies: 

• Experience and or qualifications in the delivery of work based training or similar. 

• Experience in working with military personnel and/or working with international partners.  

Pay, Benefits & Allowances: 

Alongside your salary of £44k to 55kk pro rata, you’ll have: 

• A one year posting. 

• Two return flights to/from Diego Garcia per annum 

• Free accommodation 

• Free Internet/WiFi 

• Access to recreation and sporting facilities on Diego Garcia 

Selection & Interview Process: 

• Submit a CV of no more than 2 pages.   

• 1000-word Personal Statement to include within the word count your motivations for the role and your suitability against the following three competencies, one of which must include We analyse critically. N.B you must demonstrate performance against a minimum of two of these competencies. 

1. We analyse critically  

1. We are emotionally aware 

1. We take ownership 

• your current level of security clearance (if any)  

• your most recent 12 months of appraisal evidence.  

• Applications received will be subject to a paper sift assessing candidates written evidence, essential experience and qualifications.  

• Potential candidates will then be offered an interview; this is likely to be via MS Teams. During the interview you will be assessed against the CVF for Policing. 

• Send your CV and personal statement to BIOTadmin@fcdo.gov.uk during the application window.  

Application Timeline: 

Appendix A  

BIOT Police Service mission statement: 

Working in partnership with our community and strategic partners, we strive to protect the people, operational capability and environment of the British Indian Ocean Territory, through the delivery of a fair, professional and respectful service, built on the principles of courage, discipline, integrity and commitment to public service. 

All members of the BIOT Police Service will continually seek to better themselves and the service they provide to ensure delivery of the highest possible standards of professionalism and accountability. The BIOT Police Service are fully committed to the ethos of One Island, One Team, One Mission. 

Values: 

• Courage and commitment 

• Respect and empathy 

• Discipline, integrity and public service 

Vision: 

This policing vision sets out the BIOT Policing Board’s plan for policing across the wider territories. The vision will shape future transformations and strategic decision-making to ensure that the people and infrastructure of the territories remain safe, protected by an effective and efficient police service that is trusted by its community and strategic partners.   

• To maximise the competence and capability of our people, through focused training, development and performance management 

• To ensure the integrity of our actions and procedures, through the pursuit of the highest operational and professional standards   

• To maximise the effectiveness of our partnerships through agreement of jurisdiction interoperability, mutual aid and local resilience capabilities 

• To ensure our legitimacy, through the delivery of a high quality, ethical service provision, community engagement and clear operational procedures 

• To maximise efficiency through the improved use of technology, intelligence and specialist capabilities