Scenes of Crime Officer

Job Introduction

About Us:

British Transport Police (BTP) is the national police force for the rail network throughout Great Britain. We are the ‘Guardians of the Railway,’ putting passenger safety at the heart of what we do. Our values are simple: We Care, We Do the Right Thing, We Strive to Be Better Every Day, We Are One BTP, and We Are Proud to Protect. Join us and help create an environment where we can all be our best every day

The Opportunity: Scenes of Crime Officer

Salary: £34,313.31per annum, plus £4,427.65 London Allowance, plus 10% Shift and 10% On Call allowance

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Baches Street, London

Type of Working Arrangement: Blended approach of home and office-working.

Hours: This is a full-time role (37 hours per week) 

Are you looking for your next exciting career move? British Transport Police have an excellent opportunity for a Scenes of Crime Officer to join the Scientific Support Unit. Join our dedicated team of Scene of Crime Officers (SOCOs), working across England, Wales, and Scotland to support forensic investigations on the railway network. In this vital role, you will collaborate closely with officers to provide expert advice and develop forensic strategies tailored to each incident.

Your primary focus will be to conduct thorough and strategic examinations at scenes of crime or fatalities, ensuring minimal disruption to rail services. By applying methodical techniques, you will help facilitate the partial or full reopening of railway lines while maximising the recovery of forensic evidence.

Main Responsibilities: 

• Conduct a full examination at crime scenes and decide what evidence to gather ensuring quality standard processes are followed and maintained in an impartial and independent manner. 
• General crime scene photography and injury photographs
• Fingerprint examination of a crime scene to obtain identifiable finger / palm marks for submission to the Fingerprint department
• Proactively monitor and assess incidents for forensic opportunities and communicate with victims of crime, witnesses or investigators to establish whether attendance is appropriate.
• Attend forensic post-mortems to record and recover evidence from the deceased. Assist HM Coroner to identify or confirm the identity of deceased persons through fingerprint, DNA or other means

Essential Skills: 

• Qualified to degree level in Forensic Science related subject or relevant experience in the field.
• Excellent organisational and administrative ability
• Ability to deal with difficult situations to work calmly and accurately under pressure.
• Knowledge of all forensic related science. 
• Please note: A Full Driving License is required for this role.

Further information about this vacancy can be found in the attached job description.

Additional Information:

A Full Driving License is required for this role. The job involves extensive travel across the UK, working long hours, which may sometimes be unsociable, including shifts and on call. 

The job will necessitate working in difficult circumstances including tunnels, steep embankments and outside in all weather conditions.

The job entails dealing with extremely distressing situations including scenes involving death and mutilation, liaising with family members who have received news of recent loss of a loved one and victims of crime  

Vetting: Successful applicants will be required to pass Recruitment Vetting (3 years minimum UK residency required), including a full background and financial disclosure. For more information and Top Tips, please see attached document. 

Medical: We’ll ask for relevant health and medical history details to support employee wellbeing.  

References: We'll ask for references to cover the past 5 years.

How to apply: 

Applications will be via a detailed CV, Cover Letter and online application form. Your Cover Letter should outline why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role.

Completed applications must be submitted by 11.59pm, 17 June 2025

What we offer:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Family-friendly policies, including up to 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave.
• Bespoke benefits platform and Blue Light Card access.
• Salary sacrifice options for cycles, home technology, gym membership, and electric vehicles.
• Interest-free annual rail season ticket loan after 6 months. 
• Access to the Transport Benevolent Fund for health, welfare, and financial support.
• Development opportunities, including fully funded apprenticeships.
• Excellent Pension scheme:  We offer the BTP GPP Police Staff Pension Scheme, administered by Royal London. This group personal pension plan is available to all police staff and is a defined contribution scheme. It provides the flexibility to vary your pension contributions from 4.4% to 12% of your salary. For more information, visit the Royal London dedicated pension page or email us at Pension-Queries@btp.police.uk. Note: If you are an existing member of Police Staff in the RPS, your pension will not be affected.

Inclusion & Diversity: 

At BTP, we are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. We believe diversity drives innovation and better decision-making. Our roles are open to everyone, and we encourage applications from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates, women, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, and those who are neurodiverse. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. 

For more information on Inclusion or the Disability Confident Scheme, please click the links Inclusion & Diversity Disability Confident Scheme

Join Us: 

Grow your career with us. We can’t wait to hear from you! See why BTP is right for you and click here for more information. For further information, please contact our Resourcing Team at RecruitmentTeam@btp.police.uk.