Prisoner Custody Officer - Bristol Vehicle Base

October 28, 2025

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Bristol Vehicle Base, BS11 8HTPermanent roles offering job stability & security.Working as a Prisoner Escort Custody Driver (PCO) in Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS) is more than just a role-it's an opportunity to be part of a professional team that plays a vital role in the justice system, ensuring safety and security every day. In addition to a rewarding career, we also offer:

Salary of £26,745 (40hrs pw). Training salary is £23,402 (35hrs pw).
Annual salary increments: Year 2 - £27,411, Year 3 - £27,927, Year 4 - £28,446
Additional driving allowance earnings for Category B1/C1 License holders:
- B1 = £600 per year
- C1 = £2,400 per year. (C1 License holders must drive 6 cell vehicles - subject to further terms).
A potential first-year income between £32,345 & £34,145 (depending upon license type and overtime based on a current average of 8 hrs overtime pw).
Pension (matched up to 6%), life insurance, 20 days annual leave (rising to 25 after 7 years) plus Bank Holidays.
Discounts on Merlin Attractions, mobile phones, cinema, leisure, retail, and hospitality.
Health and wellbeing support: Employee Assistance Programme, MIND, Simply Health Care, and Dental Plans.
A supportive team and culture passionate about diversity and inclusion.

We are operational 24/6, and you'll be expected to cover various early and late shifts, with a minimum of 40 hours per week. Flexibility is absolutely essential, as the nature of the role involves a wide range of different working arrangements and additional hours. There will be days when your finishing time is unpredictable, and you may need to work beyond your scheduled hours to meet the demands of the job. We operate on a rota basis, which is provided 12 weeks in advance, allowing you to plan ahead. This system ensures that, despite the long and often unpredictable hours, you will have the flexibility to enjoy meaningful time off to do the things you love.

About the Role:
As a PCO at our base, you'll work as part of a crew to provide safe and secure court transportation and custody services. You'll collect adult male and female detainees between prisons, police stations and courts, always ensuring their well-being. Depending upon operational requirements, you may be required to remain at court, where you'll be responsible for the care of the detainee until they return to custody or are released. Duties include accompanying defendants in courtrooms and cells, searching property and people, ensuring food and drink are available, and completing paperwork and data entry.

Key Responsibilities:

Start the day early, attend briefings to receive assignments, including details on prisoners, pick-up and drop-off locations, and specific risks.
Check handheld devices for schedules and prisoner information. Complete vehicle checks.
Collect prisoners from various locations, verify paperwork and property, search prisoners, and load them onto the vehicle.
Monitor prisoners' welfare during transport, conduct cell checks, and provide water if needed. Arrange comfort stops for long journeys.
Transport prisoners to courts and handle inter-prison transfers for reasons such as bed space management or educational needs.
Return to the vehicle base, perform end-of-use checks, report defects, and hand in documentation.
Work beyond contracted hours due to job demands, sometimes exceeding 50 hours a week.
Stay with prisoners admitted to hospitals and handle emergency transfers during incidents like prison riots.

What you need to do the job!Our current PCOs come to us with diverse work and life experiences. What you've done before doesn't matter; what matters is your commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. The rest you will learn during your 5 1/2-week training course and through our experienced colleagues. You'll need to hold a current driver's licence, B1 or C1 Licence (valid CPC card desirable). Our roles would suit those who have a particular interest in criminology or psychology. Required skills and abilities:

Ability to understand and respond to the emotional needs of detainees.
Capability to handle stressful and emotionally demanding situations with a calm and composed demeanour.
Ability to think on your feet and make quick, effective decisions in challenging situations.
Strong ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure the safety and well-being of detainees.
Meticulous in following protocols, conducting searches, and completing paperwork accurately.
Adequate physical fitness to perform duties that may involve restraining detainees and handling long hours.
Skilled in de-escalating conflicts and managing challenging behaviour effectively.
High ethical standards and a commitment to always maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.
Sensitivity to the diverse backgrounds and needs of detainees, ensuring respectful and fair treatment.

Our Assessment Process:Briefing call to assess eligibility -> Competency based Virtual Interview -> short role-play and written exercise.

Additional Information:
All roles are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and all offers of employment are subject to Ministry of Justice Enhanced Level 2 checks with Enhanced DBS (Adult & Child Barring) and satisfactory employment references.

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under current UK Home Office rules, as it does not meet the required salary or skill level criteria. Whilst we encourage applications to other roles, candidates who already have a valid right to work in the UK through other immigration routes or permissions must meet the below minimum eligibility criteria:

Have at least two years remaining on your current visa
Have lived in the UK for at least one year, as vetting process requires a counter-signatory from a recognised professional who has known you for that duration.

For general right-to-work guidance, please visit the UK Home Office website.

#PECS

All Serco employees must ensure that their current line manager is aware of their application. For confidential enquiries, please contact MyHR. Serco are Disability Confident Leader employers and are committed to employing and retaining people with disabilities. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. For help with your application please contact j&icareersUK@serco.com.

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