PCSO gave herself a better NVQ on CV to get West Midlands Police job
A West Midlands Police community support officer boosted her NVQ qualification to a higher grade while applying to join the regular police force, it was revealed today.
Walsall-based Samantha Skinner, aged 24, has now resigned ahead of a disciplinary hearing, with force chiefs saying she was 'not fit to be a police officer'.
Skinner had worked for the force for seven years, but her career was left in ruins when it was found she had altered an NVQ Level 1 certificate to Level 3 after applying to become a police officer.
She was handed a 12 month supervision order and told she must complete 60 hours of unpaid work when she appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today after admitting fraud by false representation.
Officers are not revealing exactly how she was caught.
Ch Insp Kevin Doyle said: "West Midlands Police is committed to recruiting the very best people from our communities to form the next generation of officers.
"Ms Skinner dishonestly claimed to have a qualification that she did not possess. Her behaviour fell short of the standards we expect from potential recruits and this was especially disappointing given she was already part of our organisation. "She was not fit to be a police officer in the West Midlands and as a consequence she was prosecuted for criminal matters."
"The competition for appointment to serve our communities as a police officer has been intense, as has the rigour and scrutiny that we have applied to the assessment and selection of recruits.
"I hope today's conviction will reassure the communities of the West Midlands how dedicated we are to ensuring fair and ethical selection processes."
