Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves effectively managing one's professional performance, and performing ethically and with the integrity required to ensure the public's confidence in its police service.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Model high standards of personal performance, ethics and integrity

1.1. Own performance  standards consistently serve as a role model for other officers and the community as a whole.

1.2. Personal and professional integrity is demonstrated to engender confidence and respect.

1.3. Commitment to the jurisdiction's laws and the organisation's policy procedures and objectives are constantly demonstrated.

1.4. Breaches of organisational codes of ethics and/or practice are recognised and reported in the required manner.

2. Review and monitor own performance

2.1. Required personal and professional performance standards  are readily identified and acknowledged.

2.2. Self -assessment and reflection on practice  are regularly used to monitor performance against established standards  and accurately identify personal strengths and weaknesses.

2.3. Formal and informal performance feedback is regularly sought and acted upon appropriately.

2.4. Tasks are carried out to achieve outcomes sought and minimise resource usage.

3. Develop and maintain ongoing personal competence 

3.1. Currency of relevant professional operational competencies is maintained.

3.2. Personal development and self -improvement strategies  are identified, planned and implemented, and results evaluated.

3.3. Participation in professional associations  is undertaken.

3.4. New developments and trends in fishery policing are identified and the associated knowledge and skills identified, acquired and applied.

4. Manage personal work priorities 

4.1. Jobs/tasks are prioritised and undertaken in accordance with unit/team goals.

4.2. Competing demands are assessed and organised within time constraints to achieve individual, team and organisational priorities.

4.3. Operational and self-development needs are balanced within the work environment.

5. Assist and support other personnel

5.1. Informative and constructive feedback is provided to other personnel in a positive manner.

5.2. Interaction with others promotes a productive and harmonious work environment.

5.3. Encouragement, support and advice  are provided to personnel, as required.

5.4. Opportunities for appropriate action  are identified and taken.

6. Maintain physical and emotional health

6.1. Levels of personal physical and emotional health are routinely monitored and appropriately managed.

6.2. Support is sought, where required, to enable identification and implementation of positive alternatives to personal problems.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• dealing with and effectively responding to issues/events that challenge professional ethics
• maintaining integrity and behaviour, including reporting of breaches to appropriate authorities
• interacting professionally with colleagues and others
• maintaining consistently high levels of professional ethics and integrity in all work practices and dealings with the community
• maintaining consistently high levels of personal presentation (e.g. dress code, mannerisms and respectfulness)
• maintaining personal health and stress at a level that will enable optimum operational performance
• planning and implementing personal improvement plans
• providing encouragement and support to others
• recognising, accurately assessing and acknowledging personal strengths and weaknesses
• seeking out and responding effectively to feedback related to personal performance.

Literacy skills used for :

• researching, reading and recording information
• self-assessment and reflection.

Required knowledge 

• acceptable/non-acceptable behaviour and practices
• cultural awareness
• ethical and integrity issues confronting fishery officers
• factors pertaining to policing roles that affect/impact upon personal health and stress
• internal procedures for dealing with breaches of professional ethics
• internal/external professional support and development mechanisms
• methods for assessing/reviewing personal performance and planning and implementing effective personal improvement strategies
• professional associations
• professional integrity and behaviour standards
• relevant agency codes of practice/ethics
• standards of behaviours
• statements of values
• team dynamics and impacts on personal work performance.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Assessment must confirm ability to:

• consistently maintain own professional performance standards.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment is to be conducted on the job or in a simulated environment.

If undertaken in a simulated environment, then organisational documentation relating to an individual's performance would be required, such as code of ethics and jurisdictional legislation. A group of peers would be required for feedback.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• portfolio of supporting evidence
• personal journal
• self-improvement projects
• observation of practical demonstration
• third-party reports.

Guidance information for assessment 

This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Own performance  in the context of this unit may include:

• an individual officer's professional ethics
• integrity and behaviour in relation to that expected and implied within the organisation's stated codes of ethics/practice
• statements of values, law, policy and procedures.

Professional performance standards  are those:

• personal and technical attributes and skills required to undertake the day-to-day tasks and duties of the incumbent's role to the required workplace performance level.

Self -assessment and reflection on practice  requires:

• officers to regularly review:

• performance against established service standards
• personal professional goals and standards
• feedback both formal and informal and in written or verbal formats.

The monitoring of performance against established standards  may include:

• colleagues
• formal/informal organisational initiated performance appraisals
• human resource personnel, family and other relevant community members
• monitoring of supervised staff, colleagues and/or team staff morale
• obtaining feedback from supervisors
• others which facilitate the identification of personal strengths/weaknesses/issues to be addressed
• personal reflective behaviour strategies/methodologies
• subordinates.

The development and maintenance of ongoing personal professional competence  may include:

• establishing new career paths and goals, such as achievement of a particular specialist fishery policing function or rank
• dealing with internal integrity matters
• improving security of lifestyle
• processes, such as:

• personal competence/development models
• specific work assignments
• job rotation
• formal education
• internal training
• involvement in community activities

• personality improvement.

Self -improvement strategies  may include:

• adapting work rotation to facilitate changing personal/work priorities
• counselling from appropriate personnel to overcome identified limitations
• cultural awareness
• development of improved interpersonal/technical skills
• development/implementation of a personal/professional improvement program, either internal or external to the organisation, such as:

• establishment of new career paths within or external to the organisation
• formal/informal learning programs
• mentoring
• seeking coaching
• updating stress management abilities
• utilisation of existing strengths to focus future career development.

Participation in professional associations  may include:

• improved workplace performance resulting from adaptations to new technologies/organisational climates, acquisition of new skills, and rapid adoption of new work practices
• promotion of individual ethics and integrity.

Participation in professional associations and formal and informal professional development activities should be focused on facilitating and encouraging the development and maintenance of high levels of professionalism.

Managing personal work priorities  may include:

• dealing with competing personal team member/partner priorities or levels of workplace performance and commitment
• developing effective time-management strategies
• identifying and dealing with the competing priorities of personal/family/professional responsibilities
• optimising own on-the-job learning through establishing and achieving specific learning activities/competencies or working with a mentor
• responding/adapting to unforseen/unplanned events.

Support and advice  may include:

• acting as a field supervisor
• acting as a role model/mentor
• assisting in induction
• formal and informal socialisation
• participation in a formal assessment program.

Appropriate action  may include:

• accessing peer support
• advising team leader/coordinator of problems
• seeking internal and/or external professional help
• undertaking intervention programs to achieve a level of health and fitness commensurate with organisational policies.

Unit sector 

Fisheries compliance

Co-requisite units 

Competency field