HM CUSTOMS

[Luke]

HM CUSTOMS -- AN ATTEMPT TO RECONSTRUCT RANK STRUCTURE AND RANK INSIGNIA


In 1995 or 1996 civil service grades were abolished and replaced with functional job titles grouped into 12 job bands. Please disregard the R’s in the curls of the rank insignia below, since I could only find images from the RNR as illustrations.



Previous civil service grade: Assistant Officer
Present job band: Band 4
Job titles include: ?
Police equivalent: Constable



Previous civil service grade: Executive Officer
Present job band: Band 5-6
Job titles include: Anti-Smuggling Officer (2); Cargo Team Leader (1); Cargo Team Member (3); Drug Dog Unit Team Leader; EFIT Team Member; EVO (2); LVOIT Officer (1); PSD Team Member (1); Road Fuel Testing Officer; Specialist Investigator (1)
Police equivalent: Sergeant



Previous civil service grade: Higher Executive Officer
Present job band: Band 7-8
Job titles include: Anti-Smuggling Team Leader; Cargo Team Leader (2); EFIT Team Leader; EVU Team Leader; LVOIT Officer (2); PSD Team Manager; Road Fuel Control Officer; Specialist Investigator (2); Specialist Investigator (3)
Police equivalent: Inspector/Chief Inspector



Previous civil service grade: Senior Executive Officer
Present job band: Band 9
Job titles include: Anti-Smuggling Manager; Cargo Operational Manager; Investigation Team Leader; PSD Operations Manager
Police equivalent: Superintendent



Previous civil service grade: Principal Officer
Present job band: Band 10-11?
Job titles include: ?
Police equivalent: Chief Superintendent



Previous civil service grade: Senior Principal Officer
Present job band: Band 12?
Job titles include: ?
Police equivalent: ?


Several independent Internet sources (listed below) confirm the veracity of the previous and the present rank structure, the association between civil service grade/job band and rank insignia is, however, conjectural, although supported by internal evidence.

Sources
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/s ... 0_en_1.htm

http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/s ... 9_en_1.htm

http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/ukds/20 ... frame.html

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWe ... e=document

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWe ... ROD_008516

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWe ... ROD_007977

http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2000/20002417.htm

By the way, HMCE will merge with the Inland Revenue to form HM Revenue and Customs on 1 April 2005.

[Luke]

Well, obviously the former civil service grades were wrong, see ChrisWI's post:
viewtopic.php?t=1291

It also seems likely that the former Chief Preventive Officer (four stripes) successors are to be found in job band 10-12.

[Luke]

Herwiggly! How old was the information you provided about the Preventif Officer grades?

There are some indications that my original assumptions about standard civil service grades in HM Customs were correct after all.

Quote from a career description:

"I joined C&E from school as a clerical assistant (band 2) in Dover Customs House. Within six months I was a uniformed Assistant Officer (band 4) dealing with ferry passengers, freight vehicles and the authentication of export and import documentation. I also spent time on a rummage crew searching ships for uncustomed goods. Each role required me to adjust my communication to the situation and the people involved and proved extremely useful in preparing me for later challenges.

My promotion to Executive Officer (band 5) led to specialisation in the detection of drugs smuggled in cars and small vehicles. However it was an interest in training which, on promotion to Higher Executive Officer (band 7), took me on to the Southend training headquarters and qualification as a Member of the Chartered Institute Of Personnel Development (MCIPD)."

Source: http://www.hmce-recruitment.org.uk/genr ... tudies.htm

[Herrwiggly]

Hi Luke, my infomation came from the customs and excise office with pictures, this was last year. they did the research for me with those rank titles but I had no idea they were out of date. Sorry if I have misled you. :oops: :oops: :oops:

[Luke]

No need to go red Herwiggly, I might as well blush, having missed yours and Chris W’s previous posts about HM Customs.

As for now, Preventive Officer &c. are the confirmed previous civil service grades, while job bands and job titles is the present system.

The use in HM Customs of standard administrative civil service grades, like Higher Executive Officer &c., is - in my opinion - still unconfirmed. Maybe they where used by some enforcement officers normally working in civilian dress?

All my information is derived from the Internet, which is a severe limitation of course.

[Luke]

Waterguard Uniforms: http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/stores_uniform.htm

Waterguard Grades: http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/structure.htm#GRADES

[Luke]

Uniforms and insignia: http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Uniform.htm

[Luke]

Grade // Grade when serving in Outfield
Assistant Secretary // Collector

Deputy Collector/Senior Inspector // Collector/Deputy Collector

Senior Principal // -

Principal // Assistant Collector

Senior Executive Officer // Surveyor

Higher Executive Officer // Senior Officer

Executive Officer // Officer

Clerical Officer // Assistant Officer

***

"14. The introduction of the unified grading structure will involve a number of changes in the present departmental gradings, eg:
(a) Allowanced Officer posts will be phased out, the various duties modified by the needs of the new structure, being allocated to the appropriate grades.
(b) The work at present laid to members of the Officer grade will eventually be allocated to 2 grades-Senior Officer and Officerthe former undertaking the more important duties of the grade.
(c) The duties at present undertaken by Assistant Preventive Officers will be allocated to 2 grades-officer and Assistant Officer"

"58. It has been agreed that certain existing Departmental grades should be treated as obsolescent grades [...]

The grades affected by these arrangements are:
(i) Officer of Customs and Excise
(ii) Assistant Preventive Officer
(iii) Chief Preventive Officer. Existing CPOs will continue to wear uniform and have it counted as a 2 per cent pensionable emolument under the normal rules and will retain their "all hours worked" liability.
(iv) Assistant Waterguard Superintendent/Assistant Waterguard Inspector
(v) Possibly other grades (see paragraph 68)."


Source: Reorganisation Agreement 1971 http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Reorgan ... 201971.pdf

[Luke]

lGW = Inspector General of Waterguard
DIGW = Deputy Inspector General of Waterguard
HWS = ?
Insp/WS = Inspector/Waterguard Surveyor
AI/AWS = Assistant Inspector/Assistant Waterguard Surveyor
CPO = Chief Preventive Officer
PO = Preventive Officer
APO = Assistant Preventive Officer

Source: Customs Journal , January 1967, p. 7 http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Customs ... 201967.pdf

Source: "Pay & Conditions of The Waterguard" http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Pay%20& ... itions.htm

[Luke]

Waterguard Surveyor = Waterguard Superintendent!

[Luke]

Inspector General of Waterguard 1953-1972

Deputy Inspector General of Waterguard 1953-1972

Higher Waterguard Superintendent (1st Class) 1926-1972

Assistant Inspector of Waterguard 1953-1972

Waterguard Superintendent (2nd Class) 1926-1972

Deputy Waterguard Superintendent 1953-1972

Assistant Waterguard Superintendent 1953-1972

Chief Preventive Officer 1891-1972

Preventive Officer 1891-1972

Assistant Preventive Officer 1923-1972

Coast Preventive Man 1923-1972
Land Preventive Man 1952-1972


Source: http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Managem ... ctures.htm

Combining all the above information and seeing the insignia on the Waterguard site, the rank insignia of HM Customs in the Encyclopedia must be incorrect, even if they would refer to the situation before 1971./Luke

[Luke]

RANKS & GRADING
Waterguard staff were employed at various ranks, the nomenclature of some of which were the subject of change over time. In order of seniority they were:

Inspector / Inspector General of Waterguard
Deputy Inspector General of Waterguard
Assistant Inspector of Waterguard
Higher Waterguard Superintendent
Waterguard Superintendent
Deputy Waterguard Superintendent
Waterguard Surveyor / Assistant Waterguard Superintendent
Senior Boatman / Chief Preventive Officer
Preventive Officer
Boatman / Preventive Man / Assistant Preventive Officer
Coast Preventive Man & Land Preventive Man

quote from: http://www.hm-waterguard.org.uk/Staffin ... motion.htm

[Luke2]

Westminster Abbey 2014