Leaving the Police

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Greenish

Original Poster:

209 posts

117 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Initially I was going to post a war story in Speed Plod and Law but I decided it probably wasn't really relevant in that forum.

Suffice to say I, like 99% of my colleagues, am desperately looking for a way out of the job but am struggling for a few reasons. My main question here is how attractive would a police officer be to a potential future employer these days, and also I am still clueless as to what avenues to pursue in terms of moving on and as far away as possible from "policing".

Living in a constant culture of fear of discipline and worse I am unwilling to reveal much about my work other than it is London and Home Counties based. I am in a specialist role and have a total of 18 years in the service having joined extremely young. As with all of us, having served for that duration time, I have no official or recognisable qualification to offer to the outside world other than I am first aid trained. I have been through weeks if not years of intensive internal training for my current role and on paper am "highly trained", but it's all useless if I was to go and interview to be a train driver.

Unlike many of my colleagues I have no second skill or useful hobby in which to turn into a career. I pretty much went straight from school into the service and it's all I really know. Training up in something is tough, two reasons for this, firstly with the hours and shifts I work (along with my partner who works when I am not working) I struggle to find 15 minutes to even mow the lawn. Plus we also have 2 very young children who we struggle as it is to manage childcare around. We have no help with the kids either, my parents are not around and my partners parents live in Wales. It's very tough and with the police have no interest in dependants or your own welfare there have been times I have had to use statutory dependants leave in order to look after them, usually following a last minute shift change or if one of them is unwell and cannot attend nursery e.t.c.

And then we have finances. I am personally willing to take a 50% pay cut to enter any job that get's me out and away from the police. I couldn't care less about the money initially, what's more important to me is my family, quality of life, my health, a sense of well being and being valued, none of which apply in any way shape or form to police officers today. I am also fed up of being embarrassed to tell people what I do, swerving the question and often lying when asked. I guess I hate being part of the "system" that only serves to fail the greater majority through no fault of those that work within it.

The problem however is that despite my willingness, we have just taken on the biggest mortgage of our lives, and with childcare costs currently at maximum due to their ages, I simply could not afford to take any sort of pay cut. My pay in real terms has been decreasing for the last 7 years anyway, something none of us expected, and for the first time in my life this year I have been using my untouched pot of life savings in order to get by month to month, something I have never done before. I have simply run out of options, as I have already put in all the measures possible to get by, but each month a new cut is forced upon me, and now with all overtime being withdrawn for the rest of the year, it is nothing but flat pay months, so I can kiss goodbye to the £100 overtime payments here and there which really helped. I am bringing home currently the same amount of money as I did in 2008, although living costs have rocketed since then and after my bills and living costs are catered for I am left with around £120 for the month.

So, I want out, I am willing to put in the work to get out, and I am pretty sure I can club together a half decent CV but I am unsure as to how it would be looked at by a future employer. Broadly speaking, I am privately educated to A Level (achieved 3 passes), I am articulate and organised, detail focussed, computer literate and can talk up a whole range of life experiences thus far in my career. What I can't do is demonstrate proven experience in particular fields such as sales, employment law and so on and so forth.

My options are to stick with what I am doing and join those who will do likewise, resulting in a 25 year grind avoiding as many risks to my job in terms of complaints as possible, being undervalued and not getting anywhere. Or I could take a leap into the unknown, disrupting the steady platform I have known for all this time, with unknown pay, unknown prospects and potentially some serious disruption to my home and kids life. The question is where to look and how to go about it.

Oilchange

8,421 posts

259 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
I can't help in most aspects of what you say but I was due to leave the forces last year (it changed last minute) and did all the resettlement. I wondered what the hell I could be good at and went to all the job fairs which were populated by all manner of employers, large and small.
One thing was hammered home, whatever you've done, or not done, you will have transferable skills that you never knew you had. Employers recognise this. You just have to look a little deeper and get that cv written by someone who knows what they are talking about. We did workshops to knock one up and while it was all done in the format etc I suspect a professional cv writer would make it 10 times better. Worth it.
I was in the same position, no idea what skills I had or what I was capable of.
Not much but HTH

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Much as Bigends says.
If you leave you will just be another person looking for a job with basic educational qualifications - many jobs specify that applicants must be educated to degree level.

Any reason why you can't change your role?
If you aren't happy in your current force then consider a transfer. If your partner's parents are willing to help with the children then consider transferring to their force area.

jan8p

1,722 posts

227 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Like paintman said, what's stopping you moving roles to something with more sociable shifts? Neighbourhood (if it exists in your force), CID, DV, etc? Doesn't solve the money aspect but could potentially make you slightly less depressed.

Money wise, what's barring you from doing your OSPREs, get some acting under your belt and going for promotion?

rog007

5,748 posts

223 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
I can't help in most aspects of what you say but I was due to leave the forces last year (it changed last minute) and did all the resettlement. I wondered what the hell I could be good at and went to all the job fairs which were populated by all manner of employers, large and small.
One thing was hammered home, whatever you've done, or not done, you will have transferable skills that you never knew you had. Employers recognise this. You just have to look a little deeper and get that cv written by someone who knows what they are talking about. We did workshops to knock one up and while it was all done in the format etc I suspect a professional cv writer would make it 10 times better. Worth it.
I was in the same position, no idea what skills I had or what I was capable of.
Not much but HTH
This is a good piece of insight.

You can turn your hand to many roles, most of which you probably haven't even considered.

You have a heap of transferable skills; the key is to recognise them, articulate them and then market them.

You do need to have a sense of what it is you might be interested in doing and you should start now converting some of your experiences in to recognisable qualifications; Chartered Manager comes to mind.

More than happy to glance over your CV and of course can provide closer support if requested.

Good luck!


Andehh

7,107 posts

205 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
I struggle to believe you have no transferable skills or are just another average job seekers!

What about security? Bodyguard? Bouncer? Security consultant? Private investigator? Corporation /business protection? Secure transport? Secure messenger?
Private escort? Strip-o-gram?

Edit: just think of all the bad press G4S gets from the standard buffoons they hire,bet they'd rip your arm off (literally...) for a genuine qualified experienced security chap.

Edited by Andehh on Friday 3rd June 19:37

Elroy Blue

8,686 posts

191 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
I've got a mate who binned it for exactly the same reasons (don't most 24/7 feel the same). He looked around, thought sod it and went self employed as a handyman. He bought a little Transit connect, a few garden tools and he's now got more work than he can handle. He's taking home a similar amount to what he did in the job and living a totally stress free life.

I certainly intend to go self employed when I go.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
I don't know if you have in interest in becoming a train driver, but they don't actually require any formal qualifications (the last time I checked). The skills they do look for would be found in a good police officer. I know several ex forces personnel who have become train drivers.

Elroy Blue

8,686 posts

191 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Oh dear. He's arrived!

Rovinghawk

13,300 posts

157 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
One thing was hammered home, whatever you've done, or not done, you will have transferable skills
I've often had a discussion about this with current or ex military. The various services all go on about transferable skills but they only appear to transfer one way; I'm sufficiently good at land survey & similar that I was offered a teaching position. I've been doing that sort of work for over 20 years and quite a good name on the circuit.

If I were to join the army this would count for nothing as I would be required to attend the standard course along with all the new guys. It would be similar if working for the police as one of their accident scene mapping chaps (had a chat with a guy doing that work- my experience is 20x his as he does it as a sideline to his main work).

My point is that don't presume that everything you've been told about 'transferable skills' is true.

Troubleatmill

10,210 posts

158 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
I can't help in most aspects of what you say but I was due to leave the forces last year (it changed last minute) and did all the resettlement. I wondered what the hell I could be good at and went to all the job fairs which were populated by all manner of employers, large and small.
One thing was hammered home, whatever you've done, or not done, you will have transferable skills that you never knew you had. Employers recognise this. You just have to look a little deeper and get that cv written by someone who knows what they are talking about. We did workshops to knock one up and while it was all done in the format etc I suspect a professional cv writer would make it 10 times better. Worth it.
I was in the same position, no idea what skills I had or what I was capable of.
Not much but HTH
^ This

If you are Police - you are trained to deal with the public.

You have far more transferable skills than you think you do.

You can read people, defuse awkward situations etc.

You can think logically, have a structured mind set - and understand how to manage within boundaries - and know when to escalate.

Spending some time with someone who can boost your confidence - and explain to you - why your soft skills are of key importance to employers will be a revelation to you

Oilchange

8,421 posts

259 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
I'm not saying we all have this wonderful gift just by being ex servicemen but it does give a different perspective having dealt with some of the less mundane and more dramatic of lifes experiences.
Being sat in an office compared to being in a combat zone kind of contrast if you get my drift.
I suppose we all have to draw on our resources and use them to our best advantage.
Some of these experiences can give servicemen and women a great deal of confidence and self awareness around others although I've no doubt it can go the other way.
The basic training thing you talk about is just to bring civvies into the basic military frame of mind and to get all the basic legalities with weapons and CBRN etc squared away.


Edited by Oilchange on Friday 3rd June 23:18

Trabi601

4,865 posts

94 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Andehh said:
Edit: just think of all the bad press G4S gets from the standard buffoons they hire,bet they'd rip your arm off (literally...) for a genuine qualified experienced security chap.
And pay them 'living wage'.

The big thing to consider if you do give it up is the impact on your future pension - you won't get anywhere near the pension benefits elsewhere.

Sir Bagalot

6,463 posts

180 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
The Pension. 12 more years til you receive a two thirds final salary pension for life.

My BIL is in the force. He loves pay day. Not because he get paid, but because he's one pay day nearer his last one.

Rovinghawk

13,300 posts

157 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
I'm not saying we all have this wonderful gift just by being ex servicemen
There are many who do.

Oilchange said:
Being sat in an office compared to being in a combat zone kind of contrast if you get my drift.
Which would you say gives better preparation for office work?

Oilchange said:
The basic training thing you talk about is just to bring civvies into the basic military frame of mind and to get all the basic legalities with weapons and CBRN etc squared away.
I wasn't talking about weapons training- I was pointing out that a very specific set of training & experience counts for nothing when attempting to transfer one way and asking why the presumption that it works fine going the other way.

My experience of ex forces personnel is that they are generally very good at working in a specified manner but not so good when there's a necessity to deviate from the script.

My presumption with ex police is that they will bring certain good points based on their background but also some bad ones based equally upon that same background. The one I worked with once upon a time certainly had a problem with being contradicted or disagreed with.

PlayFair

201 posts

119 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
Why not transfer to HQ? You have enough knowledge to be a trainer of some form?
Still within the force, so still on your way to the pension?

truck71

2,328 posts

171 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
I've just hired an ex police sergeant in a sales role ahead of several more experienced candidates. Professionalism, credibility and gravitas overtook industry knowledge which we can train him in. He will have experienced every walk of human life after 20 years in plod to cope with B2B customers.

Oilchange

8,421 posts

259 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
I see what you mean, it's a dilemma I prondered. I would not have been able to sit 9-5 in an office.
I also see that there would be a transition period of adjustment which would probably involve conflict and disagreement. I'd imagine having achieved a certain rank, an individual could become somewhat arrogant and superior that would no doubt rub people up the wrong way. Not being able to take criticism is something that wouldn't be tolerated in my trade. It's 'beaten' out of us in the early stages but yes, others won't be trained the same.
A lot of ex forces move around several jobs in the early stages after leaving due, I think, to the re adjustment.

Derek Smith

45,514 posts

247 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
The problem, so I'm told, is not that there are too few jobs for ex police officers, but too many police officers wanting to be ex. The benefits of commitment, honesty and work ethic are not much on a CV.

One option:

My son-in-law worked in the City, selling shares and playing golf with his clients. Long hours and having to drink a lot. He left with a bonus, and instead of investing it all in shares, as I thought he would, he put some into a training course for an electrician's qualification.

The course is competitive in a way, less than half the graduates from the course being able to get jobs at the end of it, but he put the hours in, did a lot of homework, and got top of the class despite only wiring a plug or two beforehand. He's now doing well after some four years, and almost every month he increases his income. His job now is to check other people's work.

He goes on courses regularly, and that is a drain on income, but once he gains the new qualification he can market it.

His trick, he reckons, is being willing to learn and to work hard when at work, not a universal trait among his fellow workers. I'm not suggesting electrician as the only job, but there are opportunities to change course. The hours and hard work police now are obliged to do will mean that you will not be shy of grafting a bit.

The only downside he says is that his golf has suffered.


ZOLLAR

19,908 posts

172 months

Saturday 4th June 2016
quotequote all
Andehh said:
I struggle to believe you have no transferable skills or are just another average job seekers!

What about security? Bodyguard? Bouncer? Security consultant? Private investigator? Corporation /business protection? Secure transport? Secure messenger?
Private escort? Strip-o-gram?

Edit: just think of all the bad press G4S gets from the standard buffoons they hire,bet they'd rip your arm off (literally...) for a genuine qualified experienced security chap.

Edited by Andehh on Friday 3rd June 19:37
In my role we use private investigators, mostly they're contracted through companies like the Brownsword Group.
Quite a number of them are ex police so I'm unsure if the market is "saturated" if you get me.

OP,
There's a gentleman I work with who was a DI with South Wales police, after he left the service (think he'd been with them for a good 25 years) he started working for the insurance company I work for and currently deals with Investigations of claims.

Admittedly the pay doesn't match what he was on but that doesn't seem a concern to him as he works 8-5 Monday - Friday and has plenty of time to spend with his grandson.

Perhaps approach financial companies or insurers to see if there are positions available (Fraud the area I work in is quite a big issue and is growing)