Police application assistance please
Discussion
My 2p worth...
I have had a variety of roles in the police, working in uniform as a Response and then as a Neighbourhood PC, before becoming a Detective and working in CID, as well as in a few other specialist investigative areas.
In short, I'd say don't do it until you are absolutely and completely aware of what the job involves. Plenty of posters have already highlighted some of the pitfalls but here's my view:
Good points
Wide variety of chances to specialise and do different things over the course of your career. I can't think of any career that has so many different facets to it.
Camaraderie is superb. I can't think of a day in the police where I haven't had a good belly laugh at something at least once.
Get to see things and do things that the rest of the population have absolutely no idea about and will never experience.
The standard of training for specialist skills is actually pretty good.
Bad Points
The job is an absolute homewrecker. It's an unpleasant thought, but you really need to assess the stresses and strains in your relationship and ask how they will stand up to years of weekend working, shift working, last minute rest day cancellations, and long 10-12 shifts where your other half will be with other people. Most people manage it of course, but relationship breakdown is routine and the amount of extra-marital shagging that goes on is unbelievable.
Pay and conditions. Don't believe all the crap spouted about overtime goldmines. Yes, there is occasionally overtime available but even when it isn't authorised you still have to finish the job at hand. This is especially true if you work as a detective or as a supervisor. Pro-rata the pay isn't that great, and has only got worse. The pension is no longer that good either. While it is still half-decent compared to some, paying in 14.5% of your gross pay every month is a significant outgoing and needs to be accounted for when you're assessing the pay package.
Not making a difference. The police and everybody else can change things very little. The "making a difference" is in small victories here and there - arresting a burglar, helping someone through the first minutes after they've found their spouse dead, getting justice for a rape victim etc, but don't expect to change the world.
The Jeremy Kyle factor. Regardless of where you work, or what role you are in, 99% of your work will be dealing with the social underclass and their never-ending domestic/property/Facebook/drug debt disputes. Before I joined the police I used to think that lots of police cars flying past with blue lights must mean that something "big" was happening. Now I know that it is far more likely to be two alcoholics threatening to kill each other over whose turn it is to have the remote control, or a teenage girl at the local council kids' home threatening to kill herself because she isn't allowed out on a Friday night.
It is utterly soul-destroying to see every single day how utterly inept people are at living their own lives in a healthy fashion. The assaults, stabbings, and murders are always over stupid, trivial, petty things and over time I began to find myself hating the people that ring us up. When I was in uniform I got to the point where if I had had to go to yet another call that began "ex partner threatening to burn house down after ex slagged him off on Facebook", "Drunken male threatening to kill himself" (for the eighth time that week), "Female with mental health issues threatening to kill herself" etc etc I would have lost it. It grinds you down.
You will spend far more time sat in hospital with mad/drunk people or chasing round missing social services cases (especially after they dump-and-run at 4pm on a Friday) than you will dealing with burglars or robbers.
You will get injured and assaulted quite often. I was once spat at by someone who had Hep C and who was suspected to have HIV and had to wait months to get the all clear. You don't need to be Rambo but you do need to be fairly tough.
You see and hear things that are horrendous. Dead children, dead adults, suicides, people horribly mangled in their family cars while relatives are still trying to ring them on their mobiles which are still vibrating away in their pockets. You become very hardened to it when such things are your bread and butter but there is no question that it does take its toll on you.
Armchair experts - everyone can do the job better than you can (see any PH post in SP&L for further details). At least two investigations I have worked on (including one where I was the OIC) were discussed and dissected on PH once by people who had absolutely no idea whatsoever. It was highly amusing for us all to see the pompous should-have-could-have brigade offer their expert insight into an investigation I had run for 6 months, amassed 3,500 pages of evidence, which I then condensed into a 2 paragraph summary for a press release. A newspaper then dragged out my press release into a full article which was entirely speculation and wholly inaccurate but there was still no shortage of PH legal and procedural experts acting as though they were in full possession of the facts and making sombre pronouncements accordingly. Hilarious but after a while you just give up reasoning with hard-of-learning dilettantes.
In short - consider doing it, but be absolutely clear about what it involves. If it doesn't work out you can always leave and resume the hair & beauty stuff.
I have had a variety of roles in the police, working in uniform as a Response and then as a Neighbourhood PC, before becoming a Detective and working in CID, as well as in a few other specialist investigative areas.
In short, I'd say don't do it until you are absolutely and completely aware of what the job involves. Plenty of posters have already highlighted some of the pitfalls but here's my view:
Good points
Wide variety of chances to specialise and do different things over the course of your career. I can't think of any career that has so many different facets to it.
Camaraderie is superb. I can't think of a day in the police where I haven't had a good belly laugh at something at least once.
Get to see things and do things that the rest of the population have absolutely no idea about and will never experience.
The standard of training for specialist skills is actually pretty good.
Bad Points
The job is an absolute homewrecker. It's an unpleasant thought, but you really need to assess the stresses and strains in your relationship and ask how they will stand up to years of weekend working, shift working, last minute rest day cancellations, and long 10-12 shifts where your other half will be with other people. Most people manage it of course, but relationship breakdown is routine and the amount of extra-marital shagging that goes on is unbelievable.
Pay and conditions. Don't believe all the crap spouted about overtime goldmines. Yes, there is occasionally overtime available but even when it isn't authorised you still have to finish the job at hand. This is especially true if you work as a detective or as a supervisor. Pro-rata the pay isn't that great, and has only got worse. The pension is no longer that good either. While it is still half-decent compared to some, paying in 14.5% of your gross pay every month is a significant outgoing and needs to be accounted for when you're assessing the pay package.
Not making a difference. The police and everybody else can change things very little. The "making a difference" is in small victories here and there - arresting a burglar, helping someone through the first minutes after they've found their spouse dead, getting justice for a rape victim etc, but don't expect to change the world.
The Jeremy Kyle factor. Regardless of where you work, or what role you are in, 99% of your work will be dealing with the social underclass and their never-ending domestic/property/Facebook/drug debt disputes. Before I joined the police I used to think that lots of police cars flying past with blue lights must mean that something "big" was happening. Now I know that it is far more likely to be two alcoholics threatening to kill each other over whose turn it is to have the remote control, or a teenage girl at the local council kids' home threatening to kill herself because she isn't allowed out on a Friday night.
It is utterly soul-destroying to see every single day how utterly inept people are at living their own lives in a healthy fashion. The assaults, stabbings, and murders are always over stupid, trivial, petty things and over time I began to find myself hating the people that ring us up. When I was in uniform I got to the point where if I had had to go to yet another call that began "ex partner threatening to burn house down after ex slagged him off on Facebook", "Drunken male threatening to kill himself" (for the eighth time that week), "Female with mental health issues threatening to kill herself" etc etc I would have lost it. It grinds you down.
You will spend far more time sat in hospital with mad/drunk people or chasing round missing social services cases (especially after they dump-and-run at 4pm on a Friday) than you will dealing with burglars or robbers.
You will get injured and assaulted quite often. I was once spat at by someone who had Hep C and who was suspected to have HIV and had to wait months to get the all clear. You don't need to be Rambo but you do need to be fairly tough.
You see and hear things that are horrendous. Dead children, dead adults, suicides, people horribly mangled in their family cars while relatives are still trying to ring them on their mobiles which are still vibrating away in their pockets. You become very hardened to it when such things are your bread and butter but there is no question that it does take its toll on you.
Armchair experts - everyone can do the job better than you can (see any PH post in SP&L for further details). At least two investigations I have worked on (including one where I was the OIC) were discussed and dissected on PH once by people who had absolutely no idea whatsoever. It was highly amusing for us all to see the pompous should-have-could-have brigade offer their expert insight into an investigation I had run for 6 months, amassed 3,500 pages of evidence, which I then condensed into a 2 paragraph summary for a press release. A newspaper then dragged out my press release into a full article which was entirely speculation and wholly inaccurate but there was still no shortage of PH legal and procedural experts acting as though they were in full possession of the facts and making sombre pronouncements accordingly. Hilarious but after a while you just give up reasoning with hard-of-learning dilettantes.
In short - consider doing it, but be absolutely clear about what it involves. If it doesn't work out you can always leave and resume the hair & beauty stuff.
Edited by Sparta VAG on Tuesday 7th May 12:32
I've already aired my view on the 16 years I've got in the police previously on this thread.
I do just get on with it and I'm very happy in my current role and try and not let the whole thing about pensions, SMT etc etc get me down however I will say that the above post as XCP says is absolutely bob on in every way.
I just choose however to get on with it the best I can as I absolutely will not let this job ruin my quality of life as much as possible...
I do just get on with it and I'm very happy in my current role and try and not let the whole thing about pensions, SMT etc etc get me down however I will say that the above post as XCP says is absolutely bob on in every way.
I just choose however to get on with it the best I can as I absolutely will not let this job ruin my quality of life as much as possible...
Edited by MGZTV8 on Tuesday 7th May 19:10
Don't ignore the warnings. I'd take it a step further and say even if you think you know the risks/downsides nothing prepares you for the reality. Personal life gets very strained. The relationship I was in when I joined, failed, like so many others. Not entirely to do with the job but a large contribution. My current relationship I am very happy with but is by no means easy - that is because of the job. Risks at work are much higher than you should be expected to put up with. I was fortunate enough to work in a compact, busy area where someone was a couple of minutes away if I needed them and comms were good. I had close calls. Now I work in a less compact area where I waited 20 mins for back-up on the first emergency activation of my career. The area I work in now is by no means as rural as the majority of the UK. I work on a specialist department and I enjoy it. My core job is awesome. This allows me to bat of the constant barrage of crap that comes, usually by email, demanding explanations for doing something which the demandee has no/little experience of and hasn't thought through. I haven't finished on time for the last two weeks. I am fortunate that I can still shrug off the psychologically disturbing stuff that I see - for now. I do not have the length of service of Dibble and some of the others. Even so I have demons which I can cope with - for now. This could change at any moment and I know that I will get little support from the organisation that sends me to it.
It isn't all bad - as I mentioned. Job satisfaction is high, I laugh a lot at work, despite all of the above I don't really want to leave. But it is close to the point where that might not be enough any more.
It isn't all bad - as I mentioned. Job satisfaction is high, I laugh a lot at work, despite all of the above I don't really want to leave. But it is close to the point where that might not be enough any more.
t...While this thread has been bumped...
Had my test day a couple of weeks ago (Scottish Police, Special) about 35 people turned up for the Standard Entry Tests, only about 7 of us passed it! Shocking numbers really. If you are applying and get to this stage I fully recommend trying some practice papers as it really helps so you know what to expect on the day.
The fitness test straight after was easy, although all the stretches that the Sgt made us do seemed to cause me some actual damage to my left leg...better now though. I only really stretch my calves before running.
Interview and group/team working tests this Friday!
Had my test day a couple of weeks ago (Scottish Police, Special) about 35 people turned up for the Standard Entry Tests, only about 7 of us passed it! Shocking numbers really. If you are applying and get to this stage I fully recommend trying some practice papers as it really helps so you know what to expect on the day.
The fitness test straight after was easy, although all the stretches that the Sgt made us do seemed to cause me some actual damage to my left leg...better now though. I only really stretch my calves before running.
Interview and group/team working tests this Friday!
XCP said:
I can never understand the emphasis on running in the fitness tests.
Well I guess you might spend a bit of time chasing after crims....But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
AndrewEH1 said:
Well I guess you might spend a bit of time chasing after crims....
But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
I fail to see the relevance of jogging a mile and a half to operational police work. But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
AndrewEH1 said:
XCP said:
I can never understand the emphasis on running in the fitness tests.
Well I guess you might spend a bit of time chasing after crims....But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
AndrewEH1 said:
Well I guess you might spend a bit of time chasing after crims....
But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
I can pass the fitness test quite easily, yet my record for catching criminals that run, is quite low (Landshark will back me up on this But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
)They Sprint in a tracksuit,I run in all my gear, get 15m, hear a beep, turn and run back!
Furry Exocet said:
I can pass the fitness test quite easily, yet my record for catching criminals that run, is quite low (Landshark will back me up on this )
They Sprint in a tracksuit,I run in all my gear, get 15m, hear a beep, turn and run back!
Out of interest, what level do you need to achieve for the bleep test in your role? )They Sprint in a tracksuit,I run in all my gear, get 15m, hear a beep, turn and run back!
Furry Exocet said:
AndrewEH1 said:
Well I guess you might spend a bit of time chasing after crims....
But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
I can pass the fitness test quite easily, yet my record for catching criminals that run, is quite low (Landshark will back me up on this But anyone who can't do a 1.5mile run in the allocated time (12 mins for me) without spending 10 mins before and 5 mins after stretching probably shouldn't be in the police...
)They Sprint in a tracksuit,I run in all my gear, get 15m, hear a beep, turn and run back!
Red 4 said:
There's a big difference between what you should be doing and what you will actually be doing
But you have to agree that there has to be a basic level of fitness?I visited a local station to have a chat with a couple of PCs before my interview and they said that on the previous weekend they were working with some guys from another area and a larger special was also on duty. A lot of the full timers were pretty annoyed by the guy.
Fitness tests ? Yes, all officers should have a good level of fitness - the current test is actually quite a low standard in my opinion. The fitness tests prior to '03 (ish) were more difficult.
The problems with fitness tests will come in the future with annual testing of all officers and issues involving those officers on restricted duties due to illness or injury.
Also, the PSNI fitness test (much more difficult) may be introduced from 2018 - for all officers. If you fail then potentially you will be subject to UPP - an easy way to get rid of injured/ ill/ older officers which is what Winsor wants.
The problems with fitness tests will come in the future with annual testing of all officers and issues involving those officers on restricted duties due to illness or injury.
Also, the PSNI fitness test (much more difficult) may be introduced from 2018 - for all officers. If you fail then potentially you will be subject to UPP - an easy way to get rid of injured/ ill/ older officers which is what Winsor wants.
Red 4 said:
Also, the PSNI fitness test (much more difficult) may be introduced from 2018 - for all officers. If you fail then potentially you will be subject to UPP - an easy way to get rid of injured/ ill/ older officers which is what Winsor wants.
More likely to get rid of female officers too, from what I understand. I can't see that escaping some challenge.This thread is sobering reading.
I've never personally had a problem with the Police. What experiences I have had have been pretty minor all things considered (just traffic offences where I was bang to rights). I've had discretion go against me and in my favour, and could not have any complaints in any case.
As a layman I find it intensely annoying when people talk about one or two negative experiences they've had (usually where they were in the wrong anyway but aren't prepared to admit it) and extrapolate that to "all Police are scum". In fact I'm getting annoyed just thinking about it now.
I can't imagine nor could I cope with the sorts of things you have to endure, some of which has been starkly relayed in this thread. I guess that's true of all of the emergency services, but it's still something people take for granted.
I'd like you all to know that there are people out there who appreciate what you do, and a great many more who don't realise or appreciate that help from total strangers is a phone call away 24/7/365.
I've never personally had a problem with the Police. What experiences I have had have been pretty minor all things considered (just traffic offences where I was bang to rights). I've had discretion go against me and in my favour, and could not have any complaints in any case.
As a layman I find it intensely annoying when people talk about one or two negative experiences they've had (usually where they were in the wrong anyway but aren't prepared to admit it) and extrapolate that to "all Police are scum". In fact I'm getting annoyed just thinking about it now.
I can't imagine nor could I cope with the sorts of things you have to endure, some of which has been starkly relayed in this thread. I guess that's true of all of the emergency services, but it's still something people take for granted.
I'd like you all to know that there are people out there who appreciate what you do, and a great many more who don't realise or appreciate that help from total strangers is a phone call away 24/7/365.
Furry Exocet said:
I can pass the fitness test quite easily, yet my record for catching criminals that run, is quite low (Landshark will back me up on this )
They Sprint in a tracksuit,I run in all my gear, get 15m, hear a beep, turn and run back!
After all, you don't keep a dog and bark/chase people yourself. )They Sprint in a tracksuit,I run in all my gear, get 15m, hear a beep, turn and run back!
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