Family members in the force
Discussion
I found out yesterday that one of my nieces has been accepted into the MET. She has passed all the criteria on entry and joins at the beginning of July. She is 19.
I think this is great and its certainly a 1st for anyone in our family. She has always been one to stand out and is a very intelligent young woman. Really pleased for her. Also that she has chosen a potentially great career.
Anyone else have family members in the force?
I think this is great and its certainly a 1st for anyone in our family. She has always been one to stand out and is a very intelligent young woman. Really pleased for her. Also that she has chosen a potentially great career.
Anyone else have family members in the force?
I genuinely wish her well
I joined the Met aged 20 and it was an eye opener and gave a view of life that few ever see
The job has changed massively since then, some for the best and sadly some not
The initial training and ongoing support for young officers has taken a massive hit
The problem the Met has is a massive lack of skills and experience and I believe now 45% of officers have less than 4 years service and the number of resignations is outweighing the number of retirements to the point that they are now offering anyone retired less than 5 years the opportunity to come back at their previous rank and keep their full pension
A lot of the long service and experienced officers are not on the streets and response teams are often predominantly made up of probationers or very inexperienced officers
It’s a brilliant job but a very tough one that damages and breaks a lot of people in it
My advice for you to give her is simple ..
Don’t bottle things up .. talk about what you see AND walk slowly round corners or through doors!
I joined the Met aged 20 and it was an eye opener and gave a view of life that few ever see
The job has changed massively since then, some for the best and sadly some not
The initial training and ongoing support for young officers has taken a massive hit
The problem the Met has is a massive lack of skills and experience and I believe now 45% of officers have less than 4 years service and the number of resignations is outweighing the number of retirements to the point that they are now offering anyone retired less than 5 years the opportunity to come back at their previous rank and keep their full pension
A lot of the long service and experienced officers are not on the streets and response teams are often predominantly made up of probationers or very inexperienced officers
It’s a brilliant job but a very tough one that damages and breaks a lot of people in it
My advice for you to give her is simple ..
Don’t bottle things up .. talk about what you see AND walk slowly round corners or through doors!
I have a niece in the Met also. She originally joined City of London police (because they were paid more apparently) at 18, but transferred to the Met some years ago when she moved out to Essex.
She's also a highly intelligent and motivated woman. Always was - she was scary-bright even as a little girl. She's a DS I believe but acting DI. I think she'll be confirmed in post which will do her pension prospects no harm.
It's been her life though. She's never married and has no kids.
She's not a a big lass but a proper hardcase (former British women's MMA champion), I wouldn't take her on!
The thing is the utter s##t she and any cop has to deal with day to day, which she copes with fine but it takes a certain mindset and strong personality.
Not just cops, but paramedics and Trumpton (fire crew) too. Even in my job as a full time LifeBoatman we see some of it and the common denominator is that the s##t tends to get dealt with "in the family". There's a lot of reliance on what used to be called Black Humour before the term became toxic. I know and work with a lot of people in the Blue Light family and it can be a very high stress life. My niece deals with it well, but not everyone has the personal reserves to do it - there's a high burnout rate.
I wish your niece well and hope she has a great and rewarding career but I'd gently advise keeping an eye. Family support is just as vital as peer support.
Oh, and tell her to sort out her Blue Light card pronto. Some amazing discounts to be had on all sorts. My mate got £8000 off a new Audi.
She's also a highly intelligent and motivated woman. Always was - she was scary-bright even as a little girl. She's a DS I believe but acting DI. I think she'll be confirmed in post which will do her pension prospects no harm.
It's been her life though. She's never married and has no kids.
She's not a a big lass but a proper hardcase (former British women's MMA champion), I wouldn't take her on!
The thing is the utter s##t she and any cop has to deal with day to day, which she copes with fine but it takes a certain mindset and strong personality.
Not just cops, but paramedics and Trumpton (fire crew) too. Even in my job as a full time LifeBoatman we see some of it and the common denominator is that the s##t tends to get dealt with "in the family". There's a lot of reliance on what used to be called Black Humour before the term became toxic. I know and work with a lot of people in the Blue Light family and it can be a very high stress life. My niece deals with it well, but not everyone has the personal reserves to do it - there's a high burnout rate.
I wish your niece well and hope she has a great and rewarding career but I'd gently advise keeping an eye. Family support is just as vital as peer support.
Oh, and tell her to sort out her Blue Light card pronto. Some amazing discounts to be had on all sorts. My mate got £8000 off a new Audi.
I had two brothers in the armed forces - eldest in the fleet air arm - younger in the army in an armoured regiment. I joined Police at 17 as a residential Cadet and was out on patrol with officers at 18. Like Earthdweller saw some massive changes over the years. Stress and mental issues are slowly being recognised and addressed by my old force though nowhere near enough support yet
Edited by Bigends on Wednesday 8th June 12:48
Nine and a half years as a Special and three years next month as a PC. Last month I joined traffic.
I love it. Best job in my opinion. s
t days and great days.
Need to have a supportive family. The shifts are st. The things we deal with are proper st. We see the worst of the worst. But also see the best things.
I love it. Best job in my opinion. s
t days and great days. Need to have a supportive family. The shifts are s
t. The things we deal with are proper st. We see the worst of the worst. But also see the best things. austina35 said:
I found out yesterday that one of my nieces has been accepted into the MET. She has passed all the criteria on entry and joins at the beginning of July. She is 19.
I think this is great and its certainly a 1st for anyone in our family. She has always been one to stand out and is a very intelligent young woman. Really pleased for her. Also that she has chosen a potentially great career.
Anyone else have family members in the force?
My Daughter is in the Met, finished her 2 year probation in March, her partner also in the JobI think this is great and its certainly a 1st for anyone in our family. She has always been one to stand out and is a very intelligent young woman. Really pleased for her. Also that she has chosen a potentially great career.
Anyone else have family members in the force?
My dad was in the Police from 1966 until retirement, always as a foot soldier and covering everything from the Miners' Strike to Royal protection duties and firearms squad. Despite the latter, he was adamant that he'd get out before he routinely had to carry a sidearm - which by happy coincidence he did.
I remember the great camaraderie between officers, which extended to us family members as well.
I also remember some of the methods they used to deploy, which would fall foul of today's woke brigade...
Favourite story: as a young bobby he walked into a bar, off duty, with a mate for a drink. Mate goes off to the gents. One of the local "special ladies" approaches my dad:
"'Ere, you're a fackin' copper, ain't yer?"
"Umm, yes, how do you know?"
"You're all the fackin' same. First fing yer do when yer walk in is look alraaand yer to see 'oos 'ere".
I remember the great camaraderie between officers, which extended to us family members as well.
I also remember some of the methods they used to deploy, which would fall foul of today's woke brigade...
Favourite story: as a young bobby he walked into a bar, off duty, with a mate for a drink. Mate goes off to the gents. One of the local "special ladies" approaches my dad:
"'Ere, you're a fackin' copper, ain't yer?"
"Umm, yes, how do you know?"
"You're all the fackin' same. First fing yer do when yer walk in is look alraaand yer to see 'oos 'ere".
Taking people at 18? Yes they do. Son is currently a student officer.
He got a bit of ribbing as he’d never paid tax, never had a job, and when asked about previous experience (as they all were as an ice breaker) he had to explain he came straight from A levels. didn’t help in his first week he went out with his class to get lunch and got asked for ID buying an energy drink.
Also gets endless ribbing from his peers about does he have to call his dad sir at home, stand up when I enter the room or do I inspect his pajamas….
His worse fear is bumping into me at work and saying “dad”, I’m sure it will happen at one point.
It was not a career I wanted him to do to for numerous reasons, but what swung it to be fair was argument about his mates going to uni and paying 9.5 k a year, whilst he’s getting paid 24k a year and a degree thrown in.
Remarkably at the need of the degree there is no stipulation to remain, albeit most do.
So, I’m happier about it as it’s a sensible decision and he’s enjoying it thus far. I have had to correct some of the teaching he’s had though. They’ve had university lecturers getting some very basic stuff utterly wrong which is a worry. It’s also nice to be able to put some of the stuff he’s learnt into context.
Main thing for anyone with a relative doing the job is just be supportive; they will have good, bad and indifferent days generally driven by the caliber of people they interact with. I had no clue humans could be so vile to other humans until I joined and I’d argue that hasn’t changed over the years.
He got a bit of ribbing as he’d never paid tax, never had a job, and when asked about previous experience (as they all were as an ice breaker) he had to explain he came straight from A levels. didn’t help in his first week he went out with his class to get lunch and got asked for ID buying an energy drink.
Also gets endless ribbing from his peers about does he have to call his dad sir at home, stand up when I enter the room or do I inspect his pajamas….
His worse fear is bumping into me at work and saying “dad”, I’m sure it will happen at one point.
It was not a career I wanted him to do to for numerous reasons, but what swung it to be fair was argument about his mates going to uni and paying 9.5 k a year, whilst he’s getting paid 24k a year and a degree thrown in.
Remarkably at the need of the degree there is no stipulation to remain, albeit most do.
So, I’m happier about it as it’s a sensible decision and he’s enjoying it thus far. I have had to correct some of the teaching he’s had though. They’ve had university lecturers getting some very basic stuff utterly wrong which is a worry. It’s also nice to be able to put some of the stuff he’s learnt into context.
Main thing for anyone with a relative doing the job is just be supportive; they will have good, bad and indifferent days generally driven by the caliber of people they interact with. I had no clue humans could be so vile to other humans until I joined and I’d argue that hasn’t changed over the years.
Edited by Gmlgml on Wednesday 8th June 16:09
Edited by Gmlgml on Wednesday 8th June 16:10
Gmlgml said:
Taking people at 18? Yes they do. Son is currently a student officer.
He got a bit of ribbing as he’d never paid tax, never had a job, and when asked about previous experience (as they all were as an ice breaker) he had to explain he came straight from A levels. didn’t help in his first week he went out with his class to get lunch and got asked for ID buying an energy drink.
Also gets endless ribbing from his peers about does he have to call his dad sir at home, stand up when I enter the room or do I inspect his pajamas….
His worse fear is bumping into me at work and saying “dad”, I’m sure it will happen at one point.
It was not a career I wanted him to do to for numerous reasons, but what swung it to be fair was argument about his mates going to uni and paying 9.5 k a year, whilst he’s getting paid 24k a year and a degree thrown in.
Remarkably at the need of the degree there is no stipulation to remain, albeit most do.
So, I’m happier about it as it’s a sensible decision and he’s enjoying it thus far. I have had to correct some of the teaching he’s had though. They’ve had university lecturers getting some very basic stuff utterly wrong which is a worry. It’s also nice to be able to put some of the stuff he’s learnt into context.
Main thing for anyone with a relative doing the job is just be supportive; they will have good, bad and indifferent days generally driven by the caliber of people they interact with. I had no clue humans could be so vile to other humans until I joined and I’d argue that hasn’t changed over the years.
Well done to your son..thats a bit of a worry about the training issues thoughHe got a bit of ribbing as he’d never paid tax, never had a job, and when asked about previous experience (as they all were as an ice breaker) he had to explain he came straight from A levels. didn’t help in his first week he went out with his class to get lunch and got asked for ID buying an energy drink.
Also gets endless ribbing from his peers about does he have to call his dad sir at home, stand up when I enter the room or do I inspect his pajamas….
His worse fear is bumping into me at work and saying “dad”, I’m sure it will happen at one point.
It was not a career I wanted him to do to for numerous reasons, but what swung it to be fair was argument about his mates going to uni and paying 9.5 k a year, whilst he’s getting paid 24k a year and a degree thrown in.
Remarkably at the need of the degree there is no stipulation to remain, albeit most do.
So, I’m happier about it as it’s a sensible decision and he’s enjoying it thus far. I have had to correct some of the teaching he’s had though. They’ve had university lecturers getting some very basic stuff utterly wrong which is a worry. It’s also nice to be able to put some of the stuff he’s learnt into context.
Main thing for anyone with a relative doing the job is just be supportive; they will have good, bad and indifferent days generally driven by the caliber of people they interact with. I had no clue humans could be so vile to other humans until I joined and I’d argue that hasn’t changed over the years.
Edited by Gmlgml on Wednesday 8th June 16:09
Edited by Gmlgml on Wednesday 8th June 16:10
Bigends said:
Well done to your son..thats a bit of a worry about the training issues though
Scary in many regards.Had a lesson about powers of entry and mental health from an ex social worker, who basically suggested a warrant would be needed to enter a property where you could see through a window that an individual was sawing away at their wrists with a knife, based on a) it’s someone’s right to to commit suicide and b) a misunderstanding of the Mental Capacity Act.
Also had a very ropey input around public order and breach of the peace; again delivered by someone from a non policing background who’d mashed up several bits of legislation into one, all badly.
Unbeknownst to him I’ve flagged both up to the uni and the academy; so I keep a close eye on his curriculum now.
Gmlgml said:
Bigends said:
Well done to your son..thats a bit of a worry about the training issues though
Scary in many regards.Had a lesson about powers of entry and mental health from an ex social worker, who basically suggested a warrant would be needed to enter a property where you could see through a window that an individual was sawing away at their wrists with a knife, based on a) it’s someone’s right to to commit suicide and b) a misunderstanding of the Mental Capacity Act.
Also had a very ropey input around public order and breach of the peace; again delivered by someone from a non policing background who’d mashed up several bits of legislation into one, all badly.
Unbeknownst to him I’ve flagged both up to the uni and the academy; so I keep a close eye on his curriculum now.
Bigends said:
Knowledge of Public order and similar has always been a weak point i officers knowledge - I cancelled more S5 PND's and crime reports than any other offence type
The tutor got very confused about what could be committed in public and private and gave some pretty bad interpretations of the legislation and defences to.They’d also badly explained a BOP and basically used it as a catch all for any sort of behaviour that fell outside of the POA, without any regard to the imediacy.
Gmlgml said:
Bigends said:
Knowledge of Public order and similar has always been a weak point i officers knowledge - I cancelled more S5 PND's and crime reports than any other offence type
The tutor got very confused about what could be committed in public and private and gave some pretty bad interpretations of the legislation and defences to.They’d also badly explained a BOP and basically used it as a catch all for any sort of behaviour that fell outside of the POA, without any regard to the imediacy.
My dad did his 30 years, retiring in 1999, most of his career was spent with Traffic, latterly community liaison and also the union rep for Surrey. He was also an IAM motorbike tester.
He was also involved in the miners strike, and also had something to do with the Guildford 4 (he still believed that they did it)
When he retired he went away from the force for a few years, doing a bit of driving, did a degree, a bit of teaching and then went back to work as a civvy at the head quarters in Guildford on the front desk.
Because of his long service with Surrey he had the most fantastic funeral, almost state like, I can still remember travelling in the car to the Cathedral with both the car I was in and the hearse being escorted by Police outriders, blocking off sideroads, roads and roundabouts, ensuring a smooth and clear drive from his house to the Cathedral and then on to the crematorium.
He was also involved in the miners strike, and also had something to do with the Guildford 4 (he still believed that they did it)
When he retired he went away from the force for a few years, doing a bit of driving, did a degree, a bit of teaching and then went back to work as a civvy at the head quarters in Guildford on the front desk.
Because of his long service with Surrey he had the most fantastic funeral, almost state like, I can still remember travelling in the car to the Cathedral with both the car I was in and the hearse being escorted by Police outriders, blocking off sideroads, roads and roundabouts, ensuring a smooth and clear drive from his house to the Cathedral and then on to the crematorium.
Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 8th June 17:43
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