Advice Needed - Becoming a Copper - Part II Assessment!

[Mad Dave]

Hey All,

You may remember a few months ago I put up a thread enquiring as to what it was like to be a Copper. I received shed loads of really useless advice and happily i've recently received a letter telling me that i've made the shortlist. I have to go up to the assessment centre in Coventry sometime later this year. I just thought i'd put up a thread thanking all those people who gave me advice, and also see if I can maybe extract a little more from anyone who's taken the Assessment recently? Ie, good books to buy, what to expect, things I can do to prepare myself? I've taken a book out of the library but it was printed in 2004 and although it does cover the Psychometric Testing stuff, it may not be fully up to date?!

Thanks in advance

Dave

PS Yes I know there's a long, long way to go yet, and the shortlist is just the first stage, so i'm not counting any chickens just yet!!

[Trax]

http://www.policeuk.com/forum/ 

Try that website, loads of info about the process and what to expect. Good luck.

[Mad Dave]

Thanks, i'll check it out

[Chrispy Porker]

Mad Dave said:

Thanks, i'll check it out

There are plenty of books and CD roms available.
Sadly I cannot offer any advice as my tests were a very long time ago indeed!

[Greendubber]

You're going to the next stage in Coventry?, which force are you applying for?. Is it West Mids as you'll more than likely be asked to go to Lloyd House in Birmingham and not Coventry. The only Police buildings in Coventry are the Police stations, the main one being Little Park Street. There is an LTU (local training unit) there but its not used for recruitment purposes.

Let me know what stage you're at if you're applying for West Mids.

[pies]

Not sure if silverback mike reads these pages so might be worth dropping him a line as hes becoming a teacher

[Mad Dave]

Thanks Pies.

Greendubber> I've applied to Wiltshire, but the letter said i'd need to go to the assessment centre in Ryton, near Coventry?

[Greendubber]

Mad Dave said:

Thanks Pies.

Greendubber> I've applied to Wiltshire, but the letter said i'd need to go to the assessment centre in Ryton, near Coventry?

Ah, got you. Yep, Rytons the old force training centre that the new officers used to have their residential training at. Its since been shipped out to various satellite training centres across the West Mids Force area.

So what does the next stage involve for you then?. The best nit of advice I can offer so far is be prepared for the whole process to take a fairly long time, it took me 2 1/2 years to get into West Mids, but I'm not sure how speedy the Wiltshire process is.

[Mad Dave]

Wow, 2.5years!! Someone said to me that if I make it through the assessment day, you know within 10 days whether or not you've passed. Then of course you have your 3 months foundation training and then two years probation. It's scary to think that you could go through all of that and still fail, potentially, at the end of your two years probation!

[princey2k5]

I wouldnt mind becoming a bobby but dont know how to go about it. Live in staffs though and i wouldnt want to join them. Absolute bunch of pig ignorant a-holes who just dont listen when there giving you a ticket in the fog for having fog lights on. West midlands police have never gave me a spot of bother in my life. Helpful, seem a laugh and a good bunch o fun.

[djohnson]

Mad Dave said:

Hey All,

You may remember a few months ago I put up a thread enquiring as to what it was like to be a Copper. I received shed loads of really useless advice

[Greendubber]

Mad Dave said:

Wow, 2.5years!! Someone said to me that if I make it through the assessment day, you know within 10 days whether or not you've passed. Then of course you have your 3 months foundation training and then two years probation. It's scary to think that you could go through all of that and still fail, potentially, at the end of your two years probation!

Yep, you do find out quickly after your assessment centre, however you then get into the realms of CRB checks, previous employer checks, reference checks etc and it all takes time. You then go to have your medical, followed by your fitness test, it all takes time.

I went though 18 weeks of classroom based training and then onto a 9 week tutored period which is when you're on duty working with a tutor constable keeping an eye on you. After the 9 weeks you go onto independent patrol and have certain tasks you must complete in your training folder. After 2 years if you've met them all then you're off and running.

There's not many people at all who don't pass at the end of the 2 years in all honesty, more people put their hands up and say 'this isn't for me' and leave for that reason.

All I can say is that its worth the wait, make sure you do all your learning for the assessment centre as that's the hardest part of all but if you know your stuff its not too bad. You should get a big pack come through about a month before you have it so you can learn it all, its all pretty straight forward.

[Mad Dave]

djohnson said:

Mad Dave said:

Hey All,

You may remember a few months ago I put up a thread enquiring as to what it was like to be a Copper. I received shed loads of really useless advice

OOPS!! Sorry about that, I meant to say 'useful advice'. Really I did.

Green> Thanks for the advice. Fingers crossed I do ok at the a/c!!

[Greendubber]

Mad Dave said:

djohnson said:

Mad Dave said:

Hey All,

You may remember a few months ago I put up a thread enquiring as to what it was like to be a Copper. I received shed loads of really useless advice

OOPS!! Sorry about that, I meant to say 'useful advice'. Really I did.

Green> Thanks for the advice. Fingers crossed I do ok at the a/c!!

No worries, just make sure you read the pack they send you as it tells you what they're looking for.

Good luck with it.

[splodge s4]

I tried for the Police about 10 years ago; I failed the assessment centre bit. I also now think their decision was right! One test I remember well was we were in a corridor with about 10 rooms off it. In each room was a different scenario you had to deal with, on the door was a brief to what to expect when you go in. One I remember well was about a complaint of loud music coming from No 10 South st, you’re now out side the address... the buzzer goes off, you open the door & deal with what ever comes at you...

The second I walked in there was this huge black guy that started shouting that she’s causing trouble & to basically f#ck off. Now bearing in mind I was fresh out the Army, had just came 2nd in Taekwondo regional champs and worked on the doors in clubs in Bristol, I didn’t really think & just stood toe to toe with him & I was pretty aggressive! I only noticed afterwards there was also a table & 2 chairs in the room, why the hell didn’t I sit the guy down & talk to him! I was too aggressive & really didn’t deal with that situation how I would now.

So my advice would be to keep cool, look about & assess the situation before you react. Very basic advice but that’s the difference between a good copper & a thug. Good luck!

[Zippee]

Your lucky - I sent my application off for the BTP at the end of 2005. 6 months ago I heard from them I'd passed the initial requirements and was on the waiting list for the assessment centre - still waiting.
Anyone know how long this takes as from what I've heard even once the assessment centre has been done there can still be a long wait to full interview and then an even longer wait if accepted to start training.

[Mad Dave]

Just a wee update chaps, I passed the assessment centre and have my fitness/medical in November

Thanks for all the advice

[hemibum]

Congrats. :congrats:

[Kinky]

Dave, that's great news

Good luck with the next stage.

K

[Mad Dave]

Thanks lads