I'm joining the police!
Discussion
Just had a phone call from recruitment. i have passed the assessment centre and now just have to clear my references and medical. Not expecting a problem with either of those as i had the same medical and reference checks last month for the job i start next week as a custody assistant.
This time next year i shall (touch wood, cross fingers etc etc) be in training.
Only taken 7 years of trying to get in! Well chuffed!
Any advice anyone can offer is welcome.
This time next year i shall (touch wood, cross fingers etc etc) be in training.
Only taken 7 years of trying to get in! Well chuffed!
Any advice anyone can offer is welcome.
well i've been a prison officer for 3 years. its opened my eyes and probably made me hard-faced and generally unsympathetic, but hey youre in prison, my job is to make sure you behave, not to be your friend!
i've had run ins with a$$hole coppers in the past, during my boy racer days, and so will take it all on with an open mind and see what happens.
edited to remove swear word
i've had run ins with a$$hole coppers in the past, during my boy racer days, and so will take it all on with an open mind and see what happens.
edited to remove swear word
Edited by gtitim on Wednesday 17th October 12:41
Good luck to you, I respect anyone who can pick up that role and work with it.
No doubt you will go and find a new forum, where you can post "All MoP's are ****s" and bleat how the public have to earn respect by being responsible!
Seriously though, all the best, and as someone said, please don't feel you have to stop posting in SP&L, some of us need all the help and advice we can get!
No doubt you will go and find a new forum, where you can post "All MoP's are ****s" and bleat how the public have to earn respect by being responsible!
Seriously though, all the best, and as someone said, please don't feel you have to stop posting in SP&L, some of us need all the help and advice we can get!
gtitim said:
well i've been a prison officer for 3 years. its opened my eyes and probably made me hard-faced and generally unsympathetic, but hey youre in prison, my job is to make sure you behave, not to be your friend!
i've had run ins with a$$hole coppers in the past, during my boy racer days, and so will take it all on with an open mind and see what happens.
edited to remove swear word
Interesting, every prison officer I have ever dealt with was unpleasant. Worse than fire officers in fact.i've had run ins with a$$hole coppers in the past, during my boy racer days, and so will take it all on with an open mind and see what happens.
edited to remove swear word
Edited by gtitim on Wednesday 17th October 12:41
Not that they should all be tarred with the same brush, as happens with police.
Isoproturon1 said:
gtitim said:
well i've been a prison officer for 3 years. its opened my eyes and probably made me hard-faced and generally unsympathetic, but hey youre in prison, my job is to make sure you behave, not to be your friend!
i've had run ins with a$$hole coppers in the past, during my boy racer days, and so will take it all on with an open mind and see what happens.
edited to remove swear word
Interesting, every prison officer I have ever dealt with was unpleasant. Worse than fire officers in fact.i've had run ins with a$$hole coppers in the past, during my boy racer days, and so will take it all on with an open mind and see what happens.
edited to remove swear word
Edited by gtitim on Wednesday 17th October 12:41
Not that they should all be tarred with the same brush, as happens with police.
gtitim said:
Any advice anyone can offer is welcome.
I've recently retired and can say that my decision to join was one of the best I ever made. It's just like any other job in that 1/3rd take the mickey and do as little as possible, 1/3rd do enough to get by and the remainder put some real effort into it and get so much more out. Accept that those who concentrate solely on their promotion - there's lots of them - are best avoided and not to be trusted.Speaking as someone who joined at the time of the 'firm within a firm' days of Met and City police corruption, I can say that things are much more honest nowadays but you still can be tempted by the dark side of the force. Being a dishonest bobby is a bit like being pregnant - it's all or nothing. You cannot be a little bit dishonest nor pregnant.
I've ridden in the cab of an undrground train, gone up the outside of the tallest building in London in, or on more like, a builder's cage, had tea with the Lord Chancellor, been chased by 20 odd people who tried to kill me (always keep your batteries charged), pointed a gun at someone with the full intent to pull the trigger if he didn't do exactly as I said, been winked at by the Queen Mother, been cheered by a massive crowd at Chas and Di's wedding as I crossed the road (they cheered the Corporation shit van as well), and all that within the first few years in the job.
The best bit of advice I was given was not to take anything too seriously apart from the victims. And don't take anything home from the station that belongs to anyone else: property, women or problems.
I've saved the lives of five people, although one died less than two days later so might not count. I was walking my dog recently when a woman came up to me to thank me for something I did for a child of hers some 12 years previously. So you can get a big kick out of what you do. I know it sounds hackneyed but you can make a positive difference to people's lives.
And you will be tested and you will find your limits. So when some others say, 'If that had been me I would have . . . ' you know what you would have done or not done.
Best of luck. I hope you enjoy your choice of career.
Edited by Derek Smith on Wednesday 17th October 16:12
Derek Smith said:
gtitim said:
Any advice anyone can offer is welcome.
I've recently retired and can say that my decision to join was one of the best I ever made. It's just like any other job in that 1/3rd take the mickey and do as little as possible, 1/3rd do enough to get by and the remainder put some real effort into it and get so much more out. Accept that those who cocnetrate solely on their promotion - there's lots of them - are best avoided and not to be trusted.Speaking as someone who joined at the time of the 'firm within a firm' days of Met and City police corruption, I can say that things are much more honest nowadays but you still can be tempted by the dark side of the force. Being a dishonest bobby is a bit like being pregnant - it's all or nothing. You cannot be a little bit dishonest nor pregnant.
I've ridden in the cab of an undrground train, gone up the outside of the tallest building in London in, or on more like, a builder's cage, had tea with the Lord Chancellor, been chased by 20 odd people who tried to kill me (always keep your batteries charged), pointed a gun at someone with the full intent to pull the trigger if he didn't do exactly as I said, been winked at by the Queen Mother, been cheered by a massive crowd at Chas and Di's wedding as I crossed the road (they cheered the Corporation shit van as well), and all that within the first few years in the job.
The best bit of advice I was given was not to take anything too seriously apart from the victims. And don't take anything home from the station: other people's property, women or problems.
I've saved the lives of five people, although one died less than two days later so might not count. I was walking my dog recently when a woman came up to me to thank me for something I did for a child of hers some 12 years previously. So you can get a big kick out of what you do. I know it sounds hackneyed but you can make a positive difference to people's lives.
And you will be tested and you will find your limits. So when some others say, 'If that had been me I would have . . . ' you know what you would have done or not done.
Best of luck. I hope you enjoy your choice of career.
Good luck mate,
Ive been in for a few years now and have enjoyed it in the main. Best move i did, even though at times i was sat there thinking, what the hell have i done.
Made some really good Job mates had some really good fun. Been to some crap jobs which push you emotionally to your limits. But some good jobs where you actually made a diference to someone.
Enjoy it, its not all roses and will put you lower than low at times, but will also take you to the best high. No 2 days are the same.
Feel free to email if you need anything.
Oh and one bit of advice...
Mark all your kit, because it will go missing. You can leave cash lying around and it wont get pinched, but leave a maglite around and it will be gone within seconds of you walking out of the room!
Ive been in for a few years now and have enjoyed it in the main. Best move i did, even though at times i was sat there thinking, what the hell have i done.
Made some really good Job mates had some really good fun. Been to some crap jobs which push you emotionally to your limits. But some good jobs where you actually made a diference to someone.
Enjoy it, its not all roses and will put you lower than low at times, but will also take you to the best high. No 2 days are the same.
Feel free to email if you need anything.
Oh and one bit of advice...
Mark all your kit, because it will go missing. You can leave cash lying around and it wont get pinched, but leave a maglite around and it will be gone within seconds of you walking out of the room!
Edited by ^Slider^ on Wednesday 17th October 16:26
^Slider^ said:
Oh and one bit of advice...
Mark all your kit, because it will go missing. You can leave cash lying around and it wont get pinched, but leave a maglite around and it will be gone within seconds of you walking out of the room!
Mark all your kit, because it will go missing. You can leave cash lying around and it wont get pinched, but leave a maglite around and it will be gone within seconds of you walking out of the room!
Edited by ^Slider^ on Wednesday 17th October 16:26
FFS - the cops have to mark their own kit to stop it being nicked.
Chrispy Porker said:
Enjoy your driving course when it comes.
Look out for the 3 pitfalls. Prisoners, property and policewomen!
Depending where you work it'll be Prisoners, property and prostitutes....Look out for the 3 pitfalls. Prisoners, property and policewomen!
Not meaning that Policewomen are prostitutes, but that just what we say where I work!
On another note, good luck mate. I can echo pretty much what others have said. But the main thing that I can pass on is: In your first couple of years (probation) make sure you work hard, listen, learn and earn the respect of your colleagues. There are a lot that dont and find themselves coming unstuck.
It is a good job, despite the amount of time coppers complain about things or tell you that "The job's ******!"
Which force are you joining?Vesuvius 996 said:
^Slider^ said:
Oh and one bit of advice...
Mark all your kit, because it will go missing. You can leave cash lying around and it wont get pinched, but leave a maglite around and it will be gone within seconds of you walking out of the room!
Mark all your kit, because it will go missing. You can leave cash lying around and it wont get pinched, but leave a maglite around and it will be gone within seconds of you walking out of the room!
Edited by ^Slider^ on Wednesday 17th October 16:26
FFS - the cops have to mark their own kit to stop it being nicked.
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