Police recruitment.

[Taz666]

Has anybody passed through the police recruitment process within the last 12 months? I'm looking to join my local constabulary, and I'm curious to know what was involved in the process. I already work for the prison service so I'm hoping that will help me in my application.

All help and advice will be gratefully recieved. I know it's not to everybodys liking but please don't use this thread as an excuse to start police bashing.

[Kinky]

I've moved this thread to SP&L where you should get some appropriate responses.

[Taz666]

Sorry I was reading two threads at the same time from two differing forums, and just clicked on the wrong forum.

Thank you for moving it to the correct forum.

Doesn't excatly bode well for the job application process.

Edited by Taz666 on Tuesday 11th August 21:28

[Kinky]

I'm sure you'll be fine.

You were off duty at the time

[Slate99]

Hello, I am in the process of applying as well. I am a little younger than you so am applying to be a Special Constable first. Basically the force you wish to apply to needs to be actively recuriting. You need to contact them fill in the application form. On the form there is the "Competencies" section where they ask you about situations you have been in and how you have dealt with them ( As a prison officer I would imagine you would of had your fair share).

If you application is accepted, where they check you and your family for criminal convictions, they also check everything else so expect them to dig a lot deeper than a normal employer (vetting). You then have an interview ( I think that is first).

Then you have some standard tests - PIRT/SET test, these are basic problem solving, numeracy and a few other things.

Then you could well have another interview - Sometime you will have more than one.

Then the fitness test to check your not unfit - its usually 5.4 on bleep test, pull push 35kg and a hand grip test.

If you do all that and get throught you will get a start date but coulc be up to 2 years after you are accepted.

Take your time researching and be seriously patient!

good site:- http://www.ukpoliceonline.co.uk/

Hope that helps. Need any help just drop me a email I have been doing my form for the past 2 months.

[Monki]

Slate99 said:

Then the fitness test to check your not unfit - its usually 5.4 on bleep test, pull push 35kg and a hand grip test.

Is that it? Jesus Christ

[Slate99]

Monki said:

Slate99 said:

Then the fitness test to check your not unfit - its usually 5.4 on bleep test, pull push 35kg and a hand grip test.

Is that it? Jesus Christ

I am afraid so mate! In my opinion its awful, It used to be around the 7.5 mark but was reduced to make it fairer for women to enter the force. 5.4 is actually a slow jog! They do a medical to check for underlieing problems but that's it. I persoanlly think the fitness test should be alot tougher. You dont know wheather you are going to be chasing a long distance runner or a 18 stone rugby player - you need to be a little fitter than what they ask for.

[Phil Dicky]

I was in my local force for 10 years and generally loved every minute, I'd recommend it as a career..if you need any up to dateto info I still have connections in my old Force, may be of use.

[davemac250]

Monki said:

Slate99 said:

Then the fitness test to check your not unfit - its usually 5.4 on bleep test, pull push 35kg and a hand grip test.

Is that it? Jesus Christ

Yep that is it.

However, last time I was at Hendon they had people failing it.

I mean, 5.4 is just over a walk.

fking disgrace in my eyes.

From when I joined it was the following.

1.5 miles in 9 mins (you were expected to do better)
As many press-ups as you could do in a minute 20 minimum
As many sit ups as you could do in a minute 20 minimum
5' standing long jump
Grip test - can't remember the minimum.

These were retested through training and you were expected to get better.

If you did all the minimums you failed the overall test.

Whilst in training there was the requirement to complete swimming tests, including jumping off the 10m board, life saving etc - now finished with.

Complete the assault course - now finished with.

Boxing - now finished with.

Wrestling - now finished with.

Somebody with greater diplomacy skills than me could probably explain why those are no longer requirements.

[Phil Dicky]

davemac250 said:

From when I joined it was the following.

1.5 miles in 9 mins (you were expected to do better)
As many press-ups as you could do in a minute 20 minimum
As many sit ups as you could do in a minute 20 minimum
5' standing long jump
Grip test - can't remember the minimum.

These were retested through training and you were expected to get better.

If you did all the minimums you failed the overall test.

Whilst in training there was the requirement to complete swimming tests, including jumping off the 10m board, life saving etc - now finished with.

Complete the assault course - now finished with.

Boxing - now finished with.

Wrestling - now finished with.

Somebody with greater diplomacy skills than me could probably explain why those are no longer requirements.

More or less what I had to do, bit crap if standards have slipped that far...still its up to the individual officer to maintain his fitness. I think in my 10 years to my memory only one stbag got away from me in a foot chase..seem to remember he had running spikes on though

[JJCW]

I've done the whole process in the last 12 - email me if you want to chat about it.

J

[Slate99]

davemac250 said:

Extra fitness stuff.

I wasn't aware of any of that. It sounded like it was good fun. That seems like a far better fitness test to me! it actually sounds fun yet stopping people who are in no good physical condition. I was a little shocked to find out it was so easy.

Although it's an easy physical test If i was on duty and i knew the collegue with me could only just run 5.4 I would be a little bit uneasy. I would hope other officers would recognise that fitness is important and train themselves to a higher level. That's what i'll be doing.

[davemac250]

Slate99 said:

davemac250 said:

Extra fitness stuff.

I wasn't aware of any of that. It sounded like it was good fun. That seems like a far better fitness test to me! it actually sounds fun yet stopping people who are in no good physical condition. I was a little shocked to find out it was so easy.

Although it's an easy physical test If i was on duty and i knew the collegue with me could only just run 5.4 I would be a little bit uneasy. I would hope other officers would recognise that fitness is important and train themselves to a higher level. That's what i'll be doing.

Oh, the naivety of youth!

Good for you on the fitness front.

Teams are made up of all sorts. Everyone brings a different skill set. Some people are better at sitting on others rather than chasing them

At least when the fitness test was a reasonable hurdle everyone was at a decent start point before the 999 breakfasts took their toll.

[Monki]

Slate99 said:

Monki said:

Slate99 said:

Then the fitness test to check your not unfit - its usually 5.4 on bleep test, pull push 35kg and a hand grip test.

Is that it? Jesus Christ

I am afraid so mate! In my opinion its awful, It used to be around the 7.5 mark but was reduced to make it fairer for women to enter the force. 5.4 is actually a slow jog! They do a medical to check for underlieing problems but that's it. I persoanlly think the fitness test should be alot tougher. You dont know wheather you are going to be chasing a long distance runner or a 18 stone rugby player - you need to be a little fitter than what they ask for.

How about an 18stone rugby player who can do the 100m in 10.3 seconds

I think it's bad that they reduced the fitness to make it "fairer" for women, as I see it, if you cannot do the job then you should not be in it, no matter what gender. And if that means less women, so be it, as the world is not a nice place and it's putting people not fit for the job in danger.

[Slate99]

davemac250 said:

Oh, the naivety of youth!

Good for you on the fitness front.

Teams are made up of all sorts. Everyone brings a different skill set. Some people are better at sitting on others rather than chasing them

At least when the fitness test was a reasonable hurdle everyone was at a decent start point before the 999 breakfasts took their toll.

I probably am a little bit naive to be honest. Your right other people still have other attributes that are equally important. I am still in the "running around all day every day catching crims" mentality when infact its not exactly like that.

Although saying that I still think that there should be a tougher fitness test.

[gti tim]

I have posted this before, but will again:

I applied in 2006 - spent hour upon our filling in that form. The form is best done online if possible - makes it easier to read, can spell and grammar check it. Alot of the form concentrates on diversity and discrimination - coming from the Prison Service ( as did I) then you should have loads of cracking examples to use. Put as much information in that form as possible - get past this point and you are a long way towards getting a job.

If you pass the paper sift above you will do a fitness test (bleep 5.4, agility (read run round cones) grip and push/pull tests (all easily achievable))

Pass the fitness test and you will get a date for assessment centre at Ryton. this consists of several stages:
a 20 min interview where you are asked 4 or 5 questions - such as 'Tell me about a time where you dealt with discrimination / diversity /etc.
a maths exam

an english exam

two planning exercises where you receive a written brief of a problem and have to come up with practical solutions

roleplays - the worst bit - you are required to act as a customer services agent and deal with various people from angry customers to abused shop owners to dealing with staff problems. This is hard but fun. it tests your patience and how you react to confrontation. To give you an example i had to deal with a man who had been robbed. all he did was scream and shout at me for 2 minutes. i stood there, listened, then when he stopped i asked him if he had finished and told him if he wanted to shout, he wasnt doing it to me, and could leave. after that, he practically spoon fed me what he wanted to hear - because i had calmed him down and diffused a situation. Great fun!!

After a month or two, you get your results - pass or fail, and grades in different areas

You then have to endure a medical

Then you get a start date if you pass.

It took me from August 06 when i filled the form in, to April 08 when i started training, to September 08 when i got out on the streets.

Nearly a year on, i absolutely love it, the SOLAP (read police NVQ) is a pain and is pointless, but otherwise the job is fantastic. Rarely do i go to work not looking forward to it, or knowing what the next call will be to go to.

[Robert060379]

Taz666 said:

Has anybody passed through the police recruitment process within the last 12 months? I'm looking to join my local constabulary, and I'm curious to know what was involved in the process. I already work for the prison service so I'm hoping that will help me in my application.

All help and advice will be gratefully recieved. I know it's not to everybodys liking but please don't use this thread as an excuse to start police bashing.

If you're white, male, straight and between 21 to 30 forget it. Stay in the Prison Service it's better money more respect and less crap.

Edited by Robert060379 on Wednesday 12th August 11:12

[gti tim]

Robert060379 said:

If you're white, male, straight and between 21 to 30 forget it. Stay in the Prison Service it's better money more respect and less crap.

Edited by Robert060379 on Wednesday 12th August 11:12

And this experience is from??

I fit all the above criteria, as do the majority of officers in intakes before and after me.

Prison Service is not better money.

Prison Officers get 'respect' from prisoners, because prisoners want a quiet life, not hassle. Ultimately, prisoners run prisons, officers just keep a bit of balance and stop them escaping. If every prisoner in a prison decides they are not going to do something, officers have no chance of making them until Tornado arrives. (ex officer here so seen it happen)

90% of the people i meet as a PC are decent people. Some may be criminals, but they still treat you as a person, and respect what you do. They choose their path in life, i choose mine, sometimes they cross. thats part of the game.

[okgo]

Those tests are a disgrace, I saw a met officer thrown in the Thames the other week, he looked 18, was probably just pushing 9 stone, and was a out 5,6 ft. What use is he? We all laughed as the other bloke was a weed I but easily overpowered the 'officer'.

[gti tim]

I am 5'9, 12 stone odd, not exactly built like a tank, but can handle myself. Alot of the female officers are shorter and lighter than i am. They still hold their own. As said in other posts - some are good for chasing, others are good for sitting on!