Attracting specials to the police force
Discussion
Whilst I recognise this is the age of dumbing down, social media et al... is this really the best way to attract volunteers?
I have never been a police officer, have a lot of respect for them under difficult circumstances, genuine question.
PS. on a side note, who thought "could you be special" was a good tag line targeting presumably 21-40 year olds??? It has a certain connitation?
I was a special constable for 2.5 years with what used to be Strathclyde Police - great fun but not a job I would want to do every day.
As for the poster you refer to - I know where you're coming from but it essentially gets the main points across in a clear way so for me it does the job.
As for the poster you refer to - I know where you're coming from but it essentially gets the main points across in a clear way so for me it does the job.
id say its rather superficial rather tahn dumbed down, it doesnt really go into the depth of the role that a constable undertakes for example the conflict resolution, dealing with the public, the level of professionalism required. I suppose the more applicants they get the more chance they will have of finding the right type of people for the job.
Benbay001 said:
I applied to become a special. I was just over 18 at the time, which was the minimum age.
Id never worked before and was rejected after interview and apptitude test on lack of life experience.
Im so glad i didnt get in.
I also applied when I was 18; wanted to be a copper then and they weren't taking PO applications. I made it through all the vetting, fitness tests, written tests, initial assessment centre and then when I went for the final interview with the board of inspectors and a sergeant I was turned down for insufficient life experience.Id never worked before and was rejected after interview and apptitude test on lack of life experience.
Im so glad i didnt get in.
Bearing in mind they're so short of POs and Specials do the job for "free" I'd have thought they'd at least give you a chance on a temporary role pending sufficient performance and attitude.
It's difficult to keep hold of the 'decent' specials.
You get lots that sign up in the hope of joining full time then they realise recruitment is never open and they will have years to wait. Then you get those that join just to wear the uniform and sit in a police car, I've seen some that will just sit in the passenger seat bored on their phone just waiting for a blue light job. However, once you get one they only want the blue light drive there and don't help out at all at the actual job. Luckily there are plenty of really good specials but the few like I mentioned does the image of specials no favours.
You get lots that sign up in the hope of joining full time then they realise recruitment is never open and they will have years to wait. Then you get those that join just to wear the uniform and sit in a police car, I've seen some that will just sit in the passenger seat bored on their phone just waiting for a blue light job. However, once you get one they only want the blue light drive there and don't help out at all at the actual job. Luckily there are plenty of really good specials but the few like I mentioned does the image of specials no favours.
)Motorrad said:
I think you'd need to be 'special' to be attracted by that poster
I agree.It kind of backs up what HantsRat said above about many specials simply being attracted by the childish need to feel important:
Get to wear a uniform.
Get to drive fast in a car.
Get to use flashing lights and sirens.
Get to put handcuffs on people.
Get to push people into the ground and shout "you're nicked".
Get to threaten people with arrest.
Not really the sort of people you want to attract.
NinjaPower said:
I agree.
It kind of backs up what HantsRat said above about many specials simply being attracted by the childish need to feel important:
Get to wear a uniform.
Get to drive fast in a car.
Get to use flashing lights and sirens.
Get to put handcuffs on people.
Get to push people into the ground and shout "you're nicked".
Get to threaten people with arrest.
Not really the sort of people you want to attract.
To be fair, they're the reasons why several of the lads from my year at school joined the Police.It kind of backs up what HantsRat said above about many specials simply being attracted by the childish need to feel important:
Get to wear a uniform.
Get to drive fast in a car.
Get to use flashing lights and sirens.
Get to put handcuffs on people.
Get to push people into the ground and shout "you're nicked".
Get to threaten people with arrest.
Not really the sort of people you want to attract.
It's simple, somewhat crass and it gets the message across. The advert has done it's job.
What they're after is telling specials that it's something they might enjoy. I know previously, many have joined and been disappointed to be attached to a neighbourhood team, volunteering their time to drink tea at neighbourhood meetings, policing village fêtes or what have you.
Mind you, I think the reality of the work shouldn't be hidden from specials as if you want to do the job, you should at least know the reality of it. Standing on crime scenes, dealing with arrest handovers, having a huge list of crimes on the go, managing property - all the boring stuff that is routine! Oh, and constant supervision duty!
What they're after is telling specials that it's something they might enjoy. I know previously, many have joined and been disappointed to be attached to a neighbourhood team, volunteering their time to drink tea at neighbourhood meetings, policing village fêtes or what have you.
Mind you, I think the reality of the work shouldn't be hidden from specials as if you want to do the job, you should at least know the reality of it. Standing on crime scenes, dealing with arrest handovers, having a huge list of crimes on the go, managing property - all the boring stuff that is routine! Oh, and constant supervision duty!
Defcon5 said:
Their last poster had 'You get to ride in a police car' as a benefit.
I'm surprised it doesn't make more specials leave than join
so does the "be a shoplifter ad" and that job pays better too.I'm surprised it doesn't make more specials leave than join
IMHO specials should be paid in the same way the TA(is it called Reserves now?) do
Baryonyx said:
It's simple, somewhat crass and it gets the message across. The advert has done it's job.
What they're after is telling specials that it's something they might enjoy. I know previously, many have joined and been disappointed to be attached to a neighbourhood team, volunteering their time to drink tea at neighbourhood meetings, policing village fêtes or what have you.
Mind you, I think the reality of the work shouldn't be hidden from specials as if you want to do the job, you should at least know the reality of it. Standing on crime scenes, dealing with arrest handovers, having a huge list of crimes on the go, managing property - all the boring stuff that is routine! Oh, and constant supervision duty!
Ours certainly don't carry crime workloads - we don't allow them to, neither do they deal with prisoner handovers - they don't have the necessary skillsWhat they're after is telling specials that it's something they might enjoy. I know previously, many have joined and been disappointed to be attached to a neighbourhood team, volunteering their time to drink tea at neighbourhood meetings, policing village fêtes or what have you.
Mind you, I think the reality of the work shouldn't be hidden from specials as if you want to do the job, you should at least know the reality of it. Standing on crime scenes, dealing with arrest handovers, having a huge list of crimes on the go, managing property - all the boring stuff that is routine! Oh, and constant supervision duty!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Sounds like you'll actually enjoy it. I did back in 2002, doing the hours is easy. Sometimes I would work a whole weekend and be fine, other times I'd just do a few hours. You don't have to do the hours they state, it's a guide, but is used to weed out the one's that never show up (if you say your working, please come in as the crews will rely on you as staffing)Good luck!
And don't join up full-time........ It's not the same
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I'm trying to word this as sensitively as I can, so please don't think I'm having a dig. My brother is a (military) police officer, so kind of related, so I am on "your side", just playing devil's advocate. Would it not be better to spend the extra hours being a hands on dad with your son rather than being away from him, for no extra (financial) benefit, being absent from him and potentially putting yourself at some physical risk, just for a sense of doing the right thing? I know my brother hates being away from his newish son due to some of the odd shifts he has to work.
Again, definitely not a dig or a criticism of your parenting at all, just another point of view.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Hopefully some of the PHer BiB will pitch in but I thought about this when I was applying, I went on some of the police forums and there seemed to be a majority of officers who were pleased with the specials other than the odd adrenaline junkies who want a warrant card to validate their road rage etcI think the only ones who will resent the help from a "real" special with the right attitude will be the same minority of bad apples that you get in every job who only want to work the bare minimum quoted by their union who hate all specials, PCSOs and other volunteer/community staff/police staff.
Again, IANAPO but some of my family are and I think as long as you're a good bloke the only people who you won't get on with are the people you want to avoid anyway.
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff