Just recieved my application form for the Police!
Discussion
Wow roughly 24 pages and 5 A4 pages of give an example when questions. Tricky for me as I work in an office and am not really around racist events or bullying. Struggling to answer the questions and I was wondering if anyone has any tips on these types of questions? I've always wanted to be Police officer and I believe I can pass the competancy and Fitness tests but I always struggle with the examples on the initial application form.
I won't post any guidance, But a mate of mine filled his form in and it came back un-successful as they thought he was racist.. 
Although I would say don't make any spelling/grammar errors as they will be put in the bin if there are more than 5 IIRC?
Although you probably already know this. I'm thinking of joining up myself but the local forces aren't recruiting.
Although I would say don't make any spelling/grammar errors as they will be put in the bin if there are more than 5 IIRC?
Although you probably already know this. I'm thinking of joining up myself but the local forces aren't recruiting.
I had my assessment day 1 yesterday (I am already a Special Constable) But this is for the regs. The form and the First assessment Day are the main things you need to get right. I spent a month on my application form. Make sure you read the competencies. You need to tailor your 4 "situation" answers to these competencies. This is what they will assess you on. Spelling and Grammar are so important. I gave my application to 3 different people to check it. If you need any more info or help just let me know as I have just been through it all!
JakeS said:
I had my assessment day 1 yesterday (I am already a Special Constable) But this is for the regs. The form and the First assessment Day are the main things you need to get right. I spent a month on my application form. Make sure you read the competencies. You need to tailor your 4 "situation" answers to these competencies. This is what they will assess you on. Spelling and Grammar are so important. I gave my application to 3 different people to check it. If you need any more info or help just let me know as I have just been through it all!
Thanks for that, the forms unfortunatly have to be back in within 4 weeks so I am going to have to send it back pretty sharpish. Really struggling with the situations though as I have been very lucky in life and not subjected to racism.Shinobi said:
JakeS said:
I had my assessment day 1 yesterday (I am already a Special Constable) But this is for the regs. The form and the First assessment Day are the main things you need to get right. I spent a month on my application form. Make sure you read the competencies. You need to tailor your 4 "situation" answers to these competencies. This is what they will assess you on. Spelling and Grammar are so important. I gave my application to 3 different people to check it. If you need any more info or help just let me know as I have just been through it all!
Thanks for that, the forms unfortunatly have to be back in within 4 weeks so I am going to have to send it back pretty sharpish. Really struggling with the situations though as I have been very lucky in life and not subjected to racism.Which force are you applying for? only a couple have opened up recruitment so far this year.
There is a couple of good websites about which can help you.
ukpoliceonline and policeoracle are the most frequented.
Its an unbelievably long, time consuming and frustrating process but it's all a test of the competencies from start to finish. Testing your resilience, communication etc.
To give you an idea...
I applied in January 2009.
I passed the papersift/application in April 2009.
I then heard nothing for several months.
I then was given 2 weeks notice of an assessment centre (Day 1) in January 2010.
Confirmed pass in February 2010.
Currently awaiting fitness and medical, yet complete silence from the particular force with regards to when these may occur.
The force I am applying for opened up recruitment again for 3 hours last week and gave out 5000 application forms for 65 jobs.
Its a tough process, you have to really want it. The process weeds out the people that are unhappy at work 'so thought they would apply for the hell of it' and those that have wanted it their whole life.
My understading of the current drive that I am currently working my way through is... They received 3200 application forms. 500 passed the application and went to the assessment centre. 68 passed the assessment centre.
If you really want it good luck.
If you hate your current job and just fancy something different asap then your looking at the wrong vocation.
There is a couple of good websites about which can help you.
ukpoliceonline and policeoracle are the most frequented.
Its an unbelievably long, time consuming and frustrating process but it's all a test of the competencies from start to finish. Testing your resilience, communication etc.
To give you an idea...
I applied in January 2009.
I passed the papersift/application in April 2009.
I then heard nothing for several months.
I then was given 2 weeks notice of an assessment centre (Day 1) in January 2010.
Confirmed pass in February 2010.
Currently awaiting fitness and medical, yet complete silence from the particular force with regards to when these may occur.
The force I am applying for opened up recruitment again for 3 hours last week and gave out 5000 application forms for 65 jobs.
Its a tough process, you have to really want it. The process weeds out the people that are unhappy at work 'so thought they would apply for the hell of it' and those that have wanted it their whole life.
My understading of the current drive that I am currently working my way through is... They received 3200 application forms. 500 passed the application and went to the assessment centre. 68 passed the assessment centre.
If you really want it good luck.
If you hate your current job and just fancy something different asap then your looking at the wrong vocation.
GSP is stop on. The force I applied to gave out 2000 forms in 5 days and received about 1000 or so on line. That is why your application form has to be utterly watertight. The process for Special Constable took me 9 months. I sent of my application form for regs in December and only just had my assessment day. There is an intake in September & then January 2011 so I am hoping to be in that.
Edited by JakeS on Thursday 25th March 14:06
JakeS said:
GSP is stop on. The force I applied to gave out 2000 forms in 5 days and received about 1000 or so on line. That is why your application form has to be utterly watertight. The process for Special Constable took me 9 months. I sent of my application form for regs in December and only just had my assessment day. There is an intake in September & then January 2011 so I am hoping to be in that.
Which area are you looking at Jake... sounds like lincolnshire?Edited by JakeS on Thursday 25th March 14:06
GSP said:
JakeS said:
GSP is stop on. The force I applied to gave out 2000 forms in 5 days and received about 1000 or so on line. That is why your application form has to be utterly watertight. The process for Special Constable took me 9 months. I sent of my application form for regs in December and only just had my assessment day. There is an intake in September & then January 2011 so I am hoping to be in that.
Which area are you looking at Jake... sounds like lincolnshire?Edited by JakeS on Thursday 25th March 14:06
GSP said:
Its a tough process, you have to really want it. The process weeds out the people that are unhappy at work 'so thought they would apply for the hell of it' and those that have wanted it their whole life.
I don't think I'd want to join the police, but isn't there something a bit wrong with the idea that the job goes to those who have wanted it for their whole life.Wouldn't that group of people include those who are capable of repressing the outward signs of and desire for totla control over others?
Just a thought.
Someone with that much power... They shouldn't really want it, IMO.
I over did the two extremes. However, I imagine you understood what I was trying to get across.
There is those that want to serve the public. Keep the peace and improve peoples lives where they can.
and
There is those that don't really know what they want. So think applying for the police will be a nice quick way to a good pension and an ok wage.
Inevitably there will be the odd sociopath types who slip through the net and are probably not best suited to the role.
On the whole its a tough gig. Only 8% of applicants ever get the job and it's a fairly tested process where most of the time they get the good ones, but get the odd bad one.
There is those that want to serve the public. Keep the peace and improve peoples lives where they can.
and
There is those that don't really know what they want. So think applying for the police will be a nice quick way to a good pension and an ok wage.
Inevitably there will be the odd sociopath types who slip through the net and are probably not best suited to the role.
On the whole its a tough gig. Only 8% of applicants ever get the job and it's a fairly tested process where most of the time they get the good ones, but get the odd bad one.
I applied for WYP back in 2004. Whilst I ultimately withdrew from the process due to my heart not being in it 100% [was having a dither having had my intended career plans crumble] I was amazed at how easy and straight forward the process was. I actually phoned up after passing the assessment day to see what the next step was [other than fitness/medical] as I didn't believe it was that simple.
There were a couple of people on my assessment day that were on their 3rd attempt and I really couldn't understand why.
This isn't a troll post, but I expected the bar to be somewhat higher for the the role & responsibility that comes with being a BiB.
There were a couple of people on my assessment day that were on their 3rd attempt and I really couldn't understand why.
This isn't a troll post, but I expected the bar to be somewhat higher for the the role & responsibility that comes with being a BiB.
GSP said:
I over did the two extremes. However, I imagine you understood what I was trying to get across.
There is those that want to serve the public. Keep the peace and improve peoples lives where they can.
and
There is those that don't really know what they want. So think applying for the police will be a nice quick way to a good pension and an ok wage.
Inevitably there will be the odd sociopath types who slip through the net and are probably not best suited to the role.
On the whole its a tough gig. Only 8% of applicants ever get the job and it's a fairly tested process where most of the time they get the good ones, but get the odd bad one.
What? Like the ex-leader of the Black Police Officers Association. They don't get much more high profile than that. As far as I can see, the police is one big battle between the various forces of racism, bullying, politics and at best old Etonian "better than though" attitudes.There is those that want to serve the public. Keep the peace and improve peoples lives where they can.
and
There is those that don't really know what they want. So think applying for the police will be a nice quick way to a good pension and an ok wage.
Inevitably there will be the odd sociopath types who slip through the net and are probably not best suited to the role.
On the whole its a tough gig. Only 8% of applicants ever get the job and it's a fairly tested process where most of the time they get the good ones, but get the odd bad one.
I struggle to understand why anyone that would want to help out in society would choose the police, myself.
I guess that makes me a sociopath.
What I will say is that the SOCA HR person looked at me weirdly when I said I didn't have a passport. When I gave her my birth certificate, she looked at me even more strangely!!
I got up and left when they made us sit a psychometric test.
In the end I joined the MOD, and all they were interested in was coming to my house, and asking me and my friends if I am gay!!!!
I did join the MOD, but I left when I became disappointed with Labour, the wider government and my country as a whole.
Nowadays, I guess I'm regarded as an aimless socio path.
Edited by dilbert on Thursday 25th March 19:51
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