Joining the Police
Discussion
Terzo123 said:
3 years service and in a Gucci role. Ha.
Yes? Entirely possibly funnily enough, 2 years confirmed in post and eligible to apply for any roles advertised internally.Good / lucky timing perhaps but I've done it and certainly not the only person to have done so.
Also this is a thread about people looking to join the job, let's not start it out as some sort of pissing contest shall we?
Tom1312 said:
For some balance OP
I'm a 3 year PC on a 'gucci' unit as people here seem to put it. In a very busy county, prior to getting on my current unit I worked in the busiest area in the force understaffed and o we worked and they were the best years I've had.
Before that I was a special for several years and worked for the police as a civilian staff member in a few roles. It took me from first application to joining 3 years?
Yes the money isn't great, however you know that when you apply so I don't see that as a valid reason to write if off, it isn't like it's a surprise? Though if you're willing to do the OT and seek it out you can make good money, my flat rate is around 25k but with OT and certain priority payments I'll clear about 42k if I keep earning as I am (admittedly this isnt the case for everybody) and if you scale that up to year 7 I work with PCs making over 55k...
Yes it's a demanding job, however at no point have I ever felt overwhelmed, even when dealing with upwards of 50 investigations simultaneously (the average norm even in a busy urban area chronically understaffed is around 10-15 which is easily manageable even when mixed with demand IMO).
I'm certainly not jobbed pissed, there are many many issues with it, but the biggest strength and weakness of the job is it's resilience.vthe people I work with could have let it go wrong on many occasions however most officers are the type of person who make things work regardless.
The police is a strange world and I'd urge you not to take you're experience as a special as grounds to say you know what the jobs about. Having done both, I can honestly say you don't get the breadth of experiences and knowledge as an SC. Perfect example when I tutor a new PC after ten weeks they have more hours and jobs under their belt than a 16hpm SC gets in about 30 months.
I'd say stick with it, train as a driving instructor, get in the job and do both? You can do that and will always have an option if you don't like it. For every 10 year PC who can't or won't look to develop there are plenty of opportunities to take for yourself.
Sorry if I rambled typed on a phone walking a baby!
What a good post, good on you for spending the time to type that I'm a 3 year PC on a 'gucci' unit as people here seem to put it. In a very busy county, prior to getting on my current unit I worked in the busiest area in the force understaffed and o we worked and they were the best years I've had.
Before that I was a special for several years and worked for the police as a civilian staff member in a few roles. It took me from first application to joining 3 years?
Yes the money isn't great, however you know that when you apply so I don't see that as a valid reason to write if off, it isn't like it's a surprise? Though if you're willing to do the OT and seek it out you can make good money, my flat rate is around 25k but with OT and certain priority payments I'll clear about 42k if I keep earning as I am (admittedly this isnt the case for everybody) and if you scale that up to year 7 I work with PCs making over 55k...
Yes it's a demanding job, however at no point have I ever felt overwhelmed, even when dealing with upwards of 50 investigations simultaneously (the average norm even in a busy urban area chronically understaffed is around 10-15 which is easily manageable even when mixed with demand IMO).
I'm certainly not jobbed pissed, there are many many issues with it, but the biggest strength and weakness of the job is it's resilience.vthe people I work with could have let it go wrong on many occasions however most officers are the type of person who make things work regardless.
The police is a strange world and I'd urge you not to take you're experience as a special as grounds to say you know what the jobs about. Having done both, I can honestly say you don't get the breadth of experiences and knowledge as an SC. Perfect example when I tutor a new PC after ten weeks they have more hours and jobs under their belt than a 16hpm SC gets in about 30 months.
I'd say stick with it, train as a driving instructor, get in the job and do both? You can do that and will always have an option if you don't like it. For every 10 year PC who can't or won't look to develop there are plenty of opportunities to take for yourself.
Sorry if I rambled typed on a phone walking a baby!
Edited by Tom1312 on Thursday 20th September 10:44
Andyhb said:
Three years in and he's tutoring people, and in a gucci role. Wtaf.
3rd year in service is the most dangerous.
I've been in almost 12, was a tutor after 5 and back then even that was early BUT things are massively different. Now the majority of the response shifts are made up of people with very little service so a tutor at 3 years would be no great shock tbh. 3rd year in service is the most dangerous.
This is true the job is very different now to what it was/has been/will be/going to be. The one constant is change. I thought it was early, still do, though I don't think I was too good at it! But it was a 3 day course and can't turn that down can you!?
Around 6 months later my current post was advertised and I applied and was successful and have since changed to my current role.
It's entirely possible and I'm not the only person to have done similar.
All I'm trying to do is show an alternative to the 'everything is awful and you'll die in service going to the same domestics' attitude portrayed by some officers out on shift/team.
As we know, it can be the best days at work or the worst ever and it's very hard to give an honest impression of the work we do.
Terzo123 said:
It's not a dig at you.
No offence taken and none intended, find the same response in my own force tiring tbf! Also everything in post is off my phone whilst on daddybdaycaf today!Andyhb said:
Three years in and he's tutoring people, and in a gucci role. Wtaf.
3rd year in service is the most dangerous.
I don't get what's so difficult to get that? I tutored when I was on shift, so after 2 years I was put forward by the PDOs and local command team to be a tutor. 3rd year in service is the most dangerous.
Around 6 months later my current post was advertised and I applied and was successful and have since changed to my current role.
It's entirely possible and I'm not the only person to have done similar.
All I'm trying to do is show an alternative to the 'everything is awful and you'll die in service going to the same domestics' attitude portrayed by some officers out on shift/team.
As we know, it can be the best days at work or the worst ever and it's very hard to give an honest impression of the work we do.
Edited by Tom1312 on Thursday 20th September 13:00
The potential of the role has a lot to do with which force you’d be joining.
Firstly there’s funding. The police funding formula is irrational. It was recently in the news again recently, an the Home Office have been advised to change it for decades IIRC. Basically, forces that receive a greater proportion of their funding from council tax are better off than those that receive a greater amount from the HO.
Secondly there’s scale. Larger forces, generally have greater opportunities for different roles and development.
My view is that policing is in a very poor state and joining for under £20,000 PA, as it is now, is a bad career choice. You’ll find what you expect to do and what you actually do are dramatically different (unless you’re a SC, I’ve not read that far back).
I enjoyed my time but am glad I left.
Firstly there’s funding. The police funding formula is irrational. It was recently in the news again recently, an the Home Office have been advised to change it for decades IIRC. Basically, forces that receive a greater proportion of their funding from council tax are better off than those that receive a greater amount from the HO.
Secondly there’s scale. Larger forces, generally have greater opportunities for different roles and development.
My view is that policing is in a very poor state and joining for under £20,000 PA, as it is now, is a bad career choice. You’ll find what you expect to do and what you actually do are dramatically different (unless you’re a SC, I’ve not read that far back).
I enjoyed my time but am glad I left.
Red 4 said:
Never known anyone refer to a tutor constable role as "Gucci". 
I used to like it, making sure they had plenty of practice writing all the statements, having all the exhibits and searching all the bodies! Oh, and making sure their brew making skills were on point and the car was always clean.
Tough job but someone had to do it, not sure it's the same these days as I think we just let them out in the wild and sit them with a 'mentor' once in a while.
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