Joining the Police
Discussion
Tell him to keep trying.
It's the s
ttest best horrible job in the world. I was interviewing someone last week and he kicked off in the interview room.
We ended up through the hallway and into another interview room.
All the custody staff and station appeared.
I used to interview alot in my old job. I'd never have dreamt in a million years that'd happen then.
It's the s
ttest best horrible job in the world. I was interviewing someone last week and he kicked off in the interview room. We ended up through the hallway and into another interview room.
All the custody staff and station appeared.
I used to interview alot in my old job. I'd never have dreamt in a million years that'd happen then.
Sa Calobra said:
Tell him to keep trying.
It's the sttest best horrible job in the world. I was interviewing someone last week and he kicked off in the interview room.
We ended up through the hallway and into another interview room.
All the custody staff and station appeared.
I used to interview alot in my old job. I'd never have dreamt in a million years that'd happen then.
Ha Ha, I take it you were interviewing a suspect and not a potential new recruit. It's the s
ttest best horrible job in the world. I was interviewing someone last week and he kicked off in the interview room. We ended up through the hallway and into another interview room.
All the custody staff and station appeared.
I used to interview alot in my old job. I'd never have dreamt in a million years that'd happen then.
In the days when smoking was permitted during the interview, a detective managed to set fire to the waste paper bin contents. He tried to stamp it out. He then got his foot stuck in the bin and nearly set fire to his nice suit trousers.
His colleague maintained a commentary on the sound effects 'for the benefit of the tape'.
His colleague maintained a commentary on the sound effects 'for the benefit of the tape'.
Wish said:
Well my son failed to get in this time.
I’m sure his age is against him, however he didn’t take it too bad it seems to make him more focused to apply again once he’s able too.
U applied for the first time when I was 18 and didnt get it either. It was my dream job as a kid growing up. The guy I was sitting beside waiting for the interview would have been over 40 and realised that I was pretty young and outside of school didnt have too much other experience. I’m sure his age is against him, however he didn’t take it too bad it seems to make him more focused to apply again once he’s able too.
I joined as a Special (I know many police dont like them and the public too if they know you are a Special) and really enjoyed that for a few years and then applied again at 20 but didnt get it again and was much more disappointed then. That sort of annoyed me and I needed to get a "real" job and decided to join the Prison Service but still hoping to be a Police Officer after doing that for a few years.
That was a bad move for me as I didnt like the job and didnt think it really suited me. I ended up having to resign as I caught and arrested for drink driving and criminal damage while still on probation.
I know that probably means that I will never get to do my dream job but we all do stupid things when we are young. So just say to him not to do anything stupid like I did while waiting for it to happen.
Jay22 said:
I joined as a Special (I know many police dont like them and the public too if they know you are a Special)
I don't think that is really true these days, particularly since specials are well integrated into the general force population. The days of special 'sergeants' and 'inspectors' turning up at jobs and being told to fk off by a PC are long gone. Even the most curmudgeonly old sweats would probably begrudgingly accept specials on their shift, if only to act as another uniform on double crewed duties. One surefire way to be disliked as a special is acting like a blue light tourist, or creating trouble and then buggering off and leaving someone who knows what they're doing to sort it out. Overall, I think specials are nuts to do it for nothing but they have their reasons and sometimes even just having one on duty makes a massive difference to manpower and capability.
Regarding forces looking to hire older people with 'life experience', that seems a nonsense to me now, as it ever has. At one point, my local force had ditched the final interview and everything was based on assessment, the logic being that final interviews were subjective and could be prejudicial. I doubt they ever were but the asssessment based system worked and cut another layer of bureaucracy of out of a long joining process. The added benefit being, anyone could sign up and be accepted on their qualities as a potential police officer rather than as a middle manager in some faceless office or whatever.
Over the past couple of years, various forces around the UK have been trying to find applicants with business skills rather than policing skills because they're so desperate to find someone with a plan to rescue them from financial ruin. From what I have seen, this has been largely unsuccessful. There is no magic bullet to fixing these problems and trying to hire people with business acumen to police the streets has not really worked out.
As a special you have to prove literally your bravery. As soon as you do this you are treated literally special. You are called by your first name and people want to work with you. They still call you mad.
I've known many many specials who like to wear the uniform and turn out for community events.. but imagine being an outsider walking into a parade room and grumpy types a s asking to come out on response.
Takes guts to go out repeatidly on response with regulars.
Any regular who slags off a special would get me speaking to them. However at my work I've never heard it. The only critism is 'they arrest too many people and find too much stuff on people. That stems from specials not doing the filework though.
I've known many many specials who like to wear the uniform and turn out for community events.. but imagine being an outsider walking into a parade room and grumpy types a s asking to come out on response.
Takes guts to go out repeatidly on response with regulars.
Any regular who slags off a special would get me speaking to them. However at my work I've never heard it. The only critism is 'they arrest too many people and find too much stuff on people. That stems from specials not doing the filework though.
Sa Calobra said:
As a special you have to prove literally your bravery.
How would you do that?!I crashed out of round 2 of Direct Entry Inspector (I was a little upset, until I looked at the scores more closely - I evidenced that I am working at Inspector level just fine, but they are really looking for people already working at a strategic level above that. There simply isn't the chance for me to do that in my current job, so I'm never going to be able to evidence it - and that's just the way it is) - so as my local force is recruiting Specials, I'm about to apply for that.
It may seem strange to jump from Inspector to Special, but simply, joining the Police was my first choice of job since a young age. Only recently they relaxed the vision requirements so there was any hope at all; to do it as a full time job I would need to go in at Inspector level just to keep paying my mortgage etc. But my daughter is older now, and life is in a place where I can volunteer for more (I've already been a Scout Leader for 20-odd years) so I can easily consider the Specials.
Any top tips?
Loyly said:
Sa Calobra said:
I've called neither Sir or ma'am.
That sort of address is earned. I doubt they will be hearing much of that since the formal address is reserved for the real inspectors. What you think personally about how they attained their rank is irrelevant, you still have to address them accordingly, surely?
Each division in your area will have great and bad spots. I personally consider working a large night time economy bad. Great if you like trying to herd cars but annoyingly frustrating.
A mixed area is best. Good neighbourhoods, bad and mixed geography. You get to experience everything. I live my division for this reason.
Joining the specials before the regs made me realise my strengths and weaknesses that I never knew. You'll have done great stories. I say go for it.
You'll have experiences that you can't tell your friends as it'll be too surreal for them.
A mixed area is best. Good neighbourhoods, bad and mixed geography. You get to experience everything. I live my division for this reason.
Joining the specials before the regs made me realise my strengths and weaknesses that I never knew. You'll have done great stories. I say go for it.
You'll have experiences that you can't tell your friends as it'll be too surreal for them.
Well I've changed my mind a few times this year...
Just sent my application to the MET. Because I've already passed an assessment centre within the last two years (strange that only keep it for a year) I should be able to go straight to day two which is a medical/fitness test.
Should hear later this week (well email says 'within a week or so').
Also got a email from last week saying they are looking to hold final interviews towards the end of January (I emailed them in September for an update...). See what the MET say and go from there
Just sent my application to the MET. Because I've already passed an assessment centre within the last two years (strange that only keep it for a year) I should be able to go straight to day two which is a medical/fitness test.
Should hear later this week (well email says 'within a week or so').
Also got a email from last week saying they are looking to hold final interviews towards the end of January (I emailed them in September for an update...). See what the MET say and go from there
Edited by LosingGrip on Sunday 27th January 12:06
LosingGrip said:
Well I've changed my mind a few times this year...
Just sent my application to the MET. Because I've already passed an assessment centre within the last two years (strange that Dorset only keep it for a year) I should be able to go straight to day two which is a medical/fitness test.
Should hear later this week (well email says 'within a week or so').
Also got a email from Dorset last week saying they are looking to hold final interviews towards the end of January (I emailed them in September for an update...). See what the MET say and go from there
I was under the impression you couldn't apply for more than one force at a time? Just sent my application to the MET. Because I've already passed an assessment centre within the last two years (strange that Dorset only keep it for a year) I should be able to go straight to day two which is a medical/fitness test.
Should hear later this week (well email says 'within a week or so').
Also got a email from Dorset last week saying they are looking to hold final interviews towards the end of January (I emailed them in September for an update...). See what the MET say and go from there
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