Joining the Police
Discussion
Prohibiting said:
I was a special. I resigned after realising I didn't want to be a paid officer. I have mixed feelings about my short time as a special (4 months).
Personally I'd only recommend it if you actually want to be an officer. Don't kid yourself that you're doing it for the community etc. Yes the uniform is cool, but the novelty wears off after a couple of months and trying to squeeze it around a full time job (plus a family/girlfriend/dog) is a nightmare. This is coming from a fit energetic 28 year old.
Glad I stuck to my Mon-Fri cosy sales job, plus a lot better paid. I still have big respect for the Forces though.
One of the few responses here that make the most sense to me. Reading this short post leads me to believe you have your head screwed on, you had a look, realised how bad it was, and now appreciate your existing job much more than you did before.... out of interest where did you special and what sort of things did you encounter to give you mixed feelings?Personally I'd only recommend it if you actually want to be an officer. Don't kid yourself that you're doing it for the community etc. Yes the uniform is cool, but the novelty wears off after a couple of months and trying to squeeze it around a full time job (plus a family/girlfriend/dog) is a nightmare. This is coming from a fit energetic 28 year old.
Glad I stuck to my Mon-Fri cosy sales job, plus a lot better paid. I still have big respect for the Forces though.
Edited by Prohibiting on Monday 3rd December 21:58
Specials is a good route.
To be frank it makes you realise how much you'd put up with someone's blood, urine or spit on you. On top of being punched and kicked.
My old boss said to me 'I can offer you a safe working environment'. Says it all. Many people just don't want the daily risk of injury. On any blue light run you risk injury. Any visit to a premises, into a house; you don't know what you will find.
I think you need to be wired a certain way to danger. Talking to colleagues (special and regular) many had the same childhood experiences of woods/derelict houses/climbing/falling/etc etc.
As mentioned you need to have a healthy daily respect for danger and the ability to treat it as normal.
In many work places danger is tripping over with a cup of coffee. When I worked in sales I was bored s
tless.
To be frank it makes you realise how much you'd put up with someone's blood, urine or spit on you. On top of being punched and kicked.
My old boss said to me 'I can offer you a safe working environment'. Says it all. Many people just don't want the daily risk of injury. On any blue light run you risk injury. Any visit to a premises, into a house; you don't know what you will find.
I think you need to be wired a certain way to danger. Talking to colleagues (special and regular) many had the same childhood experiences of woods/derelict houses/climbing/falling/etc etc.
As mentioned you need to have a healthy daily respect for danger and the ability to treat it as normal.
In many work places danger is tripping over with a cup of coffee. When I worked in sales I was bored s
tless. defblade said:
I like to solve problems and fix things and leave things in a better state than they were when I arrived - I think joining the police will provide great opportunities to do that.
I found your post really interesting. I don't have much to go on other than what you have typed, but you seem typical of the point I am about to make - which times in with the sentence above. You failed the phone interview - yet to me your mind set and qualities seem exactly what the police need / want. But there in lies the issue, the police don't know what they want, and they certainly don't recognise talent or do anything to retain quality officers. I bet you would be perfect for the role, yet you say you failed the phone interview, I guarantee one of the people who passed the phone interview has no genuine interest in the job but just wants a warrant card, And this is the police all over, no consistency and no logic. I watched one f the best police officers I have worked with resign years ago - he had around 4 years in, was very effective and intelligent, far too good for the job. He was it for what it was, and resigned, now he is a fully qualified doctor. The job won't even notice he has gone, nor the loss to policing and society, but the job doesn't care. It is just bums on seats, a numbers game. Doesn't matter how good or bad at your role you are, as long as someone is doing the role, that's all that matters.
And there in lies the main issue for me. I accumulated 18 years in my force area, and in that time, yeah I had some fun But, genuine progression was 1) fairly pointless financially and 2) in no way linked to your ability, how effective you were, or your talent. And so I found that I as an individual was totally unvalued. I watched how those that were dead keen were no better off in terms of prospects or take home pay than those who were dead wood. No processes exist to reward good work, nothing wither to remove dead wood. Your just all lumped under one umbrella of existence, with no change anticipated. After a while, when you realise that unless you make a big mistake or get a griefy complaint you won't face any risk of dismissal, you just become driftwood with everyone else.
I have a theory that in the private sector, the fruits of my labour would be rewarded. All the things I didn't do, as there was no point, would have delivered wider reaching acclaim and recognition. In the police there is no requirement to use initiative, go above and beyond, or do anything considered outside the box. You could sweat tears in doing all this, but your unlikely to have it noticed or appreciated. Everything that needs changing or re thinking is just too difficult, or there is no money to do so, or it interferes with the latest management schemes of change ( which are usually unrequired and change year on year to evidence continued promotions whilst leaving all the complexities of the schemes still in existance for front line officers to be burdened with ).
I have lost myself in a world of negative typing. Ultimately, I feel policing was such a mess, that you could never "be anyone" in the career.
Sa Calobra said:
What didn't you like about being a Special?
You get best of both worlds and on response without the resulting paperwork.
I didn't like the fact that I couldn't commit the time that I wanted. If you're going do it, you need to throw yourself at it and commit 40+ hours a month in order to learn and be capable. The minimum hours just won't cut it. Plus going on response, FRU (Force Response Unit- which is actually where I was based), and then going home without dealing with the paper work just isn't fair on the regulars and that's what give Specials a bad name. I didn't want to be part of that. If I was gonna do, I'd want to do it right. Shadowing an Officer and grabbing the occasional arm just doesn't cut it. But regardless, after a few months it was clear that it wasn't what I wanted to do.You get best of both worlds and on response without the resulting paperwork.
Red 4 said:
Come on, spill the beans.
What were the good things/ bad things/ pros and cons from your perspective ?
Pros: What were the good things/ bad things/ pros and cons from your perspective ?
Experiences that a lot of normal people won't see/have to deal with.
Respect from members of the public.
Feeling like you're contributing slightly.
Cons:
Having to deal with scum bags almost every shift.
Spending 6 hours in A&E watching over a mental health patient; propping up the NHS.
Lack of respect from the public.
Feeling like you're not able to help/lack of help/support from the regulars who just want to crack on with their job who can't give you their time.
General moral and negativity is very low.
Obvious there are some Officers who really appreciate the Specials, but those are the ones who used to be Specials themselves. OR if you're a Special and are able to commit 40+ hours a month. Those that can don't have a full time job or live at home with Mum and Dad.
Dizeee said:
One of the few responses here that make the most sense to me. Reading this short post leads me to believe you have your head screwed on, you had a look, realised how bad it was, and now appreciate your existing job much more than you did before.... out of interest where did you special and what sort of things did you encounter to give you mixed feelings?
Not going to name the Force but it was in the bottom half of the UK (not the Met btw).What hit me the most was Officers who have been in service for 15-odd years and they're already trying to count down the years until they can retire and qualify for their pension... "only another 15-20 years to go, sigh." Etc.
But hey-ho, I'm proud that I was able to go through all the training and get in. It looks great on my CV
and probably contributed in helping me progress in my sales career which is much better paid, Mon-Fri and 9-5 with options to genuinely progress even further.Edited by Prohibiting on Tuesday 4th December 19:57
Uppy89 said:
I am 5 years into my Special Constabulary career. Currently averaging 60 ish operational hours a month, mostly with the same response team. Also MOE and PSU trained amongst other things. Feel free to message me with any questions.
Cheers, would do... but your profile doesn't take emails! 
Prohibiting said:
Not going to name the Force but it was in the bottom half of the UK (not the Met btw).
What hit me the most was Officers who have been in service for 15-odd years and they're already trying to count down the years until they can retire and qualify for their pension... "only another 15-20 years to go, sigh." Etc.
But hey-ho, I'm proud that I was able to go through all the training and get in. It looks great on my CV and probably contributed in helping me progress in my sales career which is much better paid, Mon-Fri and 9-5 with options to genuinely progress even further.
I gave 2xFridays 5pm-2am. How I got to do the variety and depth was to throw myself in as one of the first, if there was a high risk arrest attempt I'd be there. Yes there was alot of risk but I found my reg colleagues were doing it as a matter of course. Me volunteering to do it when alot wouldn't and unpaid got new called fWhat hit me the most was Officers who have been in service for 15-odd years and they're already trying to count down the years until they can retire and qualify for their pension... "only another 15-20 years to go, sigh." Etc.
But hey-ho, I'm proud that I was able to go through all the training and get in. It looks great on my CV
and probably contributed in helping me progress in my sales career which is much better paid, Mon-Fri and 9-5 with options to genuinely progress even further.Edited by Prohibiting on Tuesday 4th December 19:57
king mad. It meant people look forward to working with me, made sure they had a paperwork free shift or packed that in towards the end. A sort of way to accommodate me. I made sure I learnt and listened. Keen without blundering in. I learnt alot. It helped me in my day job (senior sales sort of stuff with international stakeholders). I thought I was a confident person but learning how humble I was, learning my strengths and weaknesses in a cold dark horrible house in the wee hours made me realise what strengths I had. I think it added to my day job.
Well so I like to think.
I've never moaned about anything work wise. Even when I spent 11hours with a violent mental health female as a new reg, just another day.
I think Specials only works the harder you work at it.
Do I miss my old career with fantastic colleagues and salary, bonus and three days a week working from home?
Nah.
One of my lads started out as a special when he was about 19. Then he joined the regulars as a bobby for a few years, then passed his sergeant's exams, and only last week has now passed his inspector's.
Not bad for 29, I'm very proud of him. He loves the job, but it's very demanding by all accounts.
Not bad for 29, I'm very proud of him. He loves the job, but it's very demanding by all accounts.
Sa Calobra said:
I think Specials only works the harder you work at it.
Nah.
I agree on this but I wasn't capable to commit my limited spare time in order to throw myself at it. I didn't want to be one of those who just turn up on a Friday or Saturday night at 20:00, part-way through their shift, having finished work and my dinner, then clocking off at 0300.Nah.
Prohibiting said:
Pros:
Experiences that a lot of normal people won't see/have to deal with.
Respect from members of the public.
Feeling like you're contributing slightly.
Cons:
Having to deal with scum bags almost every shift.
Spending 6 hours in A&E watching over a mental health patient; propping up the NHS.
Lack of respect from the public.
Feeling like you're not able to help/lack of help/support from the regulars who just want to crack on with their job who can't give you their time.
General moral and negativity is very low.
With respect, what did you think you'd be doing ?Experiences that a lot of normal people won't see/have to deal with.
Respect from members of the public.
Feeling like you're contributing slightly.
Cons:
Having to deal with scum bags almost every shift.
Spending 6 hours in A&E watching over a mental health patient; propping up the NHS.
Lack of respect from the public.
Feeling like you're not able to help/lack of help/support from the regulars who just want to crack on with their job who can't give you their time.
General moral and negativity is very low.
Dealing with a certain type of clientele goes with the territory.
Lack of respect from a certain demographic likewise.
Plugging gaps left by other services/ agencies ... Yep, that too.
I think Specials only scratch the surface of police work but on a positive note at least you found out very early on that it wasn't the job for you.
Dizeee said:
I found your post really interesting. I don't have much to go on other than what you have typed, but you seem typical of the point I am about to make - which times in with the sentence above.
You failed the phone interview - yet to me your mind set and qualities seem exactly what the police need / want. But there in lies the issue, the police don't know what they want, and they certainly don't recognise talent or do anything to retain quality officers. I bet you would be perfect for the role, yet you say you failed the phone interview, I guarantee one of the people who passed the phone interview has no genuine interest in the job but just wants a warrant card, And this is the police all over, no consistency and no logic. I watched one f the best police officers I have worked with resign years ago - he had around 4 years in, was very effective and intelligent, far too good for the job. He was it for what it was, and resigned, now he is a fully qualified doctor. The job won't even notice he has gone, nor the loss to policing and society, but the job doesn't care. It is just bums on seats, a numbers game. Doesn't matter how good or bad at your role you are, as long as someone is doing the role, that's all that matters.
And there in lies the main issue for me. I accumulated 18 years in my force area, and in that time, yeah I had some fun But, genuine progression was 1) fairly pointless financially and 2) in no way linked to your ability, how effective you were, or your talent. And so I found that I as an individual was totally unvalued. I watched how those that were dead keen were no better off in terms of prospects or take home pay than those who were dead wood. No processes exist to reward good work, nothing wither to remove dead wood. Your just all lumped under one umbrella of existence, with no change anticipated. After a while, when you realise that unless you make a big mistake or get a griefy complaint you won't face any risk of dismissal, you just become driftwood with everyone else.
I have a theory that in the private sector, the fruits of my labour would be rewarded. All the things I didn't do, as there was no point, would have delivered wider reaching acclaim and recognition. In the police there is no requirement to use initiative, go above and beyond, or do anything considered outside the box. You could sweat tears in doing all this, but your unlikely to have it noticed or appreciated. Everything that needs changing or re thinking is just too difficult, or there is no money to do so, or it interferes with the latest management schemes of change ( which are usually unrequired and change year on year to evidence continued promotions whilst leaving all the complexities of the schemes still in existance for front line officers to be burdened with ).
I have lost myself in a world of negative typing. Ultimately, I feel policing was such a mess, that you could never "be anyone" in the career.
Nail on head. I couldn't have put it better myself. You failed the phone interview - yet to me your mind set and qualities seem exactly what the police need / want. But there in lies the issue, the police don't know what they want, and they certainly don't recognise talent or do anything to retain quality officers. I bet you would be perfect for the role, yet you say you failed the phone interview, I guarantee one of the people who passed the phone interview has no genuine interest in the job but just wants a warrant card, And this is the police all over, no consistency and no logic. I watched one f the best police officers I have worked with resign years ago - he had around 4 years in, was very effective and intelligent, far too good for the job. He was it for what it was, and resigned, now he is a fully qualified doctor. The job won't even notice he has gone, nor the loss to policing and society, but the job doesn't care. It is just bums on seats, a numbers game. Doesn't matter how good or bad at your role you are, as long as someone is doing the role, that's all that matters.
And there in lies the main issue for me. I accumulated 18 years in my force area, and in that time, yeah I had some fun But, genuine progression was 1) fairly pointless financially and 2) in no way linked to your ability, how effective you were, or your talent. And so I found that I as an individual was totally unvalued. I watched how those that were dead keen were no better off in terms of prospects or take home pay than those who were dead wood. No processes exist to reward good work, nothing wither to remove dead wood. Your just all lumped under one umbrella of existence, with no change anticipated. After a while, when you realise that unless you make a big mistake or get a griefy complaint you won't face any risk of dismissal, you just become driftwood with everyone else.
I have a theory that in the private sector, the fruits of my labour would be rewarded. All the things I didn't do, as there was no point, would have delivered wider reaching acclaim and recognition. In the police there is no requirement to use initiative, go above and beyond, or do anything considered outside the box. You could sweat tears in doing all this, but your unlikely to have it noticed or appreciated. Everything that needs changing or re thinking is just too difficult, or there is no money to do so, or it interferes with the latest management schemes of change ( which are usually unrequired and change year on year to evidence continued promotions whilst leaving all the complexities of the schemes still in existance for front line officers to be burdened with ).
I have lost myself in a world of negative typing. Ultimately, I feel policing was such a mess, that you could never "be anyone" in the career.
Almost halfway through my career, and I've specialised. I like to think i'm one of the keen ones and still enjoy the job (the specialised role i'm in, not core work. I'd done 10 years of that and i'd had enough). I did have ideas of promotion early on, but then i realised that there was little extra reward for promotion, plus I'd lose my tickets which I've worked hard for. The biggest drain of motivation from staff probably comes from the fact that those who are keen dont see any reward for being so.
Chicken Chaser said:
I did have ideas of promotion early on, but then i realised that there was little extra reward for promotion, plus I'd lose my tickets which I've worked hard for.
Depends how you look at it.Factor in pension differences (say Constable compared to Inspector) and the differences are actually hundreds of thousands of pounds (if you live to an average age).
Red 4 said:
Depends how you look at it.
Factor in pension differences (say Constable compared to Inspector) and the differences are actually hundreds of thousands of pounds (if you live to an average age).
Even under the CARE scheme? Those days of bumping up a couple of years before retirement are long gone.Factor in pension differences (say Constable compared to Inspector) and the differences are actually hundreds of thousands of pounds (if you live to an average age).
LosingGrip said:
defblade said:
Yay!
PIRT and bleeps next, at a time and date to be advised.
Good luck! Sure you are aware the bleep test is 5.4 after going to level three for a warm up. Not the hardest, but people do fail it. PIRT and bleeps next, at a time and date to be advised.
LosingGrip said:
Good luck! Sure you are aware the bleep test is 5.4 after going to level three for a warm up. Not the hardest, but people do fail it.
Greendubber said:
As above. Get it downloaded and give it a practice but make sure you get the 15m one!
I've watched some videos, it looks like less effort than my cool-down jogging after karate, let alone the warm-up, so shouldn't be a problem I'll be setting it out and giving it a quick go this weekend anyway, just be be sure...
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