Trafpol breaks whilst on shift?

[swindorski46]

Would a traffic policeman, whilst on a night shift, be within his rights to park up somewhere quiet and have break for a while, say 45 minutes or so?

If so, how often on one shift could he do this, and what would be the maximum length of this break?

Just wondered.

[Tonyrec]

Police Officers take a break of 45mins during a shift but if they are busy then sadly, they miss out.
Theres normally time for a bite to eat even if its only a sarnie.

Trafpols are fortunate in a way because many of us take our own food with us.
You learn to do this because always when you are starving hungry.....you are stuck on a cordon which lasts for hours.

We park up at the side of the road and do some writing. We can use this time to have a bite to eat as well.
Other times, we choose where we would all like to eat and hope that its quiet enough.

[Deester]

Tonyrec said:

Police Officers take a break of 45mins during a shift but if they are busy then sadly, they miss out. Theres normally time for a bite to eat even if its only a sarnie. Trafpols are fortunate in a way because many of us take our own food with us. You learn to do this because always when you are starving hungry.....you are stuck on a cordon which lasts for hours. We park up at the side of the road and do some writing. We can use this time to have a bite to eat as well. Other times, we choose where we would all like to eat and hope that its quiet enough.

Thankfully I tend to pass you guys when you are at the side of the road writing

[mcflurry]

so writing time = doughnut time

[Streetcop]

I like to take my break on the road...either in a McDonalds, roadside cafe etc etc...

Going back to the Nick is a bit of a pain, IMO.

Back at the Nick there's more chance of picking up a crap job. ie: somebody coming into the front desk to report an accident or a supervisor saying.."Can you have a look at this job for me when you go back out after meal?...) etc etc

[Dibble]

BiB are paid all the time while on duty - basically meal breaks are discretionary, and on a "normal" 8 hour shift, should be taken between the third and fifth hour of duty - that good old "exigencies of the service" permitting.

So if you're on a twelve hour shift, and it's busy for twelve hours, and you don't get a break... tough.

Like Tonyrec says, most TrafPol are a bit witched on when it somes to food... so we take ours out in the motor with us. Along with all the other equipment we have to carry.