Calling all Police - advice needed :)

[Charlies Angel]

Hi,

Im hoping i could get some advice on becoming a police officer. First off I have been thinking about it since i was 17 and i went to an open evening and was told they like you to be older so you have some life experience before joining up. Well i have been in a 9 - 5 office job for nearly 5 yrs now, and i hate it!!! I have applied to join the Devizes police HQ as an admin worker and iam again thinking about possibly joining the police force. (tho checking the website, wiltshire arent recruiting at the mo) I would just like some info really..whats involved and the training you have to have and the ups and downs of being a police officer. I am now 21, im female and a small build. Im not a big person by anymeans and im 5'9 so not short. Im not overly fit at the mo, seeing as i sit infront of a computer 35hrs a week! So i would need to work on my fitness. Well, now u have my life story please... advise me on police life

Thank You
Nikki

[julianhj]

Go for it. I did 5-6 years of office work before jacking it in for the police. I'm not sure how Wiltshire are running their training (people on www.policeuk.com will be able to offer plenty of advice on applying to your particular force). The fitness is not hard at all to pass in order to get in, however it's advisable to be much fitter than the minimum requirement. I'd recommend running/cycling/swimming, plus some sort of resistance or free weights training.

How much research have you done into the job so far?

As for ups and downs, I've only been in for a few months, so I'm still loving everything, even the 6 hours unscheduled overtime I did last week (whilst my tutors were F-ing and blinding!).

Edited by julianhj on Thursday 10th August 20:40

[Charlies Angel]

ermm well like i say when i was 17 i went to an open evening where the police officers talked and gave one on one advice. I picked up some leaflets. I was told u had to do 16 weeks training somewhere in the uk. Cant remember where. My fitness is very low at the mo, dont really get alot of time as i work 40 min drive from where i live...gota the female stuff like cook tea and stuff..plus have 2 dogs that need walking. Are u glad u joined? what are the hours like??? Do u have bad points u can think of when it comes to being a police officer?? Also in the force u are in are women treated fairly?

[julianhj]

Charlies Angel said:

ermm well like i say when i was 17 i went to an open evening where the police officers talked and gave one on one advice. I picked up some leaflets. I was told u had to do 16 weeks training somewhere in the uk. Cant remember where. My fitness is very low at the mo, dont really get alot of time as i work 40 min drive from where i live...gota the female stuff like cook tea and stuff..plus have 2 dogs that need walking. Are u glad u joined? what are the hours like??? Do u have bad points u can think of when it comes to being a police officer?? Also in the force u are in are women treated fairly?

Best course of action would be to speak to a Wiltshire officer, preferably one who has recently joined in order to get the low-down on what that force is like. Your local nick may be able to help, failing that the personnel dept. The info I can give relates to Sussex. With regard to training, the old system of residential training colleges is being phased out. I'm on a university-based training course, which means I spend half my time at uni (working uni hours ) and the other half with a tutor on the streets, working varied hours Monday to Friday.

Having 2 dogs to walk means you are probably a fair way there with your fitness.

I'm very glad I joined, I'm having a great time, and so are all the other people on my course. It will get harder when I finish the training and am out on my own, working shifts etc.

Bad points? You'll work anti-social hours, have restrictions on your personal life, see horrible things, deal with horrible people and situations...

Diversity and equality are hammered out at every turn - diversity in particular is the only area covered at every level of the recruitment process, and is constantly referred to in my training. I don't imagine you will encounter any sexual discrimination. Might be worth peeking at this blog: http://pcbloggs.blogspot.com/ for a WPC's perspective.

[vonhosen]

julianhj said:

Charlies Angel said:

ermm well like i say when i was 17 i went to an open evening where the police officers talked and gave one on one advice. I picked up some leaflets. I was told u had to do 16 weeks training somewhere in the uk. Cant remember where. My fitness is very low at the mo, dont really get alot of time as i work 40 min drive from where i live...gota the female stuff like cook tea and stuff..plus have 2 dogs that need walking. Are u glad u joined? what are the hours like??? Do u have bad points u can think of when it comes to being a police officer?? Also in the force u are in are women treated fairly?

Best course of action would be to speak to a Wiltshire officer, preferably one who has recently joined in order to get the low-down on what that force is like. Your local nick may be able to help, failing that the personnel dept. The info I can give relates to Sussex. With regard to training, the old system of residential training colleges is being phased out. I'm on a university-based training course, which means I spend half my time at uni (working uni hours ) and the other half with a tutor on the streets, working varied hours Monday to Friday.

Having 2 dogs to walk means you are probably a fair way there with your fitness.

I'm very glad I joined, I'm having a great time, and so are all the other people on my course. It will get harder when I finish the training and am out on my own, working shifts etc.

Bad points? You'll work anti-social hours, have restrictions on your personal life, see horrible things, deal with horrible people and situations...

Diversity and equality are hammered out at every turn - diversity in particular is the only area covered at every level of the recruitment process, and is constantly referred to in my training. I don't imagine you will encounter any sexual discrimination. Might be worth peeking at this blog: http://pcbloggs.blogspot.com/ for a WPC's perspective.

You can't say WPC, the "W" was dropped long ago

[julianhj]

I know that Vonhosen, just quoting PC BLOGGS as she refers to herself in that link

[Hollywood Wheels]

julianhj said:

Bad points? You'll see horrible things, deal with horrible people and situations...

And that's before you leave the nick....

[trooperiziz]

Just out of interest, what the pay scales and expected progression through the ranks?

It's something I've always been kinda interested in doing, but I don't know how long it would take to get back up to good money?

[vonhosen]

trooperiziz said:

Just out of interest, what the pay scales and expected progression through the ranks?

It's something I've always been kinda interested in doing, but I don't know how long it would take to get back up to good money?

Progression through the ranks is not a given. It's not how many people you arrest or anything like that, it's almost a different job entirely. The availability of promotion places fluctuates & is often a cause of discontent for those that really want to go that path. At times some can move quickly through the ranks whilst others get bogged down, it really isn't a case that in three years you can expect to be a sergeant, six an inspector etc etc.

What are you calling good money & where in the country would you be looking to earn it ?

[Don]

Hollywood Wheels said:

julianhj said:

Bad points? You'll see horrible things, deal with horrible people and situations...

And that's before you leave the nick....

[jasandjules]

trooperiziz said:

Just out of interest, what the pay scales and expected progression through the ranks?

If you are politically correct but have no idea what police work is about, expect to be Chief Constable within 5 years.

If you are sadly under the misguided impression that police work is about nicking the scum of society and getting them off the streets, you should make Sarge in about 5 years....

[trooperiziz]

vonhosen said:

What are you calling good money & where in the country would you be looking to earn it ?

Good money would be £40k+, location withstanding.

[autismuk]

vonhosen said:

Progression through the ranks is not a given. It's not how many people you arrest or anything like that, it's almost a different job entirely. The availability of promotion places fluctuates & is often a cause of discontent for those that really want to go that path. At times some can move quickly through the ranks whilst others get bogged down, it really isn't a case that in three years you can expect to be a sergeant, six an inspector etc etc.

Look at it this way. If Brunstrom can get promoted, anyone can !

[vonhosen]

trooperiziz said:

vonhosen said:

What are you calling good money & where in the country would you be looking to earn it ?

Good money would be £40k+, location withstanding.

Police pay scales

There are other allowances to be added to that.

In London for a PC on completion of initial training you'd be on about £29k
In London for a PC with 10 years service you'd be on about £40k a top rate PC is on about £42k
In London a new Sergeant would be splitting the difference between a 10 year & top rate PC.

All without overtime of course.

Edited by vonhosen on Friday 11th August 12:31

[vonhosen]

autismuk said:

vonhosen said:

Progression through the ranks is not a given. It's not how many people you arrest or anything like that, it's almost a different job entirely. The availability of promotion places fluctuates & is often a cause of discontent for those that really want to go that path. At times some can move quickly through the ranks whilst others get bogged down, it really isn't a case that in three years you can expect to be a sergeant, six an inspector etc etc.

Look at it this way. If Brunstrom can get promoted, anyone can !

That's not quite true.
You've got to tick the right boxes & an awful lot don't want to take promotion because they feel it takes them further & further away from the job they joined to do.

For others of course going as high as you can is very important. Being in the Police is different things to different people.

Edited by vonhosen on Friday 11th August 12:34

[trooperiziz]

vonhosen said:

trooperiziz said:

vonhosen said:

What are you calling good money & where in the country would you be looking to earn it ?

Good money would be £40k+, location withstanding.

Police pay scales

There are other allowances to be added to that.

In London for a PC on completion of initial training you'd be on about £29k
In London for a PC with 10 years service you'd be on about £40k a top rate PC is on about £42k
In London a new Sergeant would be splitting the difference between a 10 year & top rate PC.

All without overtime of course.

Thanks for that, and on a very rough average, how much does overtime add to the pot?

[vonhosen]

trooperiziz said:

vonhosen said:

trooperiziz said:

vonhosen said:

What are you calling good money & where in the country would you be looking to earn it ?

Good money would be £40k+, location withstanding.

Police pay scales

There are other allowances to be added to that.

In London for a PC on completion of initial training you'd be on about £29k
In London for a PC with 10 years service you'd be on about £40k a top rate PC is on about £42k
In London a new Sergeant would be splitting the difference between a 10 year & top rate PC.

All without overtime of course.

Thanks for that, and on a very rough average, how much does overtime add to the pot?

That really depends on you & what department you work in.
Some can & do really cane it at every opportunity, others avoid it where ever the can.
Most places there is some to be had for those that want it (in London anyway).

Edited by vonhosen on Friday 11th August 12:56

[john57]

vonhosen said:

trooperiziz said:

vonhosen said:

trooperiziz said:

vonhosen said:

What are you calling good money & where in the country would you be looking to earn it ?

Good money would be £40k+, location withstanding.

Police pay scales

There are other allowances to be added to that.

In London for a PC on completion of initial training you'd be on about £29k
In London for a PC with 10 years service you'd be on about £40k a top rate PC is on about £42k
In London a new Sergeant would be splitting the difference between a 10 year & top rate PC.

All without overtime of course.

Thanks for that, and on a very rough average, how much does overtime add to the pot?

That really depends on you & what department you work in.
Some can & do really cane it at every opportunity, others avoid it where ever the can.
Most places there is some to be had for those that want it (in London anyway).

Edited by vonhosen on Friday 11th August 12:56

I would say that as a PC who enjoyed what I did but was not hugely interested in overtime I got about £2K a year without even remotely trying. The thing is that if there is a call near the end of a shift someone has to go to it ....

Promoted and in a specialised unit - well, if you can call traffic that these days - I got £7K in my first year .... £5K in my second with in addition almost a month off in 'time' where I took overtime as time off instead of pay.

I still don't look for overtime but it just comes your way sometimes - bad things happen near the end of a shift - guaranteed if you need to get off on time . With colleagues with kids they often want to get off on time and the late calls can always be yours if you like spending your life at work. I personally don't and though I enjoy my job I enjoy my time away from it more.

Alot of officers feel so drained by the job and the 'grief' it brings that they just don't want the extra money - they just want to get home! I would not add overtime into any calculations you do - just look at it as a 'bonus' when you see it on a pay slip.

Sometimes overtime is there at exceptional levels - like the bombings. One of my colleages took home I think it was £5700 in one month as a PC with 6 years service .... but he is a body recovery officer and spent nearly a month in a tube tunnel solid without going home at all ! I would personally rather have a flat month than do that. Each to their own.

[Tafia]

vonhosen said:

julianhj said:

Charlies Angel said:

ermm well like i say when i was 17 i went to an open evening where the police officers talked and gave one on one advice. I picked up some leaflets. I was told u had to do 16 weeks training somewhere in the uk. Cant remember where. My fitness is very low at the mo, dont really get alot of time as i work 40 min drive from where i live...gota the female stuff like cook tea and stuff..plus have 2 dogs that need walking. Are u glad u joined? what are the hours like??? Do u have bad points u can think of when it comes to being a police officer?? Also in the force u are in are women treated fairly?

Best course of action would be to speak to a Wiltshire officer, preferably one who has recently joined in order to get the low-down on what that force is like. Your local nick may be able to help, failing that the personnel dept. The info I can give relates to Sussex. With regard to training, the old system of residential training colleges is being phased out. I'm on a university-based training course, which means I spend half my time at uni (working uni hours ) and the other half with a tutor on the streets, working varied hours Monday to Friday.

Having 2 dogs to walk means you are probably a fair way there with your fitness.

I'm very glad I joined, I'm having a great time, and so are all the other people on my course. It will get harder when I finish the training and am out on my own, working shifts etc.

Bad points? You'll work anti-social hours, have restrictions on your personal life, see horrible things, deal with horrible people and situations...

Diversity and equality are hammered out at every turn - diversity in particular is the only area covered at every level of the recruitment process, and is constantly referred to in my training. I don't imagine you will encounter any sexual discrimination. Might be worth peeking at this blog: http://pcbloggs.blogspot.com/ for a WPC's perspective.

You can't say WPC, the "W" was dropped long ago

Can't ???

[insanojackson]

My advice would be dont do it!!

Ive got 9 yrs in the job, 4 as a sgt and to be honest it gets worse every day. To much interference from bosses and government to prevent you from doing what you joined up to do.


Dont worry about fitness though as frankly the current fitness test is a joke, any half able person should be able to pass it. The standards have dropped a lot in the recent past.

Also a lot of forces are actually cutting officer numbers at the min. Mr Blairs crime fighting fund is all gone and the emphasis seems to have been switched to PCSO's (policing on the cheap)

As for making good money I do ok but its not excellent. I made 39,600 last year and that included a bit of overtime and extra money for being acting inspector for about 3 months. I dont get the london allowance though living in the north east.I consider a fairly decent wage for someone 29yrs old with no family but its by no means brilliant! As for overtime since 1st of jan this year i think i have made 80 quid!

If theres anything you want to know give me a shou!

Edited by insanojackson on Tuesday 15th August 02:03