A question for the bib...
Discussion
In short, yes i would.
I wouldn't join the force i did, solely for financial reasons, but i love my job. I'm TraffPol now, but have been in for 10 years or so. Never regretted joining up. You get the highest highs, but the lowest lows. I have days when i curse the day i joined up because it fels like you've achieved nothing, and days where you feel like you're on top of the world.
You give up a proportion of your life... weekends, special occasions, and alot of time away from the family from time to time which is demanding, but it all balances out in the end.
On the whole, i think its worth it.
I wouldn't join the force i did, solely for financial reasons, but i love my job. I'm TraffPol now, but have been in for 10 years or so. Never regretted joining up. You get the highest highs, but the lowest lows. I have days when i curse the day i joined up because it fels like you've achieved nothing, and days where you feel like you're on top of the world.
You give up a proportion of your life... weekends, special occasions, and alot of time away from the family from time to time which is demanding, but it all balances out in the end.
On the whole, i think its worth it.
Its changed.
I have seen the police move from a force to a service.
Many things are better than they were when I started. There is much better equality all round and the nepotism that was rife in the 80's and 90's has diminished considerably but is still occasionally apparent.
The work is much more arduous and I can honestly say, not as much fun as it used to be.
Everything is driven by targets but what isn't anywhere these days.
A huge amount of policing is now aimed at being 24 hour Social Services in uniform.
The police service is the only service that can rarely say NO.
There is an immense amount of job and specialist opportunity within the police, a whole internal job network serving policing goals and objectives from antiques specialists to Terrorism or child protection, air support, dogs, firearms to walking or cycling the beat.
You will have a huge variety of problems and situations to deal with, much more than you would ever have in private industry. There is some considerable boredom and an enormous amount of bureaucracy and frustration but moments of complete elation and satisfaction.
I have nearly completed my service in the police. I do not regret any of it but I am frustrated at what is happening by the thrust from the Home Office.
You will find out who your real friends are and you will make some friends who will lay down their lives for you and you theirs. You will also make some enemies (especially if you post on this website
).
You will never be financially rich but you will become rich in life experience.
You will become cynical!!!
The only way you will find out if you like it is to try it. If its not for you, a months notice and return your kit will see you back on Civvy street without the thought " I wonder what it will be like in the police?"
I have seen the police move from a force to a service.
Many things are better than they were when I started. There is much better equality all round and the nepotism that was rife in the 80's and 90's has diminished considerably but is still occasionally apparent.
The work is much more arduous and I can honestly say, not as much fun as it used to be.
Everything is driven by targets but what isn't anywhere these days.
A huge amount of policing is now aimed at being 24 hour Social Services in uniform.
The police service is the only service that can rarely say NO.
There is an immense amount of job and specialist opportunity within the police, a whole internal job network serving policing goals and objectives from antiques specialists to Terrorism or child protection, air support, dogs, firearms to walking or cycling the beat.
You will have a huge variety of problems and situations to deal with, much more than you would ever have in private industry. There is some considerable boredom and an enormous amount of bureaucracy and frustration but moments of complete elation and satisfaction.
I have nearly completed my service in the police. I do not regret any of it but I am frustrated at what is happening by the thrust from the Home Office.
You will find out who your real friends are and you will make some friends who will lay down their lives for you and you theirs. You will also make some enemies (especially if you post on this website
).You will never be financially rich but you will become rich in life experience.
You will become cynical!!!
The only way you will find out if you like it is to try it. If its not for you, a months notice and return your kit will see you back on Civvy street without the thought " I wonder what it will be like in the police?"
I did 15 1/2 years, got injured in a RTA & suffered PTSD as a result.Eventually I was treated so badly by management & OH I left. I built a life "outside", keeping in contact with Job friends. I realised I could do what I was now qualified to do, within the Job, for double what I was earning outside. I re-joined 15months ago.Inevitably the immediate promises/opportunities were not there so I spent a year on Division, for the first time in 16 years. I loved it!! I studied over last Winter, passed the Sgts exam & I've been A/Ps-ing for 8 months.Next week I finally start work-based assessment. To be honest if I had not left,stood on my own two feet instead of being a uniform I would not have moved on..it can be done!
Mg6b.........sounds like you and i are in a similar stage in our career timeline!
I would concur with your comments although when you say canged 'from a force to a service' I would suggest we are guilty of being neither. The only service we now provide is to the home office and their bean counters.
The service to the public is now delivered via the many pseudo uniformed people walking round our towns and villages.
Anyone wanting to enjoy the joys of 'policing' should be actively encouraged to join as a PCSO or if traffic 'policing' is your bag then get put in for a HATO (sorry Traffic Officer) the HA dont like their staff being called HATOs!
Over my last 28 years we have well and truly sold off the family silver. All the following have been 'sold off':
Motorway policing, local policing(see para 4 above), enforcement of local traffic regs(decriminalisation), abnormal load escort and many more functions.We have disposed of most police stations with those left being empty. Centralised control rooms, filling them with operators who have no knowledge of policing and little of the geographic area.
There have been improvements in the job but these have been mostly linked to comms & I.T, ANPR is now the leading light in policing.I am preaching to the converted on here when I mention the part played by camera enforcement
Police officers have ceased to be career officers,many of them dip their toe in the job and bail out after suffering under the weight of work placed upon them and being disollusioned that it wasnt the job they expected. I joined in 1980, I cannot recall anyone resigning in my early years, this is now fairly commonplace.
Having said all that, the job has provided me with a decent standard of living (Im not convinced that this will continue under this disgraceful and dishonourable excuse for a home secretary) I have had opportunities and experiences which could be found no where else.
It has also stood me in good stead to find gainful employment on retirement.
Would I join again with 30 years to do under the current policing model?......you bet your ass I wouldnt..........but then again old Bobby Bill Smith probably said that in 1978!!
I would concur with your comments although when you say canged 'from a force to a service' I would suggest we are guilty of being neither. The only service we now provide is to the home office and their bean counters.
The service to the public is now delivered via the many pseudo uniformed people walking round our towns and villages.
Anyone wanting to enjoy the joys of 'policing' should be actively encouraged to join as a PCSO or if traffic 'policing' is your bag then get put in for a HATO (sorry Traffic Officer) the HA dont like their staff being called HATOs!
Over my last 28 years we have well and truly sold off the family silver. All the following have been 'sold off':
Motorway policing, local policing(see para 4 above), enforcement of local traffic regs(decriminalisation), abnormal load escort and many more functions.We have disposed of most police stations with those left being empty. Centralised control rooms, filling them with operators who have no knowledge of policing and little of the geographic area.
There have been improvements in the job but these have been mostly linked to comms & I.T, ANPR is now the leading light in policing.I am preaching to the converted on here when I mention the part played by camera enforcement
Police officers have ceased to be career officers,many of them dip their toe in the job and bail out after suffering under the weight of work placed upon them and being disollusioned that it wasnt the job they expected. I joined in 1980, I cannot recall anyone resigning in my early years, this is now fairly commonplace.
Having said all that, the job has provided me with a decent standard of living (Im not convinced that this will continue under this disgraceful and dishonourable excuse for a home secretary) I have had opportunities and experiences which could be found no where else.
It has also stood me in good stead to find gainful employment on retirement.
Would I join again with 30 years to do under the current policing model?......you bet your ass I wouldnt..........but then again old Bobby Bill Smith probably said that in 1978!!
Interesting question and interesting thread.
I'm not BiB, but have occasionally wondered the same. I AM frequently disappointed by the police and that which they provide to the general public, and am therefore disappointed/concerned to read some of the comments on here. (Should add - that's not personal.)
Where do the resident BiB see the police force being in 10/15/20/30 years time? If things are on a slide, where will the slide stop? Or will it continue? If you are becoming Home Office bean counters/target achievers, where does this end up?
This question may be better placed in GG or TP&P ...
Oli.
I'm not BiB, but have occasionally wondered the same. I AM frequently disappointed by the police and that which they provide to the general public, and am therefore disappointed/concerned to read some of the comments on here. (Should add - that's not personal.)
Where do the resident BiB see the police force being in 10/15/20/30 years time? If things are on a slide, where will the slide stop? Or will it continue? If you are becoming Home Office bean counters/target achievers, where does this end up?
This question may be better placed in GG or TP&P ...
Oli.
The points above are very valid and I think its fair to say that society gets the society it deserves. The judicial system must carry a lot of the blame for the current situation, the fear of either capture or penalty (apart from driving offences) has ceased to become a deterrent for many.
The level of offences comitted by those on bail is rediculous. The work involved in actually getting anyone into court is phenominal. Officers are bound up with form filling, the national incident/crime reporting standards have created a system whereby all incidents are recorded and have to be fully investigated even down to the most petty. A prime example is that a crime report now has to be submitted for kids throwing snowballs at vehicles!!
Where will we be in 30 years? good question! It is often the case that the wheels turn full circle. We certainly need some drastic changes to the way the law is delivered to offenders and victims alike. Equally we need a police force fully suported by the judicial system out on the streets in sufficient numbers as to make an impact. There is the place for pseudo police officers in whatever guise but these should be complementing not replacing police numbers.
It is the case that most people are rarely the victim of crime but that is no concellation when your youngster is found dead in a suburban street having been knifed by some cowerdly scrote trying to prove his manhood to the rest of his 'posse' or whatever the collective noun is in the current gang culture.
The level of offences comitted by those on bail is rediculous. The work involved in actually getting anyone into court is phenominal. Officers are bound up with form filling, the national incident/crime reporting standards have created a system whereby all incidents are recorded and have to be fully investigated even down to the most petty. A prime example is that a crime report now has to be submitted for kids throwing snowballs at vehicles!!
Where will we be in 30 years? good question! It is often the case that the wheels turn full circle. We certainly need some drastic changes to the way the law is delivered to offenders and victims alike. Equally we need a police force fully suported by the judicial system out on the streets in sufficient numbers as to make an impact. There is the place for pseudo police officers in whatever guise but these should be complementing not replacing police numbers.
It is the case that most people are rarely the victim of crime but that is no concellation when your youngster is found dead in a suburban street having been knifed by some cowerdly scrote trying to prove his manhood to the rest of his 'posse' or whatever the collective noun is in the current gang culture.
Dr Jekyll said:
If you get a job as a salesman, PC expert etc you can always take your skills elsewhere. But if you do decide to leave the police after a few years what kind of things should you go into? MI5 or private security seem possibilities but presumably you're a bit restricted.
There are lots of things that you can go into with skills that are taught within the police.Training is an avenue and covers many sorts of activities that the business world does not get close to.
Many people come to the police having been in a profession prior to joining.
A bit younger in service, but there is no other job I can imagine myself doing.
Perhaps because I wasn't around for the "good old days" I don't have quite the same distain for paperwork levels. I actually find the paperwork fairly easy and quick to complete, but then I'm fortunate to be in a role where I'm given time to do it. Having said that I'm typing this having finished a 14 hour shift due to processing an Offender or a single simple offence.
But the job gives you the chance to experience the full range of human emotion and experience. You're the person who turns up when no-one else can cope any more, and they expect you to have the answers. You have some good fights, lose the bad ones, learn how to talk to people from all walks of life and learn from their experiences. Above all there are times when you go home exhausted but satisified that you have really helped someone that day, made an appreciable and lasting impact on their welfare. Not a lot of jobs give you that.
As for upper ages, I don;t believe there is one (force dependant). I know of a couple of officers who've taken it up in their 50's and their wealth of life experience makes them valuable team members.
Perhaps because I wasn't around for the "good old days" I don't have quite the same distain for paperwork levels. I actually find the paperwork fairly easy and quick to complete, but then I'm fortunate to be in a role where I'm given time to do it. Having said that I'm typing this having finished a 14 hour shift due to processing an Offender or a single simple offence.
But the job gives you the chance to experience the full range of human emotion and experience. You're the person who turns up when no-one else can cope any more, and they expect you to have the answers. You have some good fights, lose the bad ones, learn how to talk to people from all walks of life and learn from their experiences. Above all there are times when you go home exhausted but satisified that you have really helped someone that day, made an appreciable and lasting impact on their welfare. Not a lot of jobs give you that.
As for upper ages, I don;t believe there is one (force dependant). I know of a couple of officers who've taken it up in their 50's and their wealth of life experience makes them valuable team members.
I joined because, having done a decent but "Generic" degree at a good university, I had very little idea of other professions to target, and most of the standard careers left me cold. Went to all the presentations on the "milkround" for companies like Deloitte, potential jobs in Management Consultancy for huge money but I'm not the corporate type and, consequently, got nowhere when applying.
Policing was always something I had fancied doing but never thought I had the mental or physical strength. Joined up, it went well but didn't manage to get through tutorship first time round. I left, spent a year developing weaknesses in myself and came back.
Have been back in for 4 years now and cannot imagine myself doing anything else. (Apart from a continuing yen for the legal profession...maybe later!)
It comes in waves- Sometimes you will have the week from hell, but the next you will be instrumental in imprisoning nasty bastards for a very long time- And that's worth it!
Have just joined CID, passed all Sgts exams and am experienced running response teams as an A/PS. The job is what you make of it- And if you're keen to get on and upwards, you will. Hard work, but oh so rewarding.
Policing was always something I had fancied doing but never thought I had the mental or physical strength. Joined up, it went well but didn't manage to get through tutorship first time round. I left, spent a year developing weaknesses in myself and came back.
Have been back in for 4 years now and cannot imagine myself doing anything else. (Apart from a continuing yen for the legal profession...maybe later!)
It comes in waves- Sometimes you will have the week from hell, but the next you will be instrumental in imprisoning nasty bastards for a very long time- And that's worth it!
Have just joined CID, passed all Sgts exams and am experienced running response teams as an A/PS. The job is what you make of it- And if you're keen to get on and upwards, you will. Hard work, but oh so rewarding.
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