I realise that, but the rest of the police are pretty much sat behind a desk aren't they?
Last edited:
Joining the police
- Thread starter Chives
- Start date
Well lets see:
PCSO's: much maligned but they don't do an office job and whilst most are very hands off some aren't shy about helping out in a ruck.
DEO's (gaolers): spend most of their day getting prisoners all day breakfasts and answering the phone, but occasionally have to deal with someone kicking off in custody.
Civilian Investigators: do pretty much the same job as CID officers - in my neck of the woods exactly the same role. The good ones you can't tell apart from their warranted counterparts, although it has to ve said that the good ones are often retired police officers.
Staff protection: seem to spend their time split between teaching the approved self defense techniques to officers and keeping up on current issues relating to use of force. Last time I checked the force lead round here on taser was a civilian employee.
Theres a few examples. Different forces use civilians to greater or lesser degree. A recent HMIC report encouraged their use - more often than not their wages are lower than police officers. That said most forces will be looking to axe civilian positions as well but they will never disappear.
I can't comment on which of those roles would be prohibited by your medical conditions though - diabetes I know can be an issue, dyspraxia I know nothing about.
PCSO's: much maligned but they don't do an office job and whilst most are very hands off some aren't shy about helping out in a ruck.
DEO's (gaolers): spend most of their day getting prisoners all day breakfasts and answering the phone, but occasionally have to deal with someone kicking off in custody.
Civilian Investigators: do pretty much the same job as CID officers - in my neck of the woods exactly the same role. The good ones you can't tell apart from their warranted counterparts, although it has to ve said that the good ones are often retired police officers.
Staff protection: seem to spend their time split between teaching the approved self defense techniques to officers and keeping up on current issues relating to use of force. Last time I checked the force lead round here on taser was a civilian employee.
Theres a few examples. Different forces use civilians to greater or lesser degree. A recent HMIC report encouraged their use - more often than not their wages are lower than police officers. That said most forces will be looking to axe civilian positions as well but they will never disappear.
I can't comment on which of those roles would be prohibited by your medical conditions though - diabetes I know can be an issue, dyspraxia I know nothing about.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 29 Mar 2003
- Posts
- 57,946
- Location
- Blurton
Be fair, it's a huge thread. If it's like most big threads on here it will be a few good posts and lots of irrelevant stuff
I didn't post in that.
Anyway, if you're black or gay you may stand a chance.
IDD?
Also, I have now read that other thread and indeed one of the things they check for in the medical is diabetes.
Looks like I can forget that dream.
Insulin Dependent Diabetic.
I know it's a bit pants..
Meh, I really don't see why that should stop me from joining the police, I control it really well, so what is the issue?
Soldato
- Joined
- 31 May 2009
- Posts
- 21,505
I am utterly amazed you didn't know what IDD was, consider it is the condition you have.
Good luck with your dreams, but the rules likely exclude you. maybe you could apply for a support or a deskjob.
Good luck with your dreams, but the rules likely exclude you. maybe you could apply for a support or a deskjob.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 1 Aug 2004
- Posts
- 12,681
- Location
- Tyneside
As I understand it, police recruitment is frozen for most, if not all forces in England and Wales.
The Met aren't recruiting and that speaks volumes of the current state of play. Not so long back they always recruited.
There is simply no money and most forces have had their budget cut over the last 4 years or so including Mr Osborne's latest round of cuts and that is before the CSR due in a couple of weeks time and it is likely the axe will fall even further.
While I accept that austerity measures are required after the dire financial mess left behind by Labour, the cuts made to the police and HMP budgets are going too far and will affect the frontline - even though the Home Secretary says otherwise.
I know a couple of lads who work for HMP and the lack of staffing, often in high security establishments, is alarming. Perhaps Mr Moon can shed more light on that ?
I wish you luck with your application but medical questions aside, there is little chance of recruitment any time soon.
The Met aren't recruiting and that speaks volumes of the current state of play. Not so long back they always recruited.
There is simply no money and most forces have had their budget cut over the last 4 years or so including Mr Osborne's latest round of cuts and that is before the CSR due in a couple of weeks time and it is likely the axe will fall even further.
While I accept that austerity measures are required after the dire financial mess left behind by Labour, the cuts made to the police and HMP budgets are going too far and will affect the frontline - even though the Home Secretary says otherwise.
I know a couple of lads who work for HMP and the lack of staffing, often in high security establishments, is alarming. Perhaps Mr Moon can shed more light on that ?
I wish you luck with your application but medical questions aside, there is little chance of recruitment any time soon.
well yes staffing in HMP is currently under attack with ratios as high as 1 officer to 40 prisoners in some establishments, its awful, they are recruiting officers but the new contracts are rubbish as is the pay, dont do it is my advice!
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 1 Aug 2004
- Posts
- 12,681
- Location
- Tyneside
Surely though, and I don't mean this to be offensive or generalising to HMP staff, if you reduce working conditions, contracts and pay then you invite the possibility of corruption ?
While the majority will be honest, there will be some who will find the temptation of a grand to smuggle drugs and SIM cards in hard to resist.
The police were the same years ago until pay and conditions were inproved dramatically. A relative of mine is an ex DS in the fraud squad during the Gene Hunt era and he was in when pay and conditions were bad and corruption was rife.
While the majority will be honest, there will be some who will find the temptation of a grand to smuggle drugs and SIM cards in hard to resist.
The police were the same years ago until pay and conditions were inproved dramatically. A relative of mine is an ex DS in the fraud squad during the Gene Hunt era and he was in when pay and conditions were bad and corruption was rife.
Managing it now is simple compared to managing it whilst in the police. Varying shifts, missed break times have a huge effect on completely healthy people never mind diabetics. Couple this with complete lack of control of any "downtime" (for monitoring blood sugar levels and taking insulin) and suddenly controlling it will be very difficult.
The MET have ratified a possible change in recruitment just days ago where they will only take someone that has been a Special or PCSO for 18 months or someone that has a background/training in law as opposed to Joe Bloggs off the street - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11440985
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 1 Aug 2004
- Posts
- 12,681
- Location
- Tyneside
Interesting. Thanks Richie.
I think that approach is unfair to others but then again savings per officer would be considerable.
The Met strength at 31,000 ? That has fallen dramatically in the last few years. Wasn't it around 35,000 not so long back ?
I think that approach is unfair to others but then again savings per officer would be considerable.
The Met strength at 31,000 ? That has fallen dramatically in the last few years. Wasn't it around 35,000 not so long back ?
From what I know they had practically stopped recruitment a while back and, as their numbers were so high, even a rather small 10% loss through resignation and retirement over a year would reduce numbers by a fair bit....
This, I live next to a Chief Inspector of a force, and I too hope to join the Police one day, however, having spoken to him a few times, it will be damn near impossible over the next 5 years or so. The cuts some forces are having to make are astounding.
EDITED
Last edited:
I doubt you would get in before you're 25. The Police is also facing massive cuts and are unlikely to recruit many people any time soon. Which means they can cherry pick you, and the fact that you're so young + have a health condition makes your chances very very low. Concentrate on your A levels and on doing something better imo.
Salary, you start at about 25k if I'm not mistaken and you can work your way up. Sergeants earn just a little more then a constable but when you get to Inspector then you start earning a lot of money. 40-50k (which is really not a lot of money wehn you consider other jobs, I mean, a Tescos/Asdas manager makes 40k and they don't put their life on the line or work night shifts 3 days a week.
Still, is it worth it? I don't think so, pursue a different career in my honest opinion.
Salary, you start at about 25k if I'm not mistaken and you can work your way up. Sergeants earn just a little more then a constable but when you get to Inspector then you start earning a lot of money. 40-50k (which is really not a lot of money wehn you consider other jobs, I mean, a Tescos/Asdas manager makes 40k and they don't put their life on the line or work night shifts 3 days a week.
Still, is it worth it? I don't think so, pursue a different career in my honest opinion.
FFS - more hoops to jump through.
I've just (yesterday!) received a letter from Suffolk Constabulary saying my application has been binned due to budget cuts - and they won't be considering further applications until April 2012 at the earliest. Gutted
3 cheers for labour!
What are you talking about labour for? Labour are the ones who reward public sector services with brand new BMW's, pay rises and less work to do.
It's the tories who are cutting everything now because we are in such a big mess. If Labour was still acting like they did 10 years ago, you'd be getting into the police.
Without wanting this to get O/T, Labour have left an enormous mess. I don't blame the Tories for this at all - they're just doing what they have to try and fix the mess Labour left them. Perhaps Labour should have kept a closer eye on what was happening with the banks and regulated it rather than letting lending getting out of control?