RAF recruitment, has it gone a bit too far...

I read this somewhere and completely agree with it:

I want the military to spend every waking moment working to get better at killing people who want to kill me, my family and my fellow citizens. I don't care how diverse, progressive or inclusive they are. And I am outright hostile to this if it affects their performance.
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If I got a formal warning for every dodgy video that showed up in my various work groups, I'd be discharged.

A huge over reaction from the RAF Copper (shock), piggy backing on our latest 'unacceptable behaviours' training. I see it as a bit of a none story to be honest, trying to make the public go 'Look at what our armed forces are doing!'
 
Penfold101 said:
On a personal note, I’d rather I got better at engineering aircraft with a very small potential side hustle at killing people. If it comes down to me having to shoot people then the **** has MASSIVELY hit the fan…
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Or even better have politicians that can defuse things so that we don't even need an army.

I know it's impossible because people are dicks, but a world without politics, borders, power etc.. would be heaven.
 
Freefaller said:
Or even better have politicians that can defuse things so that we don't even need an army.

I know it's impossible because people are dicks, but a world without politics, borders, power etc.. would be heaven.
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Agreed on all counts, there’s a quote I love from an astronaut which basically says when you go up on orbit and look down at earth there are no borders, just land and sea.

The solution to this, as we’ve seen in many films, is an alien invasion to bring us all together.






Assuming we survive, of course…
 
Perhaps he thought he had supercowpowers? :D

I suspect they’re trying to damage limit for the individual. Given it’s not a discharge there may be other unpublished factors?
In the end the court decides, they could have just discharged him and handed the case over to the civvy legal system.
 
Junior RAFP don't just open an investigation because they feel like it. It would have been ran past their boss, legal etc.

Civvy cops have been sacked due to receiving vids/images in group whattsapps.

Not defending, just saying that there would have been a few things involved, not just a 'junior RAFP'.
 
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I get that, it would have gone up the chain at Brize and someone should have just seen common sense.

The court heard civilian police had seized AST Fellowes’ iPhone as part of a separate investigation and subjected it to a search by an officer and a forensic expert.

Rupert Gregory, prosecuting, told the court: “On WhatsApp there was a short video – 45 seconds in length.

“There is some music playing over the top.”

The court heard that a junior RAF police officer then “took it upon himself to take on an investigation”.

Derek Johashen, mitigating, said the video was created as a “comedy piece” and sent for humour.

Mr Johashen said: “It came to this WhatsApp group to which the defendant is one member.

“The defendant did not ask for that video to be sent to him. It was sent to a group chat intended for humour.”
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Civvy bill did what ever they had to do, passed on their findings afterwards to the RAFP given it was a service person and given the judges comments they should have just left it at that.

RAFP have got to get their substansive somehow right? They'd charge their own Grandma.
 
Mad_Jay said:
RAFP have got to get their substansive somehow right? They'd charge their own Grandma.
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This!!! A Billion times this!!!

For those unaware, a new enlisted RAF policeman/woman initially needs to hold a rank higher (called Acting) than their "real" rank so that they can carry out their duties i.e. they are given an "acting" rank 1 or 2 higher than their own one. Once they've spent enough time in service they might get promoted to the rank they've been "pretending" to be for the past few years, that is called getting "Substantive". Lots and lots and lots and lots of RAFP will try to make that promotion happen faster than average by increasing their "conviction" rate and they'll do this by arresting people for extremely minor and inconsequential stuff (usually breaking minor procedural things like timekeeping or drunkenness at night etc) and then increasing the amount of charges brought against a single person or increasing the seriousness of those charges.

I personally have been involved with the RAFP on several occasions over 20+ years as both as the target and as a defence witness and to call these young "go getters" after promotion generally incompetent would be generous. Things like charging my friend for drunk driving despite not smelling any booze, or using a breathaliser or having a bloodtest done and having no admission or actual evidence at all just because the young RAFP "had a hunch" (an incorrect one) after a minor-ish car accident on base, or then charging me for "tampering with crime scene evidence" because, when I went to look at the "crash", another RAFP asked me to help him to move my friends car (which was leaking fuel) off the road for everyone's safety etc (Waddington in the early 2000's was a fun place :D)

TBF there's a core of very experienced investigators within the RAFP called the SIB (serious crimes) and the TPW (bodyguarding) does a fantastic job, but the average "day to day" newbie RAFP has literally zero respect on the camps they are based at due to that attitude shown by so many.
 
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ianh said:
This!!! A Billion times this!!!

For those unaware, a new enlisted RAF policeman/woman initially needs to hold a rank higher (called Acting) than their "real" rank so that they can carry out their duties i.e. they are given an "acting" rank 1 or 2 higher than their own one. Once they've spent enough time in service they might get promoted to the rank they've been "pretending" to be for the past few years, that is called getting "Substantive". Lots and lots and lots and lots of RAFP will try to make that promotion happen faster than average by increasing their "conviction" rate and they'll do this by arresting people for extremely minor and inconsequential stuff (usually breaking minor procedural things like timekeeping or drunkenness at night etc) and then increasing the amount of charges brought against a single person or increasing the seriousness of those charges.

I personally have been involved with the RAFP on several occasions over 20+ years as both as the target and as a defence witness and to call these young "go getters" after promotion generally incompetent would be generous. Things like charging my friend for drunk driving despite not smelling any booze, or using a breathaliser or having a bloodtest done and having no admission or actual evidence at all just because the young RAFP "had a hunch" (an incorrect one) after a minor-ish car accident on base, or then charging me for "tampering with crime scene evidence" because, when I went to look at the "crash", another RAFP asked me to help him to move my friends car (which was leaking fuel) off the road for everyone's safety etc (Waddington in the early 2000's was a fun place :D)

TBF there's a core of very experienced investigators within the RAFP called the SIB (serious crimes) and the TPW (bodyguarding) does a fantastic job, but the average "day to day" newbie RAFP has literally zero respect on the camps they are based at due to that attitude shown by so many.
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Those barriers won’t raise themselves you know…
 
Wow, there are some very outdated and lets be honest, quite wrong thoughts on the RAFP!

Barriers - RAFP haven't been on barriers for 10yrs+

"Civvy bill did what ever they had to do, passed on their findings afterwards to the RAFP given it was a service person and given the judges comments they should have just left it at that."

Civvy Bill passed primacy to the RAF, that means to see if there is an evidence of a crime against UK law or Service Law. It seems someone thought there was ie the legal team. RAFP are evidence gatherers, if they think there is sufficent evidence of an offence, then the GB (suspect) is referred to the CO (Stn Cdr). The Stn Cdr will consult with Legal and Service Discipline who advise if there is any case to answer, either by the CO or referred to Court Martial - it seems it was referred to CM. Nothing to do with the RAFP.​

"RAFP have got to get their substansive somehow right? They'd charge their own Grandma."

Granted back in the day some RAFP judged on their arrests, investigations etc, even knew people who would charge themselves for been late etc - throbbers and thankfully a thing of the past. Like others, RAFP are subject to SJARS and are promoted on their BBQ building skills. No SJAR reads "X has arrested/investigated x number of techies".​
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"Lots and lots and lots and lots of RAFP will try to make that promotion happen faster than average by increasing their "conviction" rate and they'll do this by arresting people for extremely minor and inconsequential stuff (usually breaking minor procedural things like timekeeping or drunkenness at night etc) and then increasing the amount of charges brought against a single person or increasing the seriousness of those charges."

Absolute BS. Nobody is getting arrested for timekeeping. That is a matter for the individuals Line Manager. Drunkeness? Maybe. If you're been a dick in town or on Unit through drink, then you may find yourself arrested, just like behaving that way in your local town and Civvy Bill turn up. Increasing the amount of charges? Lol. Again, RAFP do not charge, they refer to the Stn Authorities to decide on what action to take.​
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"I personally have been involved with the RAFP on several occasions over 20+ years as both as the target and as a defence witness and to call these young "go getters" after promotion generally incompetent would be generous. Things like charging my friend for drunk driving despite not smelling any booze, or using a breathaliser or having a bloodtest done and having no admission or actual evidence at all just because the young RAFP "had a hunch" (an incorrect one) after a minor-ish car accident on base, or then charging me for "tampering with crime scene evidence" because, when I went to look at the "crash", another RAFP asked me to help him to move my friends car (which was leaking fuel) off the road for everyone's safety etc (Waddington in the early 2000's was a fun place :D)"

Yup, RAFP have some throbbers, just like any job really. I once had an RAFP Officer stop a car as he THOUGHT they were speeding. No speed gun etc. When asked what qualified him to judge speed without equipment, was met with he was RAF Police and MK1 eyeball was all he needed - er no, and he was educated in his ways. Young officers, young RAFP - they all have to learn at some point. And to add, Drink Drive on Unit is not the same as Drink Drive on a public road. Units are Crown Property ie Private property, so breathalysers/bloods were not required as a point to prove drunkenness; a station standing orders offence, not a road traffic offence. However, RAFP now have breath kits and a main machine at the Police Flt - same set up as CivPol.​

TBF there's a core of very experienced investigators within the RAFP called the SIB (serious crimes) and the TPW (body guarding) does a fantastic job, but the average "day to day" newbie RAFP has literally zero respect on the camps they are based at due to that attitude shown by so many.

SIB is now gone and is now the Defence Serious Crime Unit (DSCU). A Joint Service effort (Joint with a capital A for Army!). There are some very good people on SIB/DSCU, but again some throbbers and some who are just posted there and have no clue about policing. TPW don't do body guarding, TPW do Force Protection roles (or whatever they are called this week). 'Body guarding' is under Close Protection.​
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The problem with SOME of the newbies is the reduction of RAF personnel across the board. RAFP shifts used to have a Sgt, Cpl and several A/Cpls. The new A/Cpls from the training school were mentored by the senior A/Cpl and was not let out alone. The shifts went and as someone fresh out of the school, you could find yourself policing the Unit alone during the night. If something kicks off you have no experience to fall back on. Also, the orderly officer, the Stn Cdr look to the RAFP for their advice, for someone fresh out of training that is fricking ridiculous to put them in this situation.

RAFP are more Sy Specialist focused now. Platform Security, Protective Security, Cyber Security, Serious Crime, Counter Intelligence, HumInt etc Dogs, Law Enforcement etc are relics of the past. I would not be surprised if Dogs was contracted out or Aviator any - you don't need a warrant card to push a landshark.
 
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