Applying for the Police

Myth

Myth

Myth

Associate
Joined
27 Nov 2004
Posts
122
As the title says I am thinking on joining my local police unit, they are hiring and they are holding a seminar on Tuesday which I am attending.

Is anyone here in the police or have applied? Any advice would be very greatful as I have heard it can be very tricky to get in.

I currently have a job, and trained in electrical engineering, but as my job isn't really safe at the moment, I thought this would be a solid job, and I have always fancied being a police officer.

TIA

myth
 
hi mate have been in the police for 3 and a half years and love it. feel free to ask any questions and ill try and answer the best i can
 
Joining the police force, stress, paper work, going to domestics sorting out why a man broke his wifes jaw.

Its not for the faint hearted.
 
Thanks psallis,

I am going to like a recruitment seminar tomorrow at 6:30pm, going to get there early in case the spaces fill up!

First of all, what is the recruitment stages like? Are they hard to get through or is it most done on common sense?

Also I know the training stage is 2 years, are you just with an officer all the time?

Thanks

myth
 
I am a police officer. I have just finished going through the new system of training at west mercia. I love it, best thing I have done in my life so far. Any questions ask away, I ll type a better reply after I have had my tea. :)
 
or think of the prison service, I love it been doing it for 8 years nearly, massive recruitment going on in the service good safe bet with it being a growth industry and all
 
What kind of pay is Prison Service?

I know the police start around 20K which is about what I am earning at the moment so I wont be taking a massive pay cut.
 
MrMoonX said:
or think of the prison service, I love it been doing it for 8 years nearly, massive recruitment going on in the service good safe bet with it being a growth industry and all
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Although for some reason they won't take people with criminal records..... go figure.

:)
 
Myth said:
Thanks psallis,

I am going to like a recruitment seminar tomorrow at 6:30pm, going to get there early in case the spaces fill up!

First of all, what is the recruitment stages like? Are they hard to get through or is it most done on common sense?

Also I know the training stage is 2 years, are you just with an officer all the time?

Thanks

myth
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For recruitment the stages may vary somewhat (some have interviews, different fitness tests)

The Met's recruitment stages are as followed.

1) Application form w/ competency based questionnaire.
2) Day 1 Assessment Centre (4 Roleplays, Interview with 4 questions, Maths and Report-based exam).
3) Day 2 Fitness and Medical (Very easy unless you're hopelessly unfit)
4) Vetting and References
5) Start date.

Takes anywhere from 6 months to a year+ to get in from handing in your application. Depending on your force. I work for the Met and they're pretty 'quick' Some people however have been waiting years to get into forces like Surrey.

When you get in you'll be on an IPLDP course with 4 exams and around 6 months of lessons. 5 weeks of that will be coached patrol on your borough/location.

The 2 years are probationary. You'll still be doing full police work in that time. After that you can apply for specialist sections.
 
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There are no jobs available in Leicester at the moment for prison officers but I would consider it if I am unsuccessful with the police.

I am really hoping I get into the police as I can see it as a really good job for me.. fingers crossed.
 
I am possibly interested in applying,
A question to anyone who's in 'the force'
What qualifications did you have? I will soon enough have 2 C's in A2 level and 2 C's in AS (fingers crossed anyway:D)
 
KaneStatton said:
I am possibly interested in applying,
A question to anyone who's in 'the force'
What qualifications did you have? I will soon enough have 2 C's in A2 level and 2 C's in AS (fingers crossed anyway:D)
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GCSE's are enough. The bit they are interested in is whether you pass their literacy and numeracy tests.
 
Do they have fast-tracking (if you're highly qualified) or have some kind of system in place that takes into account experience and age? Starting at 20k when you're 18 is fine, but what if you decide you'd fancy the police if you were in your mid-20s or 30s but decided to go for a change of career? I always wondered about that.
 
Bignomial said:
Do they have fast-tracking (if you're highly qualified) or have some kind of system in place that takes into account experience and age? Starting at 20k when you're 18 is fine, but what if you decide you'd fancy the police if you were in your mid-20s or 30s but decided to go for a change of career? I always wondered about that.
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Nope and nope.

And qualifications don't matter at all as long as you pass the entry tests. You can have a 1st in Law and you'll still be treated the same as a secondary school dropout.
 
Soviet said:
Nope and nope.

And qualifications don't matter at all as long as you pass the entry tests. You can have a 1st in Law and you'll still be treated the same as a secondary school dropout.
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Thats an ingenius way to tempt the best people into a job crying out for people with higher than normal inteligence and common sense.

I've always loved the idea of being a detective, I have an incredibly analytical mind and a huge attention to small details and its also something I feel would be a worthy job. However i have absolutely and utterly no interest in being a bobby, at all.

Its quite simple, in any business/service, get the best people in, the business/service does better. The government has always done a fantastic job of scaring off any chance of hiring the best possible people.

Crime's going up and more people get away with things due to bad evidence and the like, you don't have to wonder why really do you.
 
I started on borough as PCSO in October. The application took around 6 months from online application to starting training at Hendon.
 
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