The Police Application Thread
- Thread starter Burnsy2023
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Just to say I have the utmost respect for anyone who is thinking\considering joining the Police. When I left the Army some years ago I was successful in being accepted into GMP to the point where I had my training date pencilled in. However due to circumstances which where immediate and long term I gave up my place.
Whilst I don’t believe in “ regrets” what is done is done, there is an element of “ what could have been”. Looking at the job now and how it has evolved I do not think I would want to join. The lack of social funding the passing of the “buck” meaning you are dealing with the same problems day in day out would frustrate the whack out of me, not to mention the increase of risk to life and mental strain you are facing every day
Whilst I don’t believe in “ regrets” what is done is done, there is an element of “ what could have been”. Looking at the job now and how it has evolved I do not think I would want to join. The lack of social funding the passing of the “buck” meaning you are dealing with the same problems day in day out would frustrate the whack out of me, not to mention the increase of risk to life and mental strain you are facing every day
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Soldato
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I was a Met police officer.
Interview questions surround your character. In my case there were a lot of generic character questions and the interview did not feel as though it was tailored to me but most questions had follow up questions based on what you had said. There were no home visits for us a few years ago so there *may* be a more personal element if they have prior knowledge of you as a person. out interviews were carried out by psychologists working for a third party company.
Questions were things like "can you think of a time when you acted responsibly above and beyond what might have been expected by others" etc
There is nothing really to worry about but you should think of a few examples of where you took a moral stance and the initiative.
Soldato
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Deleted my drunken rant
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It wasn't a "the jobs ******" rant was it?
Applied to the MPS for a special constable position and I just have a few questions, however, I may be getting ahead of myself so bear with me.
After a couple of days, I received an email back asking for my GCSE English Language certificate, which I have now sent to them. However, the email started with something along the lines of "Before inviting you to the assessment day, we're currently undergoing a few checks which usually take up to four weeks to be complete".
1) What are these checks? Is this just another way to say my application is still at the paper sift stage or is it a light-touch background check?
2) I believe my Dad has a conviction for assault from around 10 or so years ago (it isn't really spoken about in the family and so my details of it are vague). Would this have a significantly adverse impact on vetting (if I were to pass the assessment day)? As far as I am aware, the conviction is spent. He works in a public-facing role which would have required some form of vetting by the council. If I asked him for more details and he refused to tell me, again, would this impact my vetting (as I would only be able to say I believe he has a conviction but not much detail beyond this)?
3) My girlfriend, despite coming from a family with a few high ranking police officers, is against the idea due to the dangers involved. As part of vetting (again, if I were to reach that stage), I am assuming I will have to give details of her and her parents. What would happen if she decided to not give me the required information relating to her parents (e.g. their DOBs)?
Like I say, I may be getting ahead of myself in trying to think ahead but any thoughts on the above would be appreciated.
After a couple of days, I received an email back asking for my GCSE English Language certificate, which I have now sent to them. However, the email started with something along the lines of "Before inviting you to the assessment day, we're currently undergoing a few checks which usually take up to four weeks to be complete".
1) What are these checks? Is this just another way to say my application is still at the paper sift stage or is it a light-touch background check?
2) I believe my Dad has a conviction for assault from around 10 or so years ago (it isn't really spoken about in the family and so my details of it are vague). Would this have a significantly adverse impact on vetting (if I were to pass the assessment day)? As far as I am aware, the conviction is spent. He works in a public-facing role which would have required some form of vetting by the council. If I asked him for more details and he refused to tell me, again, would this impact my vetting (as I would only be able to say I believe he has a conviction but not much detail beyond this)?
3) My girlfriend, despite coming from a family with a few high ranking police officers, is against the idea due to the dangers involved. As part of vetting (again, if I were to reach that stage), I am assuming I will have to give details of her and her parents. What would happen if she decided to not give me the required information relating to her parents (e.g. their DOBs)?
Like I say, I may be getting ahead of myself in trying to think ahead but any thoughts on the above would be appreciated.
Soldato
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Everyone has a background check done - they do them when you are an appropriate candidate. Technically yes you are at the paper stage but that is simply because they cannot push you forward until the checks are done for obvious reasons.
I wouldnt describe them as light-touch really but in truth no one knows exactly the things they check for other than criminal history and family/friend affiliations. Be careful with your social media presence. If you feel you have typed things that were innapropriate consider deleting your acounts they certainly search for you on FB, YT etc etc.
10 years is a long time - I wouldnt worry and I'm sure your father has been of good character since then BUT if you are family/friends with people of poor character - well a young lady in MY CKP had her entry to Hendon delayed whilst they investigate an uncle involved in crime a few months prior but she got in in the end.
I think you're over thinking it. If you consider her your parnet (rather than someone your just 'seeing') then they do ask but they don't decide solely on things like that. UNLESS she is of a criminal background - Which she isn't.
Associate
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I think part of the background check is:
- are you who you say you are ?
- do you have a criminal background ?
- does any of the circle around have a criminal background?
- what is your personal circumstances?
The wider check may also be looking at whether you are susceptable to influence. I.e. Could criminality in your wider circle try to make you turn a blind eye cause they are your family ? Or could you pass sensitive information out from the Police into criminality (planned drugs turns etc)
Are you in significant debt ? Could someone from criminality offer you a large amount of money to sort you out and gain favour in return ?
Etc etc.
- are you who you say you are ?
- do you have a criminal background ?
- does any of the circle around have a criminal background?
- what is your personal circumstances?
The wider check may also be looking at whether you are susceptable to influence. I.e. Could criminality in your wider circle try to make you turn a blind eye cause they are your family ? Or could you pass sensitive information out from the Police into criminality (planned drugs turns etc)
Are you in significant debt ? Could someone from criminality offer you a large amount of money to sort you out and gain favour in return ?
Etc etc.
Soldato
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Yes certainly part of it was about finances I recall as personal debt can make you susceptible to corruption potentially and/or lead you to moonlight or take chances such has personal loans you cannot pay off etc.
Thanks for the replies.
This is where I am confused. My understanding was no checks take place until the assessment day has successfully been completed and then vetting takes place (based on the information on their website), before commencing training. At this stage I haven't completed a vetting form, I've only given them the required information in the initial application.
This is where I am confused. My understanding was no checks take place until the assessment day has successfully been completed and then vetting takes place (based on the information on their website), before commencing training. At this stage I haven't completed a vetting form, I've only given them the required information in the initial application.
Soldato
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Ahhh right. Well as you say that was the order of progress when I applied a few years ago - sorry it's been a while for me.
Look I met a lot of Police Officers, Specials, Volunteers and PCSOs in the MET and you seem like you can actually string a decent paragraph together...a LOT more than can be said for many of them.
The MPS are despaerate of all the help they can get and, so long as there is nothing recent and serious in your history and you don't go around insulting people on the internet etc you're almost a shoe-in.
I was told by others they had to wait for a lot longer than I did before their application was progressed and there is nothing sinister in it. If they didn't want you at this point they'd tell you mate.
If you haven't completed a vetting form then you aren't being vetted yet; I know that sounds obvious but they won't and can't run checks on you before you've provided everything they need on a vetting form. They might run your name through their own systems as an initial sift but anything more than that will need to be for vetting purposes (e.g. PNC, PND, social media, financial etc).
The above few posts do apply to when you get to the actual vetting process though. Ultimately they're looking to see how honest you are; if you're in debt, say you're in debt. If you've got people in your family with criminal histories, say so. If you don't know a piece of information, say why. They're often more interested in why a person hasn't declared something rather than what they have declared.
The above few posts do apply to when you get to the actual vetting process though. Ultimately they're looking to see how honest you are; if you're in debt, say you're in debt. If you've got people in your family with criminal histories, say so. If you don't know a piece of information, say why. They're often more interested in why a person hasn't declared something rather than what they have declared.
Thanks! Let's see what happens - I'm hoping I wouldn't be turned down as a volunteer but I guess that will come down to them seeing if I'm the right fit come the assessment day (if invited, that is). I'll keep the thread updated.
Yep, my thoughts too - no vetting form filled out and so it can't be vetting, which is why my surmise was they are potentially just 'light-touch' checks, if checks at all and not just another way of saying paper sift.
So presumably, if my Dad was to refuse to give me any more information on whatever convictions he has, I would then have to state this? What if a member of the family has a conviction (or if say, my Dad, has other convictions) that I do not know about or have not been told about? My Mum and Dad have been separated for some time and I visit fairly infrequently and so it is quite possible that I would not be aware of certain things, especially those which are embarrassing.
I know I am getting ahead of myself here, however, I do want to make sure I'm well-prepared if I do make it to the vetting stage and what sort of conversations I should be having with family in advance.
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Disclose everything you know and state what you don't. Vetting doesn't expect you to know everything and generally understand some family or friends don't like elaborating.
How against you joining is she? How committed to the relationship are you? Being an SC will disrupt you life and your relationships - you need understanding friends and family to make it work. The advertise that the minimum commitment is 16 hours per month, but during your non-independence phase you really need to do more, closer to 25-30 hours per month. It's a steep learning curve and 16 hours barely allows you to prevent skills fade. On top of that, you will see some ****** up stuff and having a support network is really important for your MH.
Its just worth making sure you know what you're getting yourself in for, it's not for everyone.
Good luck to anybody joining. The MPS are taking on huge amounts lately, and apparently 400-500 are going through Hendon monthly.
I had to work Christmas Day and NYE, and despite being on a smaller 'quieter' borough the workload was absolutely relentless and there was no time for breaks. Sadly it'll take a lot of time to recoup from the losses of people leaving, and I believe most new people won't be posted on a response team straight away like before. This is probably for the best as training isn't anywhere near as good as it once was, and a lot of people have been struggling with the basics, despite being expected to hit the ground running.
All I will say to anybody wanting to join is - Expect your private life to be greatly disrupted, expect to work involuntary overtime, be fit and KEEP fit, take constructive criticism and learn from it, listen to your more experienced colleagues, and most importantly be prepared to make a good cuppa tea for your team!
I had to work Christmas Day and NYE, and despite being on a smaller 'quieter' borough the workload was absolutely relentless and there was no time for breaks. Sadly it'll take a lot of time to recoup from the losses of people leaving, and I believe most new people won't be posted on a response team straight away like before. This is probably for the best as training isn't anywhere near as good as it once was, and a lot of people have been struggling with the basics, despite being expected to hit the ground running.
All I will say to anybody wanting to join is - Expect your private life to be greatly disrupted, expect to work involuntary overtime, be fit and KEEP fit, take constructive criticism and learn from it, listen to your more experienced colleagues, and most importantly be prepared to make a good cuppa tea for your team!
With regards to vetting, I guess as long as they don't take a robotic approach to it and do ask follow up questions where perhaps needed, things should hopefully be ok in that case!
We've been together for almost 4 years now and so I am committed to the relationship. She's not entirely against it; her main concern is my safety and that's about it - I am going to need to employ my skills of persuasion to get her fully on board. I think a part of her is also concerned about any potential impact it could have on my career progression.
I've been able to speak to a friend and a mutual friend who both work for the MPS as full-time officers and they've given me a good insight. It is definitely something I would love to get involved in and if it paid more money, I would ditch my job in the City and apply to be a full-time officer. I hate being stuck behind a desk but it is what it is. Given I must spend about 25 hours per month watching TV or YouTube alone (I know, I know), I am sure I could find the time to give more than the minimum and that's always been my intention.
Is that 400-500 being attested monthly, attendees at assessment days, currently in training or? Either way, it's an impressively high figure!
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I think there's a point where unless you're going through direct entry, the salary is a blocker. I imagine going from your city salary to a probationer may be prohibitive unless you're particularly financially secure. I love policing, I've spent a lot of time doing it (as you can probably tell by the fact I started this thread over a decade ago) but I've got the point where I don't think I'd want to do it full time. I think there's just too many cultural and organisational issues that would frustrate me. I didn't really come to that conclusion until I had a few years experience, so it's more complicated than many people assume. With that said, I think all bar one of the people I trained with are either regulars or have since resigned so it's clearly worked for those who joined and are still in the job.
I'm not entirely sure to be fair. It's a figure I've heard quoted a few times from different sources but I've taken it with a pinch of salt as I know what rumours in this job are like. Needless to say I've been to Hendon twice in the last several weeks and each time there were a substantial amount of people milling around either waiting for assessments or class.
@Burnsy2023
What kind of incident and/or how serious of an incident warrants a police helicopter to be at the scene for about an hour? They're not cheap after all.
Woken up last night at about midnight with one hovering right by my house with a spotlight (far brighter than i'd imagined btw) on a location up a track/field. A police car left and two more arrived, the helicopter left and another came back for a while. All seemed rather exciting. Come to think of it, there were no sirens..
What kind of incident and/or how serious of an incident warrants a police helicopter to be at the scene for about an hour? They're not cheap after all.
Woken up last night at about midnight with one hovering right by my house with a spotlight (far brighter than i'd imagined btw) on a location up a track/field. A police car left and two more arrived, the helicopter left and another came back for a while. All seemed rather exciting. Come to think of it, there were no sirens..