An awesome career, not for the faint-hearted (Uniformed Police Officer)

Member Name: DancingCopper

Product:	Uniformed Police Officer
Date:	19/10/08 (223 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You see a side of life you probably wouldn't normally see

Disadvantages: It takes time to get there, there's a lot of writing, you might not like what you see

Introduction
Being a police officer, to me, is first and foremost about helping people. This can be welcome or unwelcome. If you're pulling apart two people trying to batter each other, they probably won't thank you for it. It is a facinating job with a range of career possibilities. It is also repetitive, frustrating and thankless.

Interested?
If you've seen The Bill or Life on Mars and decide to apply based on what you've seen you're going to be disappointed. You probably won't even make it through the assessment process. To find out what it's like, go through the information on the internet or in the careers library and speak to PCs and PCSOs. They'll give you an insight into the reality of the job.

The youngest you can apply is 18, with no upper age limit, although PCs and Sergeants normally retire at 60. Last year the average age of new recruit into the Metropolitan Police was about 24.

I have spent a year working with the Special Constabulary, volunteers who do the same tasks as regular officers. This has been an eye-opening look at aspects of society I wouldn't have seen otherwise. When you're searching a drug addict for needles or directing traffic in the rain at 2am, you might decide against it.

Not put off?
This is where you may have to be patient. There are many different police forces, recruiting at different times. To find out about this start with the national police recruitment website:

www.policecouldyou.co.uk

This will give you a summary of which areas are looking. It will also give you links to their individual websites so you can get a feel for them. It's probably not good choosing a largely rural force when you want the hustle and bustle of city streets.

Usually you will be sent application forms following attending an event. These is a presentation where the police service gives you an idea of what you could be doing and the process you'll go through. This includes the complexities of filling in your application. You usually have the chance of asking a variety of police officers any questions you may have.

The application form is more than just a listing of your personal details. You will be required to write detailed answers about how you have handled different situations. These will demonstrate what are known as 'the core competencies'. These include how well you cope under duress, your ability to work in a team, and how well you understand diversity in communities.

Having sent your forms off, you will next be invited to attend an assessment centre. You will undertake interviews, roleplays and written exercises, again looking at how effectively you meet the core competencies. This is a very important stage because, if you are successful, a report will be compiled on your strengths and weaknesses which will be used to personalise your training.

The second stage is a medical and fitness test. You will need to have your GP complete a form prior to this, and will pay abou £30 for them to do so. You will have your eyesight and hearing tested, be subject to a drug test and have your Body Mass Index taken. Strength and stamina are also tested, but the minimum level required for a pass is surprisingly low. If you only scrape through, you should do additional preparation prior to starting training.

You're through
If you pass the fitness and medical stage, you might have to wait a long time to be offered a start date. Security checks will be carried out and you will be kept on a list until a suitable space on a course is found.

The new(ish) police training is designed to focus on the individual officer and the community in which they will work. Your probation will last two years, starting with two weeks working in a community organisation. Gradually you will learn about the law and the day-to-day practices you will be expected to master. You will be assigned a tutor police officer, who will observe and support you as you put your learning into practice. The final stage is to undertake individual patrolling, before being declared fit to perform your duties.

There is a lot to learn, some of it off-by-heart. Remember, if you don't know certain legislation a defence solicitor will make no allowance for you being new. The amount of paperwork is staggering and you will learn a whole new way of writing notes. This will be a feature of the job for years to come, regardless of what government ministers may say.

The Future?
After your two years probation, you are free to explore any speciality you may wish to, whether you want to work with Dogs, ride motor cycles, or investigate more serious crimes. Places are highly sought after, though, and you might need to be patient. You can also begin working your way through the ranks by taking the examinations for Sergeant and Inspector, taking on greater responsibilities for better wages.

Pay and Holiday
Salaries will vary depending on which force you join. Generally, a new officer will start on £20,000 with an annual increment. The Metropolitan police start on about £27,000 when London allowance is added. An additional bonus is free rail travel within a seventy mile radius of your region.

You will initially have 23 days annual leave, with opportunities to earn overtime. Given the nature of the job, you will not work Monday to Friday 9-5, at least for the first years of your service. There are a range of mechanisms to ensure you have adequate time off, but be aware, the shift system can put a strain on relationships.

Summary
If you want to feel part of a team, and that you are making a difference, this is a fantastic career. It can be frustrating and, because you wear that uniform, some people will make assumptions about you. The job is a privelege to do and, if you have the right attitude, you will learn fascinating things about yourself and your community.

For further information

NOTE: In my experience, all the guides that tell you how to pass the assessment test for the Police are a waste of money. They give you information about how to prepare (which you can find by speaking to officers, looking at websites, and obtaining literature from the different forces). Most of what they say is common sense and you're better off saving your money. You won't get extra credit by writing on the form that you bought one of these guides!

Websites
Police Recruitment Site - www.policecouldyou.co.uk
Metropolitan Police Site - www.met.police.uk

Personal experiences
Wasting Police Time: The Crazy World of the War on Crime by David Copperfield
Perverting the Course of Justice: The Hilarious and Shocking Inside Story of British Policing by Inspector Gadget

Theory and officer training
Blackstone's Student Police Officer Handbook by Bryn Caless, Kevin Lawton-Barrett, Robert Underwood, and Dominic Wood

Summary: A few thoughts to help out anyone seriously thinking about a career in the Police