Joining the police?

[thatstupidcat]

Thank you @thatstupidcat for your views, I was expecting some negative advice and I do appreciate it as I find it keeps me grounded

Intelligence/analytical roles are more where I want to be I think, especially as my degree will be in cyber security... I was considering police officer as a way in. I wonder how different NCA is - civil service but I have worked in DWP and know the red tape

For specialist technical roles, sometimes direct entry (which means coming in at detective rank or higher like inspector) roles exist. There are people at higher bandings with the uniform who have never worked the beat or safer neighbourhood’s teams (or if they have, only for their probation), but instead lead teams on forensic accounting or intelligence analysis etc.

Approach the forces that look good to you and enquire about upcoming recruitment drives / relevant departments to get your name in the pot because good networking skills do help.

I can’t speak to the NCA’s procedures, but I imagine that like a lot of public sector bodies, faced with similar if less physically yucky challenges.

 

[Icbaaaa]

Hiya I'm a single mum to 3.
Im going into my 2nd week of training. They are super supportive but again you will be expected to work early lates and nights.
You can apply for flexible working hours but you'll need a good enough reason why and i don't think because your a single mum would be a reason.
Im quite lucky as my kids ain't little no more.
Im loving every minute off the training. If you got support from your family then go for it, you wont regret it

Thank you so much! I wouldn't want to do flex working I don't think because I feel like I might miss out on important parts of the job and I always learn much better doing something than reading etc. I think it would be so difficult but so rewarding. I'm going to really focus on my fitness and improving that once my baby's here cos I know that's a big part of it too! Thank you
I wish you all the luck on your career and enjoy it

 

[Icbaaaa]

Certainly while you’re training there won’t be much scope to get shifts you want/need as it’s a structured training programme. And there’s usually residential elements, it’s definitely harder having to think about the kids but it’s no means impossible. Is there someone in recruitment or training you could maybe speak to and ask for their honest opinion as it does differ between forces

Yeah I'll contact recruitment in my force and discuss it. I just know if I never tried at it then look back on my life, I'll majorly regret it. I'm coming up for 30 soon so feel like nows the time if I wanted to go for it! Plus rewarding - but also will be a straining and a lot of hard work! Thanks so much for your help!

 

[alwayslurkin]

Thank you @thatstupidcat for your views, I was expecting some negative advice and I do appreciate it as I find it keeps me grounded

Intelligence/analytical roles are more where I want to be I think, especially as my degree will be in cyber security... I was considering police officer as a way in. I wonder how different NCA is - civil service but I have worked in DWP and know the red tape

 

[alwayslurkin]

What force area out of interest? I’m assume not Met as their recruitment is always open at the moment...

Greater Manchester or Merseyside. Somewhere I don't live, but not a too painful commute.

She's done everything you've spoke about but had to work her arse off to get there and a lot of short term placements to prove her worth

Ah yes I did think of secondments etc. after a few years or so once I got my feet under the table. It sounds impressive how much she has achieved

 

[BettyCrockerr]

This is rubbish. I have been vetted at a much higher level. No one can ask for family details. What utter nonsense!

You are wrong. The police force DO ask for family members details. So do the armed forces. My husband’s half brother contacted him a few years ago to ask for our address etc as he had to
Provide them for his application to the army - entry level. Sorry but you are most definitely wrong!

 

[Boutros-Boutros Ghali]

They’ll always need Police Officers...definitely make enquiries and go for it! Good luck

 

[TwooTwooTwitTwitTwoo]

This is rubbish. I have been vetted at a much higher level. No one can ask for family details. What utter nonsense!

Thanks for you random reply. It's not "utter nonsense" at all. The forms do indeed ask for details of your family members.

 

[hydeist]

He doesn’t know about it. Nobody knows about it.

If it was 13 years ago and you never did anything since, most likely your record will have been deleted. They don't keep your criminal records indefinitely, there are time limits depending on the type of crime and the sentence. A caution won't still be there after 13 years.

 

[it’s not been changed?!]

No you can't contest it unfortunately but no it wouldn't be obvious that someone hadn't been honest. They ask lots of other questions relating to driving fines/offences, in depth financal evaluation etc so it could be literally any part that causes the failure.

Ok I guess that’s something for me to think about. Though he’s as straight as a die, so there’s no dirt on him.
They have a friend of a friend who is an ex police officer, so would he be able to gauge why if he wasn’t successful in his application?

 

[alwayslurkin]

is there an age limit to be accepted for training in the police?

There's no upper as such, but min age is 18

 

[alwayslurkin]

Yeah but I'm struggling in a city on 28k to drop onto 22k starting... it would cripple me. Something I'm still working on though I'm also looking into police staff roles as can just transfer my current skills I've already developed, and not lose as much money if I do get a role

 

[Boutros-Boutros Ghali]

How difficult is it going through the training and maintaining family home life? (please be brutally honest)
I'm a mum and pregnant with my second baby, always what I've wanted to do as a career and already have my foot in the door so I know exactly what the job entails. I always imagined I would have applied before kids but it didn't work out that way but still feel so determined to try it

You’ll be expected to work shift patterns and also if you get a call towards the end of your shift you may be expected to stay on until the end of the job, both because they need the staff and also because your training and you’ll want/need the experience
It’s a variety of shifts days/nights/weekends do if you have the support at home then it shouldn’t be too bad but if you have a run of night shifts would you be ok not seeing the kids for long as you’d need sleep before the next shift...is that what you mean?

 

[alwayslurkin]

Thank you for the feedback, everyone.

I'm still thinking about it... I'm 23, so if I am going to do it then it'll have to be now. I was thinking of working on response for a few years and then specialising as mentioned above

Recruitment is all shut by me at the moment so I'm on the mailing list for when/if it reopens

 

[at-the-disco]

Thank you!

I'm not a graduate but I have already gained some credits towards a Bachelor's degree. Can I transfer these credits, do you think?

i think you'll have to have a degree to be on the degree holder entry program, but the non degree holder program is pretty much the same you just have to do some apprenticeship work alongside it

 

[Losa53]

How difficult is it going through the training and maintaining family home life? (please be brutally honest)
I'm a mum and pregnant with my second baby, always what I've wanted to do as a career and already have my foot in the door so I know exactly what the job entails. I always imagined I would have applied before kids but it didn't work out that way but still feel so determined to try it

Hiya I'm a single mum to 3.
Im going into my 2nd week of training. They are super supportive but again you will be expected to work early lates and nights.
You can apply for flexible working hours but you'll need a good enough reason why and i don't think because your a single mum would be a reason.
Im quite lucky as my kids ain't little no more.
Im loving every minute off the training. If you got support from your family then go for it, you wont regret it

 

[JoeBloggs]

Hi. I’m hoping someone notices this comment on this thread!

My younger half brother is in the process of applying to get into the police and i hadn’t realised that his family members are vetted. I have never lived with him, there’s more than a 10 year ago gap between us (which is neither here nor there). About 13 years ago me and a friend got a caution for shoplifting (I know, embarrassing) and I’ve never told anyone. I’m now panicking this will come up and deter him from getting into the police. Does anyone know what kind of checks they do for immediate family? Do you get contacted individually to be vetted?
Thank you.

They may well find out about it if they vet you, but they cannot tell him about it. I would be surprised if a caution 13 years ago had any effect on his application.

 

[Salliescrunchie]

What force area out of interest? I’m assume not Met as their recruitment is always open at the moment...

Thank you for the feedback, everyone.

I'm still thinking about it... I'm 23, so if I am going to do it then it'll have to be now. I was thinking of working on response for a few years and then specialising as mentioned above

Recruitment is all shut by me at the moment so I'm on the mailing list for when/if it reopens

nah, 23 is still young! On the new pension scheme you work until retirement age anyway. No point rushing

 

[alwayslurkin]

Does anyone here work for the police?

For years, I have wanted to work in law enforcement. The thing is I never had the confidence to persue it and lived in an area where the police were just seen as "the pigs"

For the past two years, I've hated my job in tech and I can't stop thinking about policing.

My long term goal would be to work on either the drugs or firearms squad, or in cyber crime. How could I do this?

I know of the NCA and GCHQ, but competition is fierce and I'm a student at OU. As I have to study part-time it will take me six years to graduate.

I considered just going in as a police officer and working my way up?

Any advice would be appreciated and I'm open to all opinions

 

[Wowitsme]

You are wrong. The police force DO ask for family members details. So do the armed forces. My husband’s half brother contacted him a few years ago to ask for our address etc as he had to
Provide them for his application to the army - entry level. Sorry but you are most definitely wrong!

This is fact, I know someone who did not get into a police force because of friends he has as well. The level they vet you at the police is quite high