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Well what a year 2020 has been for many of us not only in the policing family but generally across all of the emergency services and public sector organisations.

It has been a tough year for many people not only financially, but emotionally and mentally with lockdowns, uncertainty, fear and of course lots of fake news out there for the conspiracy theorists to feast upon.

Many families have struggled with the loss of loved ones and I am sure all of us know of people who have not survived this last year. Our hearts and thoughts are with them as they come to terms with their sadness in these challenging times.

Two vaccines are now approved for use and hopefully this will bring the much needed hope to everyone as we progress into 2021 with a sense of spirit and solidarity that the people of the UK are renowned for.

It goes without saying that our colleagues in the NHS are true heroes. Their selflessness and dedication has not gone unnoticed and appreciated by many of us during the pandemic and we stood on our doorsteps every Thursday clapping to show that we were thinking of them. They are still doing what they do best and we salute them all for what they do day in day out - Thank you

Here at Police Community we wish you all a better time this year and hope that 2021 is a brighter future for all of you, both professionally, emotionally, financially and mentally. We are here if you are struggling and need to talk, you are not alone and it’s good to talk.

Those of you who are looking to join the policing family in one guise or another, we wish you every success in your new career ventures and of course our help sections and trusted membership are always on hand to offer advice and guidance where its needed.

As a community, it never ceases to amaze me how resilient you all are in times of hardship and this is a credit to you. Thank you for your continued support over the last year and we hope that your dreams and aspirations come true for you in whatever you wish to do in the future.

Happy New Year to you all and your families - Stay Safe

 

The Management Team and Staff

As of 2020, for most constables for UK police forces (from what I understand) the following apply:

- no accommodation provided (less serving officers from pre-late 90s) i.e. commuting officers

- academic degree required, or certain points to allow a degree study, for two or three years (whilst serving)

- pension age getting higher (MDP?)

- police canteens largely gone, police leisure facilities largely non-existent?

This is not intended to be a "modern police" bashing thread, or and "old and bold" reminiscing (though I've no objection to stories!), but more to try and understand the aim behind the current conditions. In a time when the police service faces such problems (challenges) and dangers, there seems to be little further 'cushioning' if you like, to support [new?] people into the role.

With these new intakes, it must be difficult enough to learn how to police, without the need to; study for a degree/convert yours, commute/rent/mortgage, little official social & leisure places, etc. I'd have thought things like accommodation provided to you on your first posting, for say, three years or so (during probation) when you cna be posted anywhere in the county/city would be welcome. Does the degree study not take up what little time officers have to themselves, or police work time they have?

Anyone care to shed light? What's the big NPCC/HO plan here?

Cheers.

 

The latest model of the Taser has been signed off for police use, the Home Office has confirmed. Training and guidance will be rolled out within weeks.


Date - 24th August 2020
By - Gary Mason and Chris Smith 

A new, more effective version of the Taser has been approved for police use. The Home Office said the Taser 7 is more accurate, faster and compact than previous models.

It will also reduce costs for forces by replacing disposable batteries with rechargeable ones.

The announcement came just four days after the Home Office began a competition to develop a new less lethal weapon for officers to use that would have an increased range to tasers and baton rounds. 

The Taser 7 has twin cartridges that allow the user quickly to deploy a second shot after a failed first shot.

There are two cartridge options, one for close-range engagements, the other for when the subject is further away.

It also has a new green laser sighting system for the top probe and a probe design that radically departs from that used by the X2 and other older devices. 

Probes fired from the Taser 7 have a higher kinetic energy and momentum the Home Office led tests have shown.

The electrical output of the Taser 7 together with the way in which it is delivered, imply that the new device may be more effective than the X2 at inducing incapacitation and may be more painful for the subject according to tests carried out by the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons (SACMILL) on behalf of the Home Office. 

Are you Border Force or Immigration Enforcement, and are you a Designated Immigration Officer with PACE powers?

A nice piece.   As I read it, it also highlights why those non-police clients, when interviewed under pace decline to comment.  Perhaps this might help some to appreciate why a comment interview is forthcoming.   I see it especially relevant to understanding the allegation that is being made and any disclosure that may be forthcoming / held back.   
 

I don't want to sound like an old relic, but I can't believe how poorly so many cops handle arrests these days. 

In my time with a force that uses BWV, I have seen some of the most shocking displays from officers when carrying out arrests. No patience,  no tolerance threshold, no attempts to appeal or calm someone down or attempt to get them to co-operate. Instead I see cops barging in like bulls in china shop and actually be the aggressors, often deploying PAVA and strikes on someone for simply offering passive resistance.

Surely I can't be the only one that feels a great degree of pride for managing to bring in a suspect with VAP markers single-crewed, with all smiles and chatting away as if we are the best of pals. I have actually had people, twice my size, be aggressive towards me and make me reach for my baton or PAVA, but I have still managed to calm them down and in the end, even apologise to me for their behaviour.

Now all I see is bullies in a uniform that will use the excuse of power to use force to put someone in a headlock and throw them to the ground, whilst handcuffed, simply for refusing to walk... I'm sorry, but I find that utterly disgusting. These people have no business being cops and all they do is make the public hate and distrust us even more, leading to decent cops being at a greater risk of being assaulted.

I have raised my concerns with my supervision each time I have had to prepare a case file and witnessed these on BWV and every time I get the same response  along the lines of "it does seem excessive, but if the suspect complains, it's for the arresting cop to justify at court, we won't challenge their perception of the situation or discipline them"...

Hey guys, just wondering about the above question.

When I started my career in 2014 with Police Scotland and up until 2018 when I transferred to an English force (that shall remain un-named), it was up to us, the cops, Just this week...

A senior Metropolitan Police officer charged over possession of child abuse image.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/feb/20/female-scotland-yard-officer-charged-over-child-abuse-image

There seems to be a lot of these stories coming out at the moment.

Legal advice and legal expenses cover

In order to ensure that special constables have legal protection, the Home Office provides legal assistance cover currently through Arc Legal Assistance. This is available to all special constables, free of charge, and includes personal injury cover including financial compensation for damages. It also includes cover for legal advice as well as representation at criminal proceedings.

The Special Constable Legal Fees Insurance Scheme is now administered by the Home Office. For more information and summary of cover, please email: [email protected]

http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Support/Citizens/Special-Constabulary/Pages/Information-resources.aspx

http://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/Support/Citizens/Special-Constabulary/Documents/ARC_Legal_Assistance_-_Policy_Summary.pdf

 

Work With Offenders looks behind the decline in prosecutions with only three out of every 200 accused ending up in court.