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Bonuses are already helping force retain personnel, Surrey Police believe.

Taser trained officers are now permitted to go out single crewed following Fed consultation.

Watchdog calls for 'coherent strategies' online.

Personnel are skipping rest days to keep operation afloat.

AC Helen Ball called his actions 'extremely sad'.

'We hope this will reduce sickness and improve levels of resilience across the organisation'.

HMICFRS also warns again about response and detective problems at many forces.

The attacker's own family came to the PC's rescue.

Public helped detain suspect after he attacked superintendent.

Hi all
 
I'm debating whether to transfer to COLP but given the small area I'm not sure whether it will be busy enough.
 
Can anyone advise me on what's it's like to work there? Are there long periods where nothing happens and your left twiddling your thumbs?
 
Is it busy enough during the night to be proactive?
 
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

Scheme has been hailed as way to tackle under-resourcing of investigation teams.


A trainee hired under the Met Police’s flagship direct entry detective programme was dismissed at a privately held misconduct hearing, Police Oracle can reveal.

The trainee DC traveled without a valid ticket on a train and gave misleading accounts of the situation.

The officer had also not passed the national investigators exam (NIE) after two attempts, Police Oracle understands. This meant he could not re-take the test for another 18 months despite being recruited as a detective.

His travel took place just days after the scheme – which is also known as pathfinder for detective constable pathway – got underway last summer.

It sees officers who have not previously walked the beat become warranted officer detectives after intensive investigation training. The first cohort of 20 were all experienced special constables. The programme is unconnected to direct entry to specific ranks.

At a recent special case hearing Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball ordered the former special out of the force. The Met said this was held in private in order to “prevent the disclosure of non-relevant personal information”.

Another officer in the same cohort also failed the NIE twice. She is now in training to become a uniformed PC.

Seventeen of the pathfinder detectives from the first cohort have passed out and are on boroughs being trained by experienced coaches, including retired detectives.

Around another 50, not recruited from the special constabulary, have joined the Met and are undergoing initial training.

In January Commander Richard Smith hailed the scheme as an example of what the force is doing to tackle problems with resources for detectives.

At a press conference on a plan to tackle disclosure failings he told Police Oracle: "The wider issues of detective recruitment are being addressed within the Met and you'll be aware of some of the [initiatives] we...

 



 

I've been a Special for eight years.  It was meant to be a stepping stone to joining the regulars.  See if I like it before applying etc.  

Safe to say I love it.  I do well above the hours I need to.  Last year it was 1,500+ the year before was 1,400+.  I've had some fantastic opportunities over the years from driver training to TV shows.  I still look forward to going on duty.  

My plan had always been to join the regulars.  The last year or so I'm not too sure if I want to do it.  I've got my assessment day in May, but I'm tempted to withdraw from it.  I've started looking at a new career (driving instructor if anyone is interested) and staying as a Special.  

I think its down to loving being a Special too much.  I work on an amazing team.  I've had some fantastic training over the last year or two (drug wipe, FIT, PNC, standard driving).  Part of me doesn't want to leave the team.  I would want to get back on it ASAP, but its going to be years down the line.  I also love the flexibility I have.  I can text my SGT on the day and I'm always welcome, and if need be I can cancel on the day and it isn't a problem (I don't like doing this mind you!).  

Has anyone else decided to stay being a Special rather than applying for the regulars?  

12 March 2018
Following lobbying from PFEW at the police pension schemes' governance body, the Scheme Advisory Board, the Home Office has now issued a pension calculator for members of the police pension schemes.
 
The calculator allows members to get an idea of their projected pension at retirement, to help them plan for the future. The calculator can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-pensions-calculator
 
Members can use their annual pension statements to help them input information into the calculator.
The calculator provides Members with an estimate of their pensions only and it is recommended that they seek independent financial advice before making any financial decisions.
Andy Fittes said: "We have been lobbying the Home Office to provide a calculator for some time now and we are pleased that it has now been issued. The calculator will provide assistance to members in making important decisions when planning for their financial future."
Currently, different pension administrators are used by police forces to run the schemes, so there is a lack of consistency in the format and standard of the pension benefit statements being provided to members across England and Wales. That consistency is now provided by the Pension Calculator.
Following continued lobbying by PFEW the Home Office last June agreed to provide a police pension calculator for officers. The calculator now provided allows officers in all three police pension schemes to be able to obtain illustrations of the benefits they are likely to receive when they retire.
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The chief constable has refused to make promises about the unit's future.


Caeser retired from TVP after ten years of service in 2016

A mounted police unit is hoping to save itself from being disbanded through private sponsorships and by training Special Constables.

The announcement Thames Valley Police is considering cutting its mounted section altogether in the face of budget cuts provoked an outcry earlier this year.

A cull of its dog and roads policing units are also on the table.

But the specialist teams were granted a temporary reprieve at the eleventh hour in January as Police and Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfeld postponed his decision.

According to Thames Valley Police Federation the mounted unit is now trying to raise £500,000 in sponsorship to replace two transport vehicles and is in talks with Chief Constable Francis Habgood about a longer term business case for their survival.

Craig O’Leary, Thames Valley Police Federation Chairman, said: “The future of the mounted branch was not brought up in the most recent Police and Crime Commissioner budget meeting and it wasn’t put forward as a cut.

“But we have a situation with our mounted section where we have two transport vehicles that need replacing, and that’s to the cost of £500,000.

“In today’s current climate that’s an awful lot of money. The chief has met with the officers on the mounted section and I think they’ve had a very good discussion, and there are plans afoot to try to secure funding for that department that’s outside the police budget that’s given to them."

Mr O’Leary added: “There are some very real challenges that Thames Valley Police are facing over the next three years. There will be a commencement of department by department review on what service they’re providing and how can that be improved, and whether we working as smart as we can be.

“If we can work smarter and realise some efficiency savings then I think that’s certainly the route that the...

Its not entirely uncommon to find a driver is using their vehicle for business purposes and then to find they do not have the corresponding cover on their insurance.  The end result being they are driving without insurance - vehicle seized, driver prosecuted and disqualified.  For this topic we assume the person is not self employed.
So, the scenario question is, a driver is found to be driving without insurance for business purposes, do or should further enquiries be made with the employer to ascertain that the driver was actually driving for business and if so, could, would or should the employer be dealt with for an associated offence?  Perhaps even, does the employer's overarching fleet insurance cover this driver.  After all, the driver is supposedly acting for or in the course of the employer's business. There are lots of permutations but as a starter:
Smith is an employee of Potter-Jones Printers Ltd.  During the day, Smith lets it be known that after office hours  s/he will be travelling to Birmingham. The print manager hears this and asks Smith if s/he would make a slight detour and deliver 5 boxes of printed material to a client and in doing so, the company will pay a mileage allowance equivalent to 15 pence per mile to the client's address and back.  Alas Smith gets stopped by police enroute, Smith produces a car insurance certificate which shows cover for the usual social, domestic & pleasure and commuting.  All the elements appear to be present for Smith to be prosecuted for driving without insurance.  
So how often, if at all, would enquiries be made of the employer in this or any other driving for business without insurance incidents.

 

Hopefully a quick one.

 

Doing a medical course at the moment and there is a section where we have to do a presentatio on dealing with patients who have had incapacitant spray used on them by Police. However, the entire section requires us to refer to CS and its effects as it is the signs and symptoms of this that earn us marks, therefore we are only going to be taught about the effects of CS.

However, in the East Midlands I know that both Leicestershire and British Transport Police both use CAPTOR2.

 

Before I create a handout on CAPTOR to go with it for the rest of the group (who are going to different areas across the East Midlands counties) who arent serving SCs and dont know anything about CAPTOR; Does anyone know which incapacitants are used by Notts, Derby, Lincs or Northants?

Hope it isn't too late to share this, would of posted sooner but thought it had been shared already for some reason.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hero-police-officer-describes-moment-14306468

Utter respect to PC Nadeem. I have to say, as someone who can't swim very well (if at all) myself, that would take serious guts - he's a braver man than I am! Even for a strong swimmer it would be incredibly courageous.

The current criminal justice system 'isn't working', according to the APCC chairman.


Police and crime commissioners should be given joint oversight of probation and offender rehabilitation services with the Ministry of Justice, the head of the commissioners' association has said.

David Lloyd, chairman and criminal justice lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), said on Tuesday the current system “stifles innovation” and does not work in its current form.

“Although we call the criminal justice system a system - it isn’t. It’s made up of a series of often competing organisations that together manage to forget the needs of the victim and the offender," he said at a Justice Committee meeting. 

“I really believe this is a moment when we can make a step change in reducing reoffending if we all work together.

“The biggest culture change is the lessons that fire can bring to police and that is rather than investing in more fire trucks look at how you reduce fire in the first place. I think it’s exactly the same in criminal justice.”

He added: “Frankly there is no one who holds the ring around criminal justice.

“What works poorly is for the democratic accountability is to be held centrally at the MoJ.

“The positive thing is if you bring PCCs to have responsibly for it there is a very direct democratic oversight.”

Mr Lloyd said he would be in favour of adopting the “Manchester model” (a combined local authority in which the mayor has taken on PCC responsibilities).

“There isn’t a great amount of parliament time. By allowing the local leaders to get on and do it we can move on and that is the solution for you.

“What we need is some leeway -to take on the Manchester model for example.

“I think the role of PCC broadly a local leadership," he told the committee.

He also claimed UNISON, one of the largest unions in the police and justice system, are in favour of probation and prisons coming under the jurisdiction of PCCs- much to his...

Confusion over why money has not been spent after three years.


One million pounds of government roads policing funding has been gathering dust for three years.  

Concerns were raised about what had happened to the money, approved in 2015, at a roads policing conference in January as “equipment only gets more expensive”.

Delegates were later told the cash had been transferred to Surrey Police.

A department for transport spokesman told Police Oracle there had been no delays in handing over the funding to the police and it had been transferred from Sussex to West Mercia Police.

The money was intended to fund forensic roads policing equipment.

A National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) spokeswoman confirmed there had been no government delay.

After repeated Police Oracle requests for clarification to West Mercia, Surrey and Sussex Police a West Mercia spokesman confirmed the cash was still with Sussex Police but could not explain the three-year delay.

A comment from Assistant Chief Constable Martin Evans of West Mercia Police last week stated he “updated on the circa £1 million” when he stepped up as NPCC lead for forensic collision investigation in July 2017.

"A significant amount of work had taken place to try and secure a national procurement for laser scanners with this money for those forces that required them but unfortunately as is the case in many areas currently this has proved unfeasible due to forces using different systems, some of which still have a number of years to go on their existing contract, differing processes carried being out within different teams etc,” he said.

"As a result a national procurement was not possible.

“I have therefore recently conducted an audit across all forces to identify those in most need of Laser scanners and my intention is to provide them individually with the funding required from the DFT money to be able to purchase the equipment that they require themselves.

“The money...

Target date for merger has been shelved.


The merger of British Transport Police into Police Scotland north of the border will not go ahead in April next year.

The merger was due to take place in 2019 despite a recent admission that terms and conditions, third party contracts and ICT would not be ready to transfer from the railways constabulary by the target date.

But a statement from the Scottish Government says a revision of the timetable with “allow for enhanced engagement with officers, staff and their representatives on key issues, including pay and conditions”.

No new target date has been set.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The Scottish and UK governments are working together to ensuring the legislation passed by Parliament last year is implemented as effectively as possible.

“The benefits of a single command structure and improved access to the full range of capabilities of Police Scotland will be delivered for railway policing, providing an enhanced service to both the rail industry and travelling public.

“While much has been achieved so far, we want to ensure a seamless transition which delivers continuity of service for rail users and staff. As I have previously said, any issues raised by the Joint Programme Board in their role as overseeing the project would be given due consideration.

“While a later integration date is disappointing, it will provide all partners with the opportunity to enhance the process of engagement, in particular with officers, staff and their representatives on key issues.”

Scottish Labour's Justice spokesperson Daniel Johnson called for the whole process to be shelved.

...

PC Thomas Hooper has been on restricted duties for at least a year.

The extraordinary case of Bedfordshire Police detective Gareth Suffling will be re-lived in detail.

Former PC Lance Montgomery was described as a 'disgrace' to his force.

Home Office says decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Head of professional standards for NPCC calls for 'revolution' in attitudes.