General Policing Discussions

Just wondering. I have been the induction and have started my training to become a Special, but every now and then somebody mentioned 'a career special' or that a certain person is 'a career special'. Just wondering what this actually means?? I don't understand how you can make a career out of a voluntary position. Thanks!

So after my "issues" I was having with senior rank (only a Sergeant) my manager contacted this person. When he was challenged he said there weren't any problems with use of force, honesty or integrity (surprised!?). However, prior to all of this, I put in a complaint about him and his staff - then this happened. Apparently because I complained that makes me immature and as a result, I have two options: Resign and nothing will be noted on my record (I'll come to that in the next point), or: Stay and I will receive a performance plan for complaining (which he has said is immature). I will have 2 months to complete it, if I don't (and he said he'll make sure I won't), …

Not sure if the link works but Cherry Healey and Philip Schofield on This Morning discussing the use of taser on the male arrested outside of Buckingham Palace? Cherry thinks that taser is a bit OTT. What are your thoughts?

Security firm G4S expects full Olympic Games payment 4 hours ago The head of security firm G4S has said he expects the firm to be paid the full £235m contract for the Olympics despite the fiasco over staffing. Nick Buckles told MPs that he expected Games organisers to pay "exactly in line with the contract". Locog chief Paul Deighton earlier said it had paid G4S £90m up to 13 July, but nothing since the firm had said it could not deliver all the staff needed. He said the remaining part of the £235m contract was now "up for negotiation". G4S admitted last month that the Olympic contract had cost it £50m after it failed to deliver the 10,400 Olympic security guard…

Am I right in thinking that even in areas where local authorities have been given the power to deal with parking enforcement, police officers can still report people for parking offences too? My understanding is that police officers can deal with all offences of he law, but primarily deal with those that are criminal?

Hi guys, Mod feel free to close this if I am unable to discuss here, though I think it should be fine. Can someone just confirm the full name of the 3 pressure points used during OST ? 1. Mandibular...angle? 2. Brachial ... Origin 3. Clavicular...? Trying to revise but haven't been given the handout yet. Cheers all.

Has anyone done the training? I've just been offered a chance to do so, hopefully all going well!! I can imagine being on a bike in London to be very useful. However, I'm from a county force and work by the coast, so if any other county officers have experience, I'd love to hear. Since I don't have a licence to drive, I'm looking forward to being able to expand my independent patrols to another means What are your experiences with them? Good, bad? Ugly? Hopefully there isn't too much stigma surrounding bike shorts haha

Anyone else utterly astonished by this complete farce?! What is wrong with the Federation? Every time they do something silly I try to give them the benefit of the doubt that they're trying their best, but it just happens over and over again... They're utterly useless. No only have they employed a ballot method which is clearly going to reduce numbers of votes cast, but they're asking the wrong questions and doing it at the wrong time... All the while they're clearly promoting a 'No' vote (to seeking the right to strike) and now they're even suggesting abandoning it altogether ! Just ridiculous. http://www.westmidspolfed.com/media/documents/apa1ballottotakeindaction.pdf

We hear often of the unique status of us constables as independent holders of a legal office. We hear 'discretion' and 'impartiality' banded about on a daily basis. What does discretion mean to you? Are there any offences we cannot use discretion for? Which ones and why? Have you experienced anybody (within thr service) who doesn't seem to share the Federation view on the independence of the office of constable? ************************************** Personally I am continuously being harangued and pressureised by others to deal/not deal with offences in a certain way. Some often tell me…

Maybe it's just my wrong perception but I seen to have noticed quite a number of officers with really scuffed, marked - dare I even say, scruffy - boots in recent times. This weekend I was at a football match and when leaving there was a small group of officers standing chatting and I just couldn't help notice that one of them had really badly scuffed boots on, almost greyed as if wet snow had dried on them. I'm certainly not trying to be being critical, just wondering if anyone else would agree with me. By the way, I'm not suggesting that any officer should have gleaming, highly-polished guardsman-type boots, just clean ones! Does anyone care about that sort of thing …

Hi All A group of new recruits are trying to raise sponsorship for a charity event for the charity COPS (http://www.ukcops.org/) Please go to the below link to sponsor this event for a worthwhile cause! http://www.justgiving.com/intake25 Spread the word! Thanks

Just a quickie. Does anyone know if someone who wants to train as a driving instructor is CRB checked?

So due to various reasons I live outside my force area, and I have applied to transfer to my local force. I received an email requesting my training info which I answered, I then heard nothing for about a month, I didn't chase them up because from experience from my current force, HR take their time, Yesterday I received an e-mail demanding to know why I hadn't attended the OST session and IT training course, Which I have not received an invite to. I replied telling them that I hadn't been told about it and now and now they're saying that i'm going to have to wait until at least July before I can attest. It costs me a lot of money to travel and do duties, money that …

Hi guys, Do any of you know which police forces allow the public to complete a observer shift? I've done it with Dorset Police, but I want to try other forces, and I'm in hope you guys can tell me which forces allow them... Thank you Ryan

This is neither a discussion or a question more a statement and thanks to skippers. I'd just like to say thank you to all Sergeants everywhere who take the time out of their day and really care for their officers and not just follow the SOPs (like some Sergeants I've come across). Without looking for people to start fishing, I'm just going to say that: I'm facing issues in the real world (not my policing role) and I feel it is affecting me to the point where I feel that I'll come across something and not be able to act appropriately. I am blessed to have a Sergeant that both not only cares about the officer and follows the SOPs but also is concerned as a friend. I rea…