General Policing Discussions

I am a college student hoping to become a police officer. I wanted to know if any of you had tips for preparing for the police academy and the job in general. Another thing specifically that I have not been able to find out, is if police officers are allowed to have tattoos or not. I would really like to get tattoos, but I need to know if it is allowed.

Reality shows, open days, ride alongs, and force social media accounts give us a glimpse into the job but at most we're really just getting a snapshot and not the complete picture of what it's like. What are some less known parts about the job that you wish us civvies could see or understand? It can be good or bad stuff.

Mainly 2 questions i thought id ask everyone here. 1. Are Arnold batons still in circulation in the Met Police for Level 2 + trained officers and do the Met intend to keep them? 2. My mate when he first joined up was given a Side handled baton which he described as being a nuisance but very good for defence as it covers larger areas of the body. will we ever see a return to side handled batons, mainly the PR24 that used to be used by mainy county forces and BTP. cheers all

If a member of the public reports a potential concern or crime is it mandatory to record an incident and create a crime report or perhaps more nuanced that that. How does it work ? And in the case of an incident record what sort of information might be included and does it guide a response ?

My 14yo nephew told his mother he wants to sell drugs as other vocations are a waste of time. He spends his time listening to some kind of gangster rap which glorifies the life style. His brother told us he tried to buy drugs from someone. That man laughed at him. When my nephew persisted the man pulled a knife on him and he scarpered. He came home with an unexplained black eye recently. The lock downs seem to have changed him radically. It is very hard to get him out of bed except for school which he attends but reluctantly. Obviously he has a very naive view. How can I educate him on the brutal reality of drugs gangs without inadvertently glorifying that …

I have seen a few interviews recently on tv where the suspect has refused legal advice, which I think is a bad idea but anyway. What's the procedure pre interview when that happens, when the suspect is refusing advice or deciding that they will basically act as their own legal adviser in the interview? I am wondering if things are changed slightly. If it's exactly the same process then it must lead to some really strange conversations, like a suspect asking what out of court disposals are available if his "client" in other words himself, chooses to confess in the interview. Do you go through the same disclosure before the interview starts except you give it to the suspect…

The MET have just begun using a new system called CONNECT for case papers, soon to use it for crime reporting also. Has anyone else in another force used it? Any issues, usability etc. We've already had massive problems with cases disappearing or being sent to the CPS blank when the officers have spent hours working on them. Someone whispered a few forces have used it and got rid of it due to usability issues.

Hi, I'm an A level student currently completing an EPQ with the title should the police be liable for negligence regarding the suppression and investigation of crime? Any views from serving or previously serving officers would be especially appreciated, as well as anyone with a background in law. Otherwise general views would still be great, Thank you all, I look forward to hearing your opinions!

In England & Wales we have a qualified right to silence. When arrested you don't need to say anything. But if you raise a defence later in court, that you didn't mention when being questioned by the police, the court may draw an adverse inference from that. They might ask why you didn't mention your defence sooner. This is different from Scotland where I believe no adverse inferences can be drawn, and America where you can "plead the 5th" with impunity. Do you think suspects should be able to remain silent without any adverse inference being drawn if they later raise a defence in court?