Complaints against officers

[james1clarke 0]

Hello All,

So I've got a few questions that may be better suited to experienced officers, PCSO's or specials but I'd be grateful for anybody who's interested insight. It's a bit of a long one so bare with me.

After a quite a long process I am now on the waiting list to begin initial training to become a Police Officer within West Mercia & Warwickshire Police. This is something I've wanted to do for many years now. However, I currently work for a properous young company with a lot of potential. I wouldn't say I love the job but I certainly don't hate it and I'm looked after there and it's highly doubtful I'd ever lose my job through redundancy or anything similar to this. It's worth noting that I applied to become a police officer before getting this posistion.

Now, In the coming weeks/months I'm expecting an offer of employment from my chosen force. So as I mentioned, I'm looking for some insight. With all the negativity floating around a career In the force now what are your opinions on it? (preferably people with experience).

I know things vary from force to force, but Could anybody tell me the realistic potential of promotion. And, is it a job for life? Are redundancies gaining to become an issue in coming years?

I don't mean to be negative but I want to know the full picture before joining. Any advice, experience, insight would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, James.

[Whisper 509]

You can get a lot of answers by reading the pension threads and compulsory severance threads. A lot of it is personal opinion however and please bear in mind there are a lot of posts by people who rightly feel very aggreived and angry. There are people about who still love the job however.

[skydiver + 1,099]

There are a lot of things for you to consider including pay, working conditions, work/life balance, the challenge of the jobs, the pull of a vocation and so on so its a very personal choice.  

 

On my cohort of 22 trainees only one went back to his previous job where he was a successful estate agent.  I came from a well paid job with a great work/life balance but I've never looked back.  I take the rough with the smooth, I bitch and whine about the government with the best of them but I turn up to work every day to try to do my best for the public and my colleagues.  I have really annoyed my wife by going in on a rest day to deal with one of 'my' prisoners i.e. someone else could have dealt but I wanted to nail him.  

 

I think that promotion will always be easy for some people albeit a tiny minority whose face fits but if you aren't in that % then you'll have to work hard and be very patient.

[james1clarke 0]

Thanks Guys! That's good to know that only 1 of 22 decided to go back to their previous job. I have been told that it's the old school officers that are more discouraging about the force because they've seen the most change. But newer recruits see it from a different perspective, and perhaps know how difficult it is to come by quality jobs and therefore are happy with their position in the force. Thank you

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[skydiver + 1,099]

 I have been told that it's the old school officers that are more discouraging about the force because they've seen the most change. 

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That's because it takes a while to develop the cynicism born out of experience but eventually most new recruits will say the same thing as the old lags.