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Firstly I'll start with Well Done and Congratulations in becoming a PC. It really is a great job, you'll do great things, experience things you never would in civvy St, make lifelong friends and sleep easy knowing you're doing something worthwhile with your life. When you goto Borough (in the case of The Met) you'll probably hear lots that The Job doesn't appreciate you, it's not as good as the old days and you don't get recognised for the work you do. Try to ignore this stuff. If The Job was that bad these people would have left. Things are getting better as numbers start to pick up again and Officers get used to the changes. Don't expect Management to be on their knees for doing your job. There will be times you'll love The Job, other times you'll hate it. Bottom line, is Civvy St any better? Doubtful. The most important thing that new recruits should be when they start is this;- ***BE HUMBLE*** I stress this. I wish you all the best when you leave training and go off to your Boroughs (or Counties) but don't shoot yourself in the foot by thinking you know it all (especially if you come from the MSC and you think you do) - YOU DON'T. Listen to what Officers tell you. Be willing to do everything asked of you. NEVER think you're above doing something. Trust your Senior PCs, remember they have been where you are. Make sure you're the first to volunteer for things. Offer to take that arrest, that crime report, make that cuppa. NEVER say no giving out a Traffic Ticket if you can evidence the Offence sufficiently. Have a NO DISCRETION. Always have a return of work - Every day. Why do I feel the need to emphasise this? Because most Senior PCs would have done this during their probation. I've dealt with Officers on Street Duties who've issued maybe a single Traffic ticket in 5 weeks. Not good enough. I've nicked people with a Probationer beside me because the Probationer stands beside me idly. I've heard probationers say NO to reasonable requests made by colleagues. I've seen Probationers be lazy and just sit around the Office. No. This is not about Senior PCs being lazy (it can be but this is rare), it's about YOU getting these experiences under your belt. It's about YOU earning respect from your colleagues, it's about YOUR development and future. Make sure you're the new Officer who gets stuck in, works hard and is popular and respected by your colleagues. Don't be that lazy know it all Probationer who delegates stuff to other Probationers with a few weeks less service (I've seen it happen) - Your career and your enjoyment of your career will be based on your Reputation. Hit the ground running; not on your face! Good Luck, Enjoy!

Rewrite your script so your first comment to Claire is, 'Hi Claire. I'm glad you're in, was concerned that Fido was distressed. He seemed to be tangled up in his lead. But you're here now. Bye.' Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It may seem petty to you, and in the grand scheme of things it probably is but that's the level of scrutiny you're subjected to before and during any policing career. I know of several officers who have been subject to PSD investigations through what may seem "petty" incidents but as a Police Officer you are expected to be squeaky clean.You didn't confirm what the disposal was for the urinating in the street incident? Was you drunk at the time? You also mention charity work which is admirable and good on you for taking the time to volunteer for worthy causes. However, being a charity work volunteer does not prove you are of good character, it says something about the person you are but cannot give the whole picture. The piece of paper you freely speak of is the one of which they must make a judgement from. They've seen yours, given a thumbs up to charity work but then ultimately decided that if you can so willingly relieve yourself up a wall in the street rather than hold out for a dark alleyway or bushes or even a toilet, what else could you do whilst wearing the uniform of the best police service in the world? It shows you have poor judgement and poor decision making skills, or at least did at the time. It also shows you have no regard for the law. You were caught once 7 years ago and again 3 years ago? Seriously? What are they meant to say? You clearly didn't care about the first incident because stupidly you did it again! If you do something bad in this job and get away with a warning what do you think the next step is if you do it again? Sacking and a criminal court probably. Do you think the police force you've applied for wants to take that risk with you? Face that public embarrassment? You're a gamble and in this climate no one wants to take that gamble on you with an attitude like yours. You're repeated behavior has shown you don't care about rules, you'll break them time and time again.

A Scotsman walks into a bar...............Now normally there would be an Englishman, Irishman and Welshman inside, but they're all in France watching the Euros........THE END.

I dropped 8 and a half stone in a little over 8 months, by ollowing weiht watchers, It was really easy to do. I also trained around 2 hrs a day five days a week, a combination of CV and Resistance, muscle burns more calories than fat so building lean muscle mass is key, there are no "quick" fixes though. Remember you have to fuel the machine, dropping you calories down below 500 is dangerous and will do you more harm than good in the long run as your body will go into starvation mode and retain every calorie you eat, making it harder to loose fat. Your body will start burning muscle as fuel if its not getting what it needs, As has been mentioned little and often is key, lots of white fish, green veg and chicken. but you also need good ats so snacks of avacado and nuts (almonds are great). Not KP dry roasted either, look at the whole foods aisle in th supermarket. Im by no means an expert what works for one doesn't necessarily mean it will work for another. Above all commitment dedication and willpower!!

Well, that's quite a negative post. I never really thought I'd read something like that on here. In the spirit of openness, I will say that the post above was flagged up as being overly negative and that's how my attention was drawn to it. The person that reported it felt that perhaps it was a little too much for a site such as this. However, on reflection, I've decided that it can, and indeed should stay. This site (and others like it) shouldn't be full of only 'good news', and perhaps others should be aware that sometimes the job can let you down, or at least, not back you up as much as it perhaps should. But do please bear in mind that there are two sides to every story, and only one side is given here.

The authority advantage with the RMP is due to the army being a disciplined service, and any bad behaviour was stamped on from a great height by the RMP, making it very easy for them to maintain order and discipline due to conduct unbecoming Sec 69 aa 1955 as I remember it. Bart will no doubt correct me if it's wrong. A lot of ex RMP came a cropper in civpol as most civvies will not play the game and will challenge authority when confronted with it. That is the main difference. apart from all RMP smell of monkey droppings[emoji3]

I'm 34 and joining police scotland you are never too old.Think our life skills and experiences will help. Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

There is never a guarantee of a job. I had everything passed including vetting, fitness, references medical etc and had all applications cancelled 3 weeks before the planned intake. Nobody even kept on file. My point being if they offer you a job I wouldn't defer it, grab the chance whilst you can.

Yeah mate I got 67% my interview is tomorrow so sat stressing now but hopefully everything will be fine fingers crossed 👍🏻

Whilst the common drink driving offences do not apply to vehicles being driven on private land to which the public do not have access as posted above , bear in mind the old offence of wanton and furious driving under s35 Offences against the Person act 1861. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/24-25/100/section/35 It's used occasionally for private land driving offences if someone gets hurt: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/36500156 Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Reasonable man is spot on, why would you go to someone's door while filming it and swearing straight away?? It's an incident that could have been dealt with a lot better.

Hello all, I have finally decided to post here after a couple of months of lurking. The forums here are great and have helped me through the recruitment proces to the point that I am now to start College in Tulliallan at the end of the month for Police Scotland. Hopefully now i can be an active member of the forum and help potential recruits the way that others helped me.

I passed first time for Lancashire and had no policing background. I felt being honest, not over thinking the question and using examples across the board of 'my life' worked. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Scanner will now be installed in every Met custody suite. An officer, whose groundbreaking work has the capacity to “change policing”, has been honoured with an international award. Met Detective Inspector Julie Henderson created a digitised footprint system – the equivalent of the fingerprint system – after becoming frustrated that offenders were getting away with crimes because of the antiquated system of storing footwear prints on paper. The out-of-date system meant only three per cent of officers would take footwear prints from suspects, resulting in evidence being lost. As a result, DI Henderson researched how to make digital footwear prints the same as the national fingerprint system, so officers could take a scan of the footwear as part of the custody process which could then be downloaded and searched nationally. After finding no other force in the world had developed such a system, she contacted a Chinese company that had developed a footwear scanner which gave her two free of charge. She approached her senior leadership team and management board at the Met and the Home Office, securing funding for the project and a national trial. After being seconded to the force’s Capability and Support team to work on the scheme full time, a trial was launched in Colindale which proved a success. Within 12 months there were 117 detections with an 80 per cent conviction rate, an increase in compliance from three per cent to 70 per cent, a 98 per cent improvement in the speed of results and a 92 per cent decrease in cost per print. There will soon be a footwear scanner in every Met custody suite and the project is now one of the Commissioner’s Commitments. She has been given an award for her efforts from the International Association for Women in Policing, with one of her colleagues saying: “This will change policing as we currently know it.” View on Police Oracle

It seems to me that you're pointing the finger of blame at everyone else bar yourself. Remember when you point that finger, 3 are pointing right back at you. To me you're acting as though you're high and mighty and better than the rest, why else would you bring up some other worker who throws sickies or your Special Constabulary experience, which by the way counts for little. Trust me. Did you prepare for the AC? And I mean properly? Like get into the books, practice interview technique, practice English and Maths? Or did you think you'd breeze through? The AC tests the very basic skills required for a competent PC. That doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a good one, it just means your attitude and characteristics match those required. I'm not too sure that currently you have those, based purely on the above post. The mistakes you're making - once upon a time I made them. I had the policing degree, 3 years as a Special Sergeant. I genuinely believed there was no way I couldn't be employed - I was hopelessly deluded. I didn't prepare for 2 AC's and scored abysmally, less than 50%. My attitude stunk and it showed, I was cocky and believed I was a cut above the rest and I suspect you do too. Take it on the chin and learn from it. It took me 8years to become a PC and if I'm being totally honest I'm glad it did because each time I failed I learned and got better. Once I did get in my experience was far greater than anyone else's on my course but by this point I'd learned that it didn't make me better than the next person who had no policing experience, I walked into that classroom confident but not cocky. There's a fine line between them and you've strayed over considerably, as I once did. I suggest you do the same and start to learn from failure. Learn that if you were better than everyone else you wouldn't be starting from the same post. Your policing experience in the AC counts for exactly nothing. You needed to display the qualities of a Police Officer and on this day someone else did what you didn't. Jealousy will get you nowhere and if you ever get into the job will render you a lonely figure amongst colleagues. Personally I wish you well in the future and I do hope you learn and improve, leading to becoming a Police Officer.

Hi, I know you all love a good post about fitness, and how it brightens up your day. Basically, I'm planning to follow my dream career by joining Police Scotland, and therefore am required to reach level 9.2. I won't lie, I'm not fit - I'm 6' 6" tall and weigh around 19 stone, which is the opposite of healthy. I've been making an effort to attempt to get into shape for joining when I meet the age requirement (9 Months) however it's not going to plan. I can just about hit level 4.5 on the bleep test which is quite frankly shocking. I'm struggling on my own, I've downloaded the C25K app on my phone and I am currently on Week 3, which is a drastic improvement considering my nose couldn't even run before I started. Basically, I'm looking for any advice anyone could give - At this point I'm questioning if I'm able to do it at all, nevermind in nine months. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Ben

It sounds a little silly but during my recruitment i had to literally force myself to forget what I was applying for or going through. Quite simply you must concentrate on the here and now and not the there and then as you never know what may happen. Keeping motivated in your current job, as laborious or tedious it may be will stand you in great stead for your still potential policing career. Concentrating on a career you do not have yet will not only ruin your current career which may well continue, but will have longer term impacts in your attitude and behaviour when the going gets tough or you become unhappy for whatever reason and will overall make you a bad employee. i know that sounds rather drastic and extreme but it can happen.

Hiya, I just wanted to drop a quick line to say "hi" as I am new here. I am at the beginning of my police officer recruitment process (submitted my application form last week) so currently keeping everything crossed! I am looking forward to learning more from this forum.

I appreciate this a slightly older post, but I'd just like to add some personal experience to this post. I myself am I special and I really hate to say it, but I do agree with a lot of what is being said here. Now, I am one of the few specials which are referred to as "full timers" I average 120 hours a month (What a nutter, I hear you say) well perhaps I am a bit of a nutter and sometimes I even question myself why I do it so much but simply put, I love the job. I've been in for long enough now that I'm considered "part of the furniture" I'm attached to an SNT and mostly follow their shift pattern, if team are down (which they are mostly nowadays) I'll volunteer to man up. I can and do write statements, I will happily do a CRIS, CRIMINT or MERLIN, I'm confident in the use of COPA etc etc, you will not see me turning down anything. I've done violent hospital guards, I've found a suspect package and attempted to shut down an entire town centre (80 and LFB also said it was dodgy before anyone screams "jumping the gun"), I've been first on scene to a domestic GBH, I've arrested for rape and taken the paperwork that comes with it, I've interviewed, helped people in mental health crisis, shielded innocent members of public from crazed men with weapons, I've put on more AirSpace tiles than I care to remember. My gist is, I do everything you guys do. Not all specials are like me, I'm fully aware, but I had to work bloody hard to be at the appropriate standard I'm at now and even now I'm learning something new everyday. I left Hendon after a 30 day intensive course which the met think it suitable for me to pound the streets and fight crime. Wrong. I didn't know a bloody thing when I left Hendon, sure I could recite the caution in my sleep and I knew how to textbook handcuff someone, but actual proper policing - I had no idea. The specials being produced now are the mets way of filling the gap that cuts have made, quick turn around, so it doesn't look like we have not enough officers and most of them are only doing their 16 hours a month, there's no way we can expect them to be anything close to how knowledgeable most PCs are, the fact is the Met are failing them and they know no different. I take exceptional pride in not only being a Special but also being a Metropolitan Police Officer and I will never shy away from work, griefy or not. But I appreciate again that I may be an exception and there are a lot of MSC Officers who do just want an I Grade suspects on and then home time. In my opinion MSC Officers who haven't been told they're competent by a REGULAR Sgt shouldn't be allowed to do team shifts, simply because no one has the time or patience to baby sit them and teach them things most team officers will already know. I think their place is in SNT, where there's more time for paperwork, you pick and choose to an extent the calls you take and there's someone to explain to you if you do something wrong and equally someone there to mention areas worth praising. What I will ask though is this: - I know some MSC Officers can be annoying, incompetent and sometimes just plain allergic to good old grafting but just bear in mind they probably genuinely have absolutely no idea what you're asking of them and this is embarrassing for them so don't be too harsh as I know I've been put down my regulars before simply because I have "S.C" on my shoulder. I'd also say aswell if you spot an officer on team who shouldn't be there please raise this with their line manager because they will keep on being put on team shifts until something goes wrong if it isn't nipped in the bud straight away, I know some officers might not want to "grass them up" but they won't become the officers they should be without appropriate intervention. Thanks guys :) P.S: The officer saying specials who commit full time are questionable because they clearly must not have a social life. You also work those hours, the only difference is you're paid and I'm not. Should I be questioning you as by your own definition you must clearly be mental as you don't have a social life

End of Watch

Hey guys, Failed the medical on the basis of my BMI last month. Going back in just under three weeks to be reassessed. I've still got over a stone to shift. I've lost a stone and a half already but I'm determined to make it. Any advice would be welcomed. (I am of course aware rapid weight loss like this is unhealthy - I'll risk it). Thanks.

Scottish Fire & Rescue Service are recruiting for Wholetime Firefighters and could use big strong lads like yourself! - Always good to have a plan B, maybe not tell them they are Plan B or even worse that the Police was Plan A! All jokes aside you should stick with C25K. I done it, did I get results? Well, not the first time, I had to start again. That's my fault though - when it came to the later weeks when you were expected to run 10 minutes then 15, and 20 without stopping I deliberately slowed down my pace to complete the ''run'' within the time. In other words the mistake I made was allowing fear of not making the target time to dictate a slower pace. I seen results, small as they were though. I could jog for longer, but my run was still the same; my mile and a half was still the same, my bleep test was still the same, and that streetlight I couldn't get past was still my stopping point. I had to re-do the whole thing. I just re-started and got rid of the ''fear of failing'' factor; because in essence you are meant to fail, it's suppose to happen at one stage or another to give you that push factor to eventually succeed. I never jogged, I put in 100% effort and when I came back to those 10 minute, 15, 20 minute runs I failed, I failed at every attempt of those runs 1st time, even more in some cases to reach the acquired time. It didn't matter though; I just paused; noted my time and cooled off with a walk back home and tried again the next day. Eventually I reached the 30 minute mark and the 5km mark. I am now using the 10k plan. I can feel a difference; my 1.5 mile time is much better, bleep test score at an all time high, and that streetlight is long behind me now. You are not the first to want join the Police but face fitness problems, and you certainly won't be the last! So keep at it; push yourself to the limit with no fear of failure, and even add in some cycling and swimming if possible. Hope me sharing my experience helps! It took me almost 2 years by the way; I think if I never deliberately slowed down the first time using C25K I would have been half a year shorter of reaching my goal. Good luck.

I don't understand the question. Are you asking when you will do your response driver training?

Sorry, can't get this image out of my head...

Nissan GT-R NISMO

Its quite a funny thread, a bit like me trying to convince my Parents i am always right!

Oh dear!, they'll be a few more bottles of Buckie opened after that spat.[emoji3]

Now you're just being deliberately obtuse.

Yes. It was called Police Service of Scotland (PSoS) upon creation but it's usually shortened and known as Police Scotland. I'm glad we've cleared that up.

You're right, it is. Because it's official name is a bit of a mouthful after all. Let's go to someone (seeing as you're not going to take the word of a serving PsOS officer) who should know what they're called. Scottish Police Authority website, which refers to the Police service Of Scotland. The BBC. Police Scotland. Scottish Government. Would you like more? Or are you just going to admit that you're wrong and move on?

But sub is never wrong 😱

I'am assuming PSoS = Police Service of Scotland, which is the correct name in legislation, it's operationally shortened to Police Scotland( a number of the other public bodies and council's change their names oberationaly the care inspectorate would be one example)

Bet that isn't the first time you have broken that promise

Nice to see you again TO31, now back in ur box. LOL

Not sure how I missed this one, just seen for the first time. I laughed so hard, I spat a mouthful of beer at my phone screen! Got some funny looks in the hotel bar. Perhaps next time you could post some sort of warning beforehand.

Best intro I've read in a while Welcome to UKPoliceOnline You're now welcome, and indeed encouraged, to post in the main forum areas.

I see me greeting service personnel on here as welcome from an ex monkey! There's far too much pink fluffiness in the world today, they need to give their head a wobble!

That's how I got into it, when I joined the Army I never went the Gym at all until I bumped into a lad on my course that went everyday, he sorta persuaded me to go with him to help spot him an that, an I eventually got hooked 12 Months later and I'm still going 5 days a week. ​Same can work for you and I advise you to get an App called Fitness Point, it shows you loads of exercises for each muscle group, so if your training Arms on Monday for example you can just search through the Arms exercises on the app and do a few of them knowing your doing the right exercise for that muscle group.

Shouldn't take too long, they're a bit like busses

We recently lost five brother officers in Dallas. One of these men was a close friend. All wore the blue and are our brothers. Do not believe everything you see on TV across the pond. Yes, we have a few bad apples but we did not deserve this. Any prayers would be appreciated as we still have officers in the hospital. Thank you and stay safe. Love your country by the way. Clark

So do I but I always let her win

The two I worked with didn't need truncheons, their fists and sharp tongues normally did the trick.

Well, it's been a fast 2 years but down to the last few weeks of probation period with Police Scotland. Been a roller coaster of a time with a lot of ups and a few downs. Learnt all along way, glad to get passed all probationary tests and when I look back and see how far I've came from the first day at the college it takes me back. Hope the rest of you have enjoyed it as much as me. Great career.

Hi Mari-Claire The need for probationers to reside at Tulliallan during training seems to have been relaxed. I seen the blog (below) on Police Scotland's Facebook page. I hope this helps! http://www.paulamusttryharder.co.uk/2015/02/the-myth-of-fingerprints/

I wear shoes mostly, as there are very few mountains rivers and jungles wear I work.

Muz165, your right in a way but it's not as simple as saying negative things like lazy, ashamed or embarrassed to get people motivated. A lot of issues with training properly is doing it around work commitments, child care issues and just having general fitness knowledge. Yes the police need to be fit but they recruit for many reasons other than fitness. I think a thread explaining about how to train properly and nutritional information would be far better than telling someone what's shameful and embarrassing. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Again, define semi-regular? Having regular contact with a criminal is something which could easily fail your application. Not advisable for PCs to socialise with convicted sex offenders. I would speak to the force vetting team and write an accurate letter of circumstances which should include the level of contact your husband has with your father. Better to be helpful than nice, sorry.