Police Officer here. Ask me anything about working for the Police!

Hi

I'm not sure if you'll know the answer to this but I'll give it a go anyway.
If a special constable is asked to resign from post and they do so, will this affect the person in question joining another force in the future?

Thanks

Hello,I received offer and there is a sentence i dont understand fully.“ You will start receiving your salary after you have been attested on the first day of your induction.” Could you please kindly explain? Is this means i will get paid after training?Thank you in advance

Hi

I'm not sure if you'll know the answer to this but I'll give it a go anyway.
If a special constable is asked to resign from post and they do so, will this affect the person in question joining another force in the future?

Thanks

how do you feel about the push for AI programs that predict crime patterns?

Thats a thing?! It sounds ominously like that *****y horror-***-sci-fi film...

how do you feel about the push for AI programs that predict crime patterns?

Authoritarian BS is like that is slowly turning me anarchist. How the hell do you ‘predict’ crime and what factors do you use?

That's the point. The goal is to be racist and have even less people in control, and therefore even less people that could possibly change the system.

technology is great

If they are being asked to resign because they have done something wrong (breached codes of conduct, broken the law, performed poorly in the role etc) then yes I would say there is an extremely high chance if not an absolute certainty that it would affect them joining another force.

If you apply to join another force they will ask if you have served as either a regular officer or special and they would certainly ask for a reference/details of your service from that force. Do not attempt to conceal previous service as they WILL find out and dishonesty is a big no-no in the police service for obvious reasons.

Hi, i am currently studying pharmacy in uni and i really want to become a CTSFO one day. I was wondering whether i could complete my pharmacy degree but also do a part time PCDA? I know its alot, but i am down to put all the hard work in. Can i still apply to the role of CTSFO if i do a part time PCDA? Or would it have to be full time?Thanks

Hi there.

What you are asking doesn't make a lot of sense. If you are on a Pharmacy degree, you wouldn't need to do the PCDA because you'd have a degree when you graduate - and then be eligible for what is now the normal PC degree entrant. There would be no point doing the PCDA - and I doubt you'd be allowed.

If you want to be an SFO, you would have to enter as a PC entrant, and serve out your probation in borough policing, At some point after your probation is over, you are theoretically eligible to apply for most other jobs - but this is not necessarily realistic early on. SFOs have a lot of skills that have been built up over some time, and l personally think you'd have to have at least 6-7 years service unless you came from some background that was exceptionally valuable to them. You would have to apply to be an AFO or an ARV AFO first, and then look to upskill and transfer to being an SFO after some time in one of those roles. It's not unknown for people to go to AFO roles after only a few years but they have to be recommended by their current supervisors and shown that they are good at being police officers in the first instance. This is a bit strange as being an AFO has almost nothing to do with being a borough police officer - but it's common belief that to be an AFO they'd like you to have some time in response policing and probably already be a taser officer.

The main differences in the roles are that AFOs generally protect things or people. ARVs drive around in fast cars and stop dangerous people. SFOs have a skill set on top of that for highly specialised operations.

I will be honest - most people's police career aspirations don't last very long. A lot of people join thinking they want to be in guns, dogs or motorbikes (with dogs being easily the most popular). In reality, a lot of people change their minds within the first couple of years and find something they like, or something they can earn a lot of money in. I would always suggest playing to your strengths and taking it from there if you enjoy the work. For example, if you have a Pharmacy degree and have done any kind of practical placement, you'd be well positioned to get try and get into being a Drugs Officer. From there, it may be possible to work out attachments to all sorts of cool units or the NCA - probably get a chance to become an AFO that way if that's still what you want.

What do you mean by serving my probation in borough policing? I currently live in liverpool. Is it possible to complete the PCDA here in liverpool and then apply to become an AFO for the met in London?

Thanks

As far as I am aware, PCDAs are specific to the force that is running them. If you want to be in the Met, you will have to join a Met training programme.

After training, and once you have completed probation, it is relatively straightforward to transfer between forces.

A couple of things though-

1. Again - I can't understand why you are looking at PCDA if you are already at university. I don't think you'll actually be able to join it. The whole point of the PCDA is that policing is becoming a graduate profession - and you are supposed to have a degree (in anything) to join. As a pharmacy grad, you'll be able to join directly. There is no inherent advantage to doing to doing the degree apprenticeship.

2. You'll have to check the Met recruiting site frequently. I think they have just brought back the residency requirement - i.e. entrants must have lived in London for a certain amount of time.

Re: probation - in the Met and I'd be sure all other county forces, after initial training you go to borough (territorial) policing. You spend your probation (2 years) either on a response team, a neighbourhood team or a mix of both.

Okay thankyou so much! And i am asking about the PCDA because im not sure whether i enjoy pharmacy and will continue to finish the course. I may drop out and go on to the PCDA course. However i want to be definite that i have a chance to apply as an SFO.
I want to complete the PCDA (probation) in liverpool and then later transfer to the met to become an SFO.