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2021/22 Detective Constable Met Police Grad Scheme

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Has anyone been able to book onto the fitness and biometrics test day recently? It says it's full at the moment for me
Original post by rosiehowarth
Has anyone been able to book onto the fitness and biometrics test day recently? It says it's full at the moment for me

Yes, I managed to book mine for next Thursday! I just kept checking every day and slots appeared! They didn’t have a lot of times to choose from tho 😆
Reply 382
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mjsn
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Passed vetting and now just waiting on a start date. Anyone who has passed, how long did you wait for the call?
Reply 383
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mjsn
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Original post by mrcccccc
Congratulations! When was your Day 2 if you don’t mind me asking?

July 2021, so there was a bit of a gap between day 2 and vetting starting
Reply 384
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Original post by mrcccccc
When did your vetting start?

Internal started late January 2022, went to external early Feb, passed end of Feb. So quite quick once it started!
Reply 385
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Original post by mrcccccc
Ah nice one! That’s quite a while before it went internal! Did you receive confirmation when it went internal? How did you know

I had no real confirmation that vetting had started. After about six months of waiting and being told that vetting hadn't started yet, SSCL's vetting team got in contact via email with a few questions and asked about missing details from my vetting form. My online portal still said 'Thanks for attending the assessments, now complete any forms etc...'. After I got the email from SSCL's vetting team, I asked in the online chat if I was on internal vetting and they confirmed I was. After a couple of weeks, my online portal changed to a 'pre-employment checklist'. That's how you know it's gone to external vetting. I then had a couple of queries from a Met vetting officer (their email address doesn't say SSCL). Be sure to check your junk folders and answer quickly as they give you five days to reply! They also text you. After another month, my online portal said vetting was passed. Hope this helps!
I got that same email from the SSCL team this past friday asking for those missing details. I’m assuming my application is at the internal vetting stage now.
Original post by rosiehowarth
Has anyone been able to book onto the fitness and biometrics test day recently? It says it's full at the moment for me

Hi, just wondered how long it took after your assessment Centre to get an offer? Only did mine a couple of days ago but want to know badly!
Hey guys, I was just wondering for anyone who’s done the detective bolt-on, what’s the structure of it like is the in tray written and the briefing verbal? I seen one thing which said they were both written and now I’m a bit confused, thanks!
Original post by Watts101
Hi, just wondered how long it took after your assessment Centre to get an offer? Only did mine a couple of days ago but want to know badly!

This varies a lot depending on a lot of factors but assume 12-18months to actually starting.
Original post by soph1210
Hey guys, I was just wondering for anyone who’s done the detective bolt-on, what’s the structure of it like is the in tray written and the briefing verbal? I seen one thing which said they were both written and now I’m a bit confused, thanks!

So both of them do include writing, one is entirely writing while the other is mostly writing and then a bit of presenting at the end.
Original post by Marjanx1
So both of them do include writing, one is entirely writing while the other is mostly writing and then a bit of presenting at the end.

Amazing, thanks! :smile:
Hi there, I'm currently in my last year of university and feel my options are very limited at the moment. This is my first choice job, and I applied in february, I originally applied when applications opened but was told students were not meant to apply until the new year. The problem is, talk is beginning to start around next year, doing masters or potential graduate jobs. If I want to pursue this scheme, I feel I have to give up on doing a masters or another graduate job due to the long nature of the application process. Is that the case? And are there any ways around this?
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by JustEater456
Hi there, I'm currently in my last year of university and feel my options are very limited at the moment. This is my first choice job, and I applied in february, I originally applied when applications opened but was told students were not meant to apply until the new year. The problem is, talk is beginning to start around next year, doing masters or potential graduate jobs. If I want to pursue this scheme, I feel I have to give up on doing a masters or another graduate job due to the long nature of the application process. Is that the case? And are there any ways around this?

My personal opinion is to continue with your studies and don't focus just on this. This is not just a job and policing is a sacrifice.

I would encourage perhaps to apply as a Special Constable where you will have exposure to policing and basics which are extremely important to know before entering such career.
You will know then if the Met is for you trust me.
Do not feel rushed in making a decision when you have the option to continue your studies.
The process can be lengthy but so is the job and in all honesty, is not for everyone.

My advise to you and everyone on this forum is, DO NOT RUSH. Carefully consider your options.
The job is not going anywhere, study now you are young.

You can always apply to the job via PC route or in the future after exploring all options, and if you feel that this is what you really want then apply.
I always recommend gaining some experience in policing, do a Ride Along, attachment, anything that can clear this path for you and providing useful experience.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by JustEater456
Hi there, I'm currently in my last year of university and feel my options are very limited at the moment. This is my first choice job, and I applied in february, I originally applied when applications opened but was told students were not meant to apply until the new year. The problem is, talk is beginning to start around next year, doing masters or potential graduate jobs. If I want to pursue this scheme, I feel I have to give up on doing a masters or another graduate job due to the long nature of the application process. Is that the case? And are there any ways around this?

This depends how far into the application you are, and what stage you're at. Realistically, if you are successful, a reasonable time scale to start is early to mid 2023, if you are not very far into the process. If you graduate this year, I don't see why MSc isn't possible (but not necessarily recommended)- realistically on taught masters, you start in Oct and teaching is all done by Easter - then you have until Sep to submit your dissertation. If you are still in lectures when you get offered a police start date, you could just say you need a later one. I would be fairly sure that you will be offered before Autumn 23 though - so you have to ask yourself if it is likely for you to have completed your dissertation before you start with cops, it's not realistic at all to be starting training with research and a 10,000 word essay outstanding - it just won't get done.

My second question would be - other jobs I completely understand - you might well find something you really enjoy. But the MSc doesn't make a great deal of sense to me. If you are intending to go into the DE DC programme, an MSc won't help you at all, and is unlikely to be of any use to you until the very highest ranks- you would be spending a lot of money and a lot of time doing something essentially to fill in some time and taking a risk that it might not get finished.

My advice would be - see how you are doing in the process by the time you finish university -so end of the exams / dissertation. If you have completed most of your police things and are only waiting on vetting and a start date, I would look at going on holiday and then getting the best job you can that you don't mind just leaving. This doesn't have to be at Starbucks - modern employers are realistic about people leaving at the drop of a hat; and then wait for a start date.

On the other hand, if come Summer, you haven't really progressed and you are still waiting for ACs and you don't even know if you are going to get to vetting - then it probably would be wise to go straight into other programmes. There's no reason why you shouldn't start those applications as soon as they open for other grad programmes. You can always drop out of them, or you may find you really like them.
Just trying to understand the process a little bit more. If I am successful and get to the bolt on assessment, how long after that will the medical and fitness tests be done? I have some knee issues I want to sort out but worried that timescale could move quickly ( although by the looks of some posts, it's a very slow moving process) I am also slightly worried as I was in America recently in a state where weed is legal. I don't partake in it at all. But I was in environments , concerts etc... Where this was happening. Apparently that stuff can stay in your hair and the met does hair sample tests. My conscious is clear but I am a bit nervous I'd be called out for something I am not into.
Original post by Bilbo1987
Just trying to understand the process a little bit more. If I am successful and get to the bolt on assessment, how long after that will the medical and fitness tests be done? I have some knee issues I want to sort out but worried that timescale could move quickly ( although by the looks of some posts, it's a very slow moving process) I am also slightly worried as I was in America recently in a state where weed is legal. I don't partake in it at all. But I was in environments , concerts etc... Where this was happening. Apparently that stuff can stay in your hair and the met does hair sample tests. My conscious is clear but I am a bit nervous I'd be called out for something I am not into.

If passing the bolt-on you will be presented with dates to book for the medical (day2). Time scales can differ as dates tend to be filled quickly so you will need to keep checking the portal for availabilities.

If having any injury or so you can still go through your medical assessment but will need to inform the team of your injury and you inability to run the fitness test (if you declare any injury or anything that they will deem as you being "unfit" for the JRFT they have a legal obligation not to let you run the test).
You will be put under medical hold (which had no "expiry date" to allow you to recover and book the fitness test once medically cleared).

In relation to the cannabis factor, being around smokers does not imply you will have it in your system. Only if you smoke or consume drugs directly they will be able to find it in your sample (up until X months). If you have not smoked cannabis I wouldn't worry at all.
Original post by Bilbo1987
Just trying to understand the process a little bit more. If I am successful and get to the bolt on assessment, how long after that will the medical and fitness tests be done? I have some knee issues I want to sort out but worried that timescale could move quickly ( although by the looks of some posts, it's a very slow moving process) I am also slightly worried as I was in America recently in a state where weed is legal. I don't partake in it at all. But I was in environments , concerts etc... Where this was happening. Apparently that stuff can stay in your hair and the met does hair sample tests. My conscious is clear but I am a bit nervous I'd be called out for something I am not into.

If you haven't actually taken cannabis then there is nothing to worry about.

In regards to fitness test and medical, you will have further medical investigation into your injury so you won't be going through a quick process anyway. They will likely need a further report into the injury and the impact of that.
Original post by Bilbo1987
Just trying to understand the process a little bit more. If I am successful and get to the bolt on assessment, how long after that will the medical and fitness tests be done? I have some knee issues I want to sort out but worried that timescale could move quickly ( although by the looks of some posts, it's a very slow moving process) I am also slightly worried as I was in America recently in a state where weed is legal. I don't partake in it at all. But I was in environments , concerts etc... Where this was happening. Apparently that stuff can stay in your hair and the met does hair sample tests. My conscious is clear but I am a bit nervous I'd be called out for something I am not into.

If you could fail a drug test by being around cannabis, every uniformed officer would fail instantly.
Reply 399
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mjsn
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Finally got a start date - 23 May! I applied around Christmas 2020 so hang in there guys it happens eventually and things seem to be moving quicker now

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