- Joined
- 4 Jan 2013
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The fact they are also so different in scope sends off alarm bells!
Fire service, Prison service, Police force
- Thread starter Rudeboy1
- Start date
Maybe he just likes the idea of a uniform that doesn't have space for stars on the name badge?
Presumably there is some overlap in terms of culture, lifestyle etc... maybe similar motivations behind wanting to serve in the police to wanting to serve in perhaps the prison service or even the military for some (but not necessarily all) people.
Man of Honour
I'm not sure about MOD plod or MDP, but I know BTP recruiting is very similar to the rest of the home office forces. The only exception I know of is the CNC (Civil Nuclear Constabulary).
Man of Honour
The CNC are glorified security guards. They're one of the very few forces where you can't transfer straight to a PC position in another force because you don't have the skillset.
I've just had a quick glance at the mod police, would there be anything I would need to do before applying for that, like being a standard police officer for a certain amount of time ?
The salary is only 17k, do you know how much it would rise ?
The salary is only 17k, do you know how much it would rise ?
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I'm not sure you are taking in what is being explained to you.
Why would you want to join the MOD police on the idea you would need to be a 'standard' Police Officer first....a task that would take you years to achieve anyway.
Being a 'standard' Police Officer is not something you do for a year to qualify for the MOD, and it's a ridiculous notion also.
From what I have read so far you would not get past interview stage, if you got to that stage. Q- "Why do you want to join the Police Service?" A - "because I like the look of the MOD and want to get in there"
I'm not sure about the other 2 but salary information for the police is out of date and is wrong by about £3,000. So I'd suggest going down more official routes to investigate salary!
Quite a few medical conditions will bar you from the Police and Fire Services as well.
Although you don't have to do the speed marches with backpacks that the Army do, you will need a reasonable level of fitness to get into the Police.
Eyesight problems will bar you from the Police service, particularly colour blindness.
I'm not an expert on the Fire service, but I suspect that things like Asthma might cause a few problems with the Respirator units they use. You also need to be able to pull people around and drag them out of danger.
I don't think anyone is trying to put you off, but you need to have a realistic view of things. In todays climate, many Police Forces and the Fire Service have literally stopped recruiting. The budget shortfalls are horrendous and the only way to save money after you've trimmed off all the waste in the back office, is to cut Officer numbers. They're not doing it by redundancy, but by simple natural retirement. In short they're piling on the workload onto the remainder.
Police starting salaries have been slashed - in some Forces you can start on a higher salary as a PCSO (no disrespect to any PCSO's out there).
As Burnsey has already stated - many Forces will expect applicants to have either come in through the PCSO route or having completed a number of years as a Special Constable. In my Force you're not going to get in unless you sign up to a Policing Degree at the Local University and at the end of all of that, although you're guaranteed a qualification at the end of it, there is no guarantee that we will be recruiting at the time of completion.
I would strongly recommend that if you are under say 25, that you go out and get some experience of the world and then reconsider you options.
I joined the Police Service at the age of 19 and a half. In retrospect that was too young. I learnt the hard way and it was bloody difficult to earn the respect of the local community. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed my service and I am in a lovely position that I retire in just over three years time, I would certainly do it again if I could rewind my life, but I wouldn't have joined so young.
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Man of Honour
I would say this kind of attitude is why you shouldn't be looking at any of these careers.
Esp prison service.
I didn't realise the water fairies did things like that.
Water fairies...I like that one!
Here it's the 'Golden Boys' on account of their mad-PR or Trumpton.
Associate
Sharing names for the fire boys time! how about trash and splash 
To be fair, joining the Prison Service with that attitude will help some situations, unless you are faced with a bloke that is 6ft5 and weights in about double you. Then it doesn't.
Trying to lock a career criminal who has been inside for as long as you have been alive is hard, very hard. It was like a lamb to the slaughter for me when I first started. But you learn, the hard way most times.
Age doesn't matter in Prison, just being able to talk to people does. "Know your audience"
Trying to lock a career criminal who has been inside for as long as you have been alive is hard, very hard. It was like a lamb to the slaughter for me when I first started. But you learn, the hard way most times.
Age doesn't matter in Prison, just being able to talk to people does. "Know your audience"