I'm a Police Officer, AMA

[PCAMA]

Also worked in the call centre answering 101 and 999 calls before becoming an officer so AMA about either!

sorry, I was too lazy to do my own thread-I did think about it but I am already sick of the general abuse and didn't want more on here!

Anyway, I have quite a few years in so I am very cynical and wouldn't recommend anyone join at all anymore-we have had all our 'entitlements' taken away, pay cut, pensions cut, everyone moans about police, you cannot police with your hands tied behind your back which is what we are expected to do.

Ultimately, you get the police force / service you deserve sadly-by that I mean if you don't support police and don't question the government who have ruined the service then you are part of the downfall.

Told you I was cynical!

I've been wondering this a long time...

How do you say 'ASP' - is it A S P (letters) or asp (word)?

I wanted to be a policewoman but due to life changes I couldn't join because I had a child.

If your family and partners family have a history of criminal convictions do you have to declare all of this information when applying to the police? Just curious and would it effect yourself joining the police?

Doris that's why I said I hope that when my children are old enough to join I still feel like I'd be happy for them - I know I'm probably going to end up a cynic too and would probably discourage it by then! When I first started as an officer it was pointed out that I was already "too cynical" but I put that down to being a civvie for a few years and already having a bit of an idea about the issues officers face, rather than coming into the job with my eyes wide shut, as it were!

Hi, my brother wants to join the MET.
He's in his 3rd year of public service in college and also going to be a red cap. Royal military police for a while then hopefully make the switch to MET when he's a bit older.

What I wanted to say was, this knife crime that's going on with a lot of youths, how comes its so high, and why do you think a lot of the youths of today are different to the youths of say 20-30 years ago?

I mean don't get me wrong, I was a bit wayward when I was younger but id never think to just walk around stabbing people, and not care about what I've done and show no remorse.

Regards

How do you say 'ASP' - is it A S P (letters) or asp (word)?

I would say asp (word) but we just call them batons!

If your family and partners family have a history of criminal convictions do you have to declare all of this information when applying to the police? Just curious and would it effect yourself joining the police?

Yes, you have to declare it and yes it can have an effect. It doesn't necessarily mean you wouldn't get in, it would depend on the conviction(s), how recent they were and how close you were to said family member. I know one officer who got in despite a family member in prison because he has nothing to do with them at all and a girl who got rejected at the vetting stage because of a family member she is close to who is persistently in trouble with police.

No questions but thank you for the job you do.

My DH's uncle was killed on duty, I hate police bashing.

Interesting what you say about weed. I had a friend who joined the Met over 30 years ago, and advice in training then was to turn a blind eye if you encountered it at eg a party. Weed smoking is, I think, much more widespread now than then, so I'm curious at the change in policy. Or would that be force-specific?

Also, have you ever taken part in brothels raids, and are forced/enslaved/unwillingly trafficked women as common as we are told?

Dazza I think knife crime is, in simple terms, a vicious circle. People carry knives for protection, they feel threatened, they use the knife. Other people then feel they need to carry a knife for protection and the cycle repeats. That's just one explanation and one opinion of mine personally. There's going to be other reasons besides that but fortunately the town I police isn't massively effected by it. The stabbings that we do have are usually drug related. I don't know why people don't feel remorse - I don't like to believe it's a generation of sociopaths.

Pandamodium I'm so sorry to hear that.

What is the general attitude of police officers towards women who report sexual assault?

Are they generally believed/taken seriously?

(I appreciate CID would investigate these and you're a beat officer, but there must be a general feeling?)

Hi many thanks and props for actually replying to what I wrote.
I guess we all have different views on what's really happening at the moment.
Thank you and keep up the good work.

HirplesWithHaggis it might be a force thing, I don't know. It would be interesting to know if the Met are still giving the same advice to new recruits.

I've not personally taken part in raids of brothels but yes, modern slavery, whether it's sexual or physical labour, is as common as we're told, perhaps even more so.

What is the general attitude of police officers towards women who report sexual assault?

I would say that the general attitude is positive, in the sense that officers will do their best to treat the victim sensitively. And yes, they are believed. I read something about how police had decided not to approach sexual assault victims with automatic belief in the wake of the rape cases that have collapsed recently and it made me so angry. We would never say to a victim of any other crime that we don't automatically believe them and we should never say it to rape victims. Fortunately some guidance has since been published by the College of Policing to say that we will still be dealing with these investigations from a position of belief.

Thank you PCAM, that's good to know. As someone with a historic rape case currently with the police I can't say I found Cressida Dick's comments reassuring.

If you were off duty but saw someone breaking the law, WWYD? Would you jump in and try to stop it, or do something else?

Thank you for your reply. As modern slavery is so prevalent, why are there so few prosecutions? Is it a lack of staff, disinterest at higher levels, lack of evidence?

Sorry, cancel that question, it's unfair to ask you.

Do you think that the police have enough training around mental health?

Is it true that if a pregnant women needs a wee, and there are no other options, you have to give them your helmet to wee in?

If you were off duty but saw someone breaking the law, WWYD? Would you jump in and try to stop it, or do something else?

Depends what was happening. If I thought the risk to me was low enough, I'd intervene. Obviously I'd be without my PPE so would have to think about my safety and also that of anyone I'm with. If it was too dangerous then I would observe, call it in and act as a witness.

Hello!

I am interested to know - if you get caught speeding off duty (or similar smaller offense), would you be sacked?

Are you very fit? I think I would have been great in the police apart from the fact I've always know I'm lazy! So I'd be great at the investigating, but not so good at the running after crims!

How political are you and your colleagues? Do you feel like you're dealing with the outcomes/symptoms of government policy (I mean in terms of the links between social exclusion and crime) or are some people just not right? And...are the police mostly Tory? I grew up in a mining area and I think because of the history of the strikes that was assumed to be the case.

Oh I've got another one-what do you think of the other services you work with? Any favourites/least favourites?

I would love to work for the police force. But not as a policewoman/detective.

I have a kanck for seeing through the obvious and wanting to get to the answer or truth.

What would you recommend?

As modern slavery is so prevalent, why are there so few prosecutions? Is it a lack of staff, disinterest at higher levels, lack of evidence?

In all honesty and fairness, I don't know. I know you said to disregard the quotation but my first instinct on reading it would be lack of evidence, in some cases because of the victims fear. Fear of the offenders, fear of giving evidence and even fear of police. Victims are incredibly vulnerable and many of them come from countries where police can't necessarily be trusted. Even British victims are usually people who have had dealings with us before and may not trust us. That would be my guess, I don't know if that is the case.

Do you think that the police have enough training around mental health?

No, is the short answer.

Is it true that if a pregnant women needs a wee, and there are no other options, you have to give them your helmet to wee in?

Afraid not!