Met Police Officers - would you join up again?

[mrsrhodgilbert]

The Met have recently simplified their recruitment process and relaxed the entry criteria hoping for a large influx of new officers. You no longer have to live in London to apply.

The son of someone I know has applied, from the north and would be leaving behind family and friends to join if successful. His parents are concerned for him, are in the emergency services themselves so know a thing or two.

This isn’t going to alter his decision one bit, I just wondered in light of the horrors we see on the news everyday, would you join up again?

Absolutely no way

not the met but i would, however, i wouldn't join the met, id join a local force.

the money is awful because you pay a lot out in pension contributions, federation fees etc etc

I love my job but it does bring me to my knees occasionally- weather it be a tragic death, horrific images of children i've had to review which haunt me, victims being failed by the justice system and then there all the constant criticism- politicians etc.

However, it's not what i do it's who i am and there's no better feeling than helping someone get justice, supporting the victims and restoring people's faith in the system. Doing the right thing and bringing criminals to justice.

he will need friends and family to support him when he comes home and just wants to cry or when he gets assaulted, he will often be on his own responding to incidents and when he is just too exhausted to cook as he had done a 17hr shift. That's why id try to persuade him to join a local force

Do you mean policing in london or policing in general?

I am not a police officer but are PC’s in London at significantly more risk than PC’s elsewhere? I have googled for stats with no luck.

Local forces are starting to want recruits with degrees even though the rule doesn’t come in yet

local forces. should be looking to adopt the apprenticeship model soon and therefore there will be scope for him to join

Years ago it was a good career to get in to but there is a reason why they've relaxed the criteria so much! I'm not in the Met but have worked closely with them and the budget cuts have been crippling. Everyone is overworked and stressed. That being said, the same is true of so many jobs right now and if this is what he really wants to do then fair enough.

nope. Infact Im not going back after mat leave either. The requirements previously were ridiculous and discriminatory. I wouldn't advise anyone join up these days, I loved my time in uniform but now everyone thinks they are an expert and wants to complain and the risks both on the street and from 'complaints' is too much risk for what you get paid IMO.

No officer needs a degree to be a good officer, what you need is common sense, an interest in people and a desire to do the right thing-any other skill is what adds to the job, not a requirement.

Are you going to stay at home doris or venture into a new career?

He has applied before but failed at interview, all other assessments are still valid. He just needs to pass the medical apparently. I get what you mean about the reason they’ve relaxed the criteria. There will be no friends or family for support. It’s worrying in many respects.

Nicknacky, I have a small business that I'm continuing but enjoying being a SAHM for the moment, I did see an ad for train drivers though and thought I could do that!

doris Good luck to you whatever you do. We have just lost a couple of cops to the trains!

@Dorismakethetea @Nicknacky I'm another one on maternity leave and probably won't be going back. Not in the Met but done 14 years in a rural force and pretty much burnt out. Not sure what I'll do yetbut excited about the future. It's
Definitely not the same job as when I started! And I can't believe new recruits start on less than we did all those years ago.

Ten years as a county mounty. Never again. Have I considered rejoining? Yes, all the time.

Do I miss it? Yes, parts of it - the camaraderie, the team work, the humour, lots of the work, some of the people, the pension.

What don't I miss? The bullying by colleagues and management, the hours (averaged 80 a week in my dept), call out rotas, the effect on my mental health of our all, the exhaustion, the burnout, the jumpiness, the constant watching over your shoulder, the inability to have a work / life balance, the all-encompassing need for work to come first over everything, fitness tests yet no time to stay fit or healthy....

I loved it, but it broke me.

Thanks Nickynacky-same where I was, the added bonus being you don’t have to talk to people I think! 😆 countymounties-you have it just as hard, if not harder than Met as you’re on your own so much-that is soul destroying!
Good luck Maxi , it’s not worth the risk going back so hope you find something where you know you’ll go home at night, on time and alive!

I was in the met, but I am now retired. It's not a job I would want to do now, as crime has changed so much, but, if I was in my 20s again (as I was when I joined) I think I would probably go for it again. When you are young you tend to see the excitement in the role, not the risks. As I have aged I feel much more vulnerable. It was wonderful to be young and very gung ho!