If you’re a detective, is your job all consuming like on TV?

[Redlorryellow]

Just a question really. I love watching true crime or detective dramas (mainly set in the U.K.) and it seems like the main detective on cases (murders ans serious crimes like that) is always at work late, working on leads and evidence etc, and their cases are all consuming often affecting their family lives. Is this an accurate portrayal of the job? It makes me wonder how detectives or high ranking policemen and women have any time for hobbies, family, etc and it couldn’t be more different from my own work life (office based, pretty much 9-5, plenty of annual leave and working from home etc.) I find it fascinating and I know I definitely wouldn’t be cut out for that line of work for loads of reasons, but wondering if I’m real life it is more manageable?

I'm not. But I've worked very closely with them over years (legal area). There are going to be generalizations, but I've found that the people who go down that path to be mostly very dedicated, diligent and hard working. Most people don't have have a good idea of the amount of admin/paperwork/records; tools and technology and support have got better, but also have demands.

I've know people who became totally consumed by certain cases, to detriment of their health and family, because they they though they are doing the right thing. But that is not all the people all the time.

I work in a very busy force but generally hours are manageable. However when there is a major incident you will work some mad hours to get the job done. If there is someone at large who is a threat to the public or a victim in grave danger then you’re not going to be home on time for your tea

But those weeks are what the dramas are based on because it’s exciting! I’ve done some mega shift, slept at my desk and carried on working when I’ve woken up. But if I did that every day I’d die!

[quote PetronellaPea]@SoddingWeddings thanks for that, it’s given me a lot to think about. The more I consider it the less realistic it probably is in my situation. My kids are really young and my partner isn’t in the kind of job where he could be flexible around my shift patterns. It’s a shame but I might have missed the boat sadly, the time to do it would have been my twenties pre-kids.[/quote]
Have you thought about doing more of a policing-adjacent role, e.g. civilian investigator? Think their hours are usually more reasonable/set because lots come under civil service - think counter fraud, HMRC, GCHQ. Or working for the PCC/IOPC (can imagine some of the policing folk hissing at those suggestions), or more like an Ombudsman scheme?

DH was a DS in major investigations for years. It wasn't his worst role for eating up his time tbh. I mean it was bad, rest days cancelled, not allowed leave, 24hr shifts at times, called away suddenly etc but it wasn't constantly like that. Sometimes, he managed 8-6 weekdays when they weren't dealing with anything time critical. He could never, ever commit to anything however.

Most policing isn't family friendly. DH always advises that you look at civilian investigation instead. You get to work alongside but retain a work/life balance to a degree.

I do find it frustrating that women are so put off from policing because of the reputation of work life balance.

Yes it’s a demanding job. But lots of my staff work part time or adjusted shift patterns. I’ve never demanded any of them leave their children shivering at the school gates. If you can stay on and you’re needed great but those who genuinely can’t are not left to throw their kids to the wolves. There are thousands of police officers in the Uk with families making it work.

I’m not saying it’s perfect because it’s not but the more women who say I need to work X shift because of Y the more the police is being forced into the 21st century. Some of my outstanding detectives are mums and dads with kids. I’ll be going back to
work as DI in January after mat leave and I will most certainly be saying no to staying on more often. I know some bosses are not as accommodating and there are some bad experiences here but there are lots of good ones too. For all the bad in it I wouldn’t do anything else, it’s a fantastic job. It’s depressing, exciting, boring and fulfilling all at once and I’m proud of my police family who do it and all those who have given it a damn good go and decided it’s not for them.

@Applesandbaynay and that's great, but I'm sure you've worked for the same bastards I did, where no one was released from duty no matter their reasons, and they are the reasons people (mostly women) like me abandoned ship. Burning staff out is inevitable when CIDs are 50% staffed with huge numbers off long term sick (as they are in my old force even 5yrs after I left) with the focus inevitably ending up on lending staff to Major Crime for Holmes and Green rooms because of the high risk of serious harm. We didn't have options, we were frequently (at least twice a month) ordered to remain on duty in CID. And much mid often than that in uniform.

I'm delighted there are still good bosses like you out there and I know the best ones I worked for who tried to introduce some semblance of a work/life balance were ALL female!

My best mate had to get the Fed involved to get a shift pattern agreed to work full time with a young baby and a husband in firearms - it took her MONTHS to get anywhere with the application, and the DS was an arsehole about it (he'd also been a cock when my now DH was blue lighted to hospital in an ambulance with a suspected heart attack and wouldn't let me leave to be with him).

Skippers and bosses like that are in my experience the greater majority of the people in those roles and they are responsible for the biggest problems. Many people are poorly prepared to fight to get shift patterns, part time working etc at the cost of their working life being made impossible in the workplace. Lack of understanding of HR processes is a huge problem as well, leading to more issues than there need to be. The Fed could be more proactive on this tbh.

Thanks @thevassal, I’ll have a look at those options too.

@PetronellaPea

Have a look at the National Crime Agency - they recruit civilian investigators.

Wow absolutely fascinating replies, thanks to all those and their partners who do this job. I couldn’t do what you do. For the pp who asked, I work as an IT manager in a large business! Not too exciting or meaningful,hence my vicarious love of crime dramas…

I am a criminal investigator into Organised Crime . (Mostly slavery and human trafficking etc) Government. Not police (but seconded to police).

To answer your question yes. When I am on a case where I have a 'lead' as they say in the movies.. I am completely absorbed. My poor dc have had many an afternoon waiting in reception because mum has 'forgotten' the time.
Thank god school days are done... and I can now really enjoy my job. Which I do. Every day.