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Original poster

Poor ds working hours.

164 replies

Summa23 · 23/08/2023 20:51

Ds is a policeman. He has to work 2 days 7am-4pm then 2-11pm for 2 days. Then 4 days of 10pm till 7pm. Plus any over time that happens. He then get 2 days off. Day 1 is spent kind of sleeping. Due to the over night working. 2nd day of. Then back to work . For 7am. Body clock is awful.

OP posts:
GerbilTrainerExtraordinaire2 · 23/08/2023 21:50

Shift work is shit. At least it’s paid well and he can retire early, unlike complex care work.

Original poster
Summa23 · 23/08/2023 21:51

VashtaNerada · 23/08/2023 21:42

I totally understand what you meant by this post! It’s horrible watching someone you care about working this hard. Shifts are hellish in the police especially if you’re on response and constantly have overtime. You witness terrible things at work and are then expected to come straight home and go to bed. It does get easier though. As he becomes more experienced, he can move about a bit and find shifts that are more decent.

Thank you for getting it. He's my son if I want to feel bad for him have a bit of empathy I cam. I'm his mum. I dkntvhavectk shout suck it up

OP posts:
Tulipvase · 23/08/2023 21:54

I don’t think police work is well paid, certainly not in the beginning.

Original poster
Summa23 · 23/08/2023 21:55

Nicknacky · 23/08/2023 21:49

I’m cynical that he is at work at all…..

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Another poster used the term forced are youvhomg to pull them up on their wording to. You are coming access a bit obsessed over a simple thread.

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 23/08/2023 21:57

Summa23 · 23/08/2023 21:55

Another poster used the term forced are youvhomg to pull them up on their wording to. You are coming access a bit obsessed over a simple thread.

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Obsessed? Hardly. Surely you would find the experience of serving officers helpful as your son seems to be working a really strange pattern?

outsurance · 23/08/2023 21:59

Summa23 · 23/08/2023 21:17

The houes are not always clear and thongs change hevis my son . I'm allowed to feel bad for him and have some empathy for him. FFS

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I'm sorry this might be me I'm ND but what does your first sentence here mean?

SpamFrittersYouSay · 23/08/2023 22:01

He can leave if he's not happy.

It's totally up to him and nothing to do with you.

It's his problem not your's.

VashtaNerada · 23/08/2023 22:06

She’s his mum @SpamFrittersYouSay Grin She’s allowed to worry about him. She’s not dictating what he should do, she just feels a bit shit for him and came on here for a bit of sympathy. I’m not sure why some people are getting so angry about this. I’d be quite touched if my mum came on here and said “my daughter’s having a tough time at work and I really feel for her.”

Ineedasitdown · 23/08/2023 22:07

Df was working those shifts 40 yrs ago. That’s how long those shifts have been in existence.
mit does sound like the homework either hasn’t been done there or he hasn’t been completely honest with you when applying. Or they did tell him and he didn’t realise how hard the reality is.

Either way he has 2 yrs of probation to get through if he likes it enough. After that he can look at other roles and look to more sociable hours. (Eventually)

Original poster
Summa23 · 23/08/2023 22:12

VashtaNerada · 23/08/2023 22:06

She’s his mum @SpamFrittersYouSay Grin She’s allowed to worry about him. She’s not dictating what he should do, she just feels a bit shit for him and came on here for a bit of sympathy. I’m not sure why some people are getting so angry about this. I’d be quite touched if my mum came on here and said “my daughter’s having a tough time at work and I really feel for her.”

According to the whole of this thread. I'm actually not allowed. The whole thread can't be wrong .

OP posts:
Jessbow · 23/08/2023 22:16

4 days of 10pm till 7pm.- so a 21 hour shift, 4 days running? no I dont think so.

he sleeps when?

Tulipvase · 23/08/2023 22:18

Jessbow · 23/08/2023 22:16

4 days of 10pm till 7pm.- so a 21 hour shift, 4 days running? no I dont think so.

he sleeps when?

Presume she meant 7am

Ineedasitdown · 23/08/2023 22:18

It’s not the worst shift system believe it or not.. nursing can have 10 day stretches. And the off duty is unpredictable. At least he has a rolling rota. Sorry op that’s probably not what you want to hear. If you aren’t used to shift work in the family it is a shock to realise how brutal it can be.

fyn · 23/08/2023 22:20

Don’t let him join the army… you’d really feel sorry for him then!

Hurrahitsraini · 23/08/2023 22:25

All forces are diff, ours has two patterns vsa1 (patrol) and vsa2. On the 2nd 7 days on 3 off, 7 on 4 off.
not great for family life… lots specialise and gravitate towards a Monday - Friday role….

Original poster
Summa23 · 23/08/2023 22:25

Tulipvase · 23/08/2023 22:18

Presume she meant 7am

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Oh yes 7am sorry

OP posts:
Tilllly · 23/08/2023 22:25

Hi @Summa23
That's a rotten shift pattern
It's usually a variation of 7 on 4 off, 7 on 3 off

And fed rules say 11 hours btwn shifts so your DSs day 3 is out cos it's only 10 hours, I think

Enforced rest day working should be the exception so perhaps he's volunteering for overtime?

Sorry you're worried about him but he's young, he'll get used to it 😊 And he can speak to his fed rep if he's been made to work hours outside the rules

MeYouAndEllaToo · 23/08/2023 22:29

Tulipvase · 23/08/2023 21:29

I’d like to see the responses to this if the OPs child had been a nurse.

My DD is a nurse, her partner is Police. I’d still have said the same, they chose the career they went into, they knew the hours they’d be working.

ssd · 23/08/2023 22:33

Shifts are hard going

Blackbyrd · 23/08/2023 22:37

@Nicknacky why a detective? Because on some units such as the Economic Crime Unit you can work office hours unless executing a warrant. But getting off response is always helpful regarding nights, which here are 10 til 6. However due to an extreme lack of personnel even ECU are being instructed to do four pairs of nights a year. No need to serve the five years first before transferring over now either, down to two to three . A lot of people never get used to mixed shifts, it's a physical thing not a personal failing. A lot of very harsh responses on this thread and no, coppers don't always get 11 hours between shifts just like other workers don't

Tulipvase · 23/08/2023 22:38

MeYouAndEllaToo · 23/08/2023 22:29

My DD is a nurse, her partner is Police. I’d still have said the same, they chose the career they went into, they knew the hours they’d be working.

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I’m glad you would say that. I stand by my thoughts though that the police are more hard done by than similar professions.

SpamFrittersYouSay · 23/08/2023 22:39

Honestly, I think you're being too precious.

Like I said before, if he's finding it too hard then he can leave.
You're more than welcome to have sympathy but his working patterns are already dictated and he will have known that.

Like a PP said, be thankful that he's not in the armed forces. Their work patterns are considerably harder.

@VashtaNerada I think you need a dose of reality and resilience.

Nicknacky · 23/08/2023 22:40

Blackbyrd · 23/08/2023 22:37

@Nicknacky why a detective? Because on some units such as the Economic Crime Unit you can work office hours unless executing a warrant. But getting off response is always helpful regarding nights, which here are 10 til 6. However due to an extreme lack of personnel even ECU are being instructed to do four pairs of nights a year. No need to serve the five years first before transferring over now either, down to two to three . A lot of people never get used to mixed shifts, it's a physical thing not a personal failing. A lot of very harsh responses on this thread and no, coppers don't always get 11 hours between shifts just like other workers don't

The reason I asked is I’m a detective. My shifts can be horrific and I work far longer hours than uniformed officer do. Some very specialised departments can be dayshift but not as a rule.

Roo84 · 23/08/2023 22:41

Op is possibly referring to the 'forced shifts' being the training days that get put in every so many weeks on the last of the 4 days off. They are mandatory days you have to work (so loose a day off).

Nicknacky · 23/08/2023 22:42

Roo84 · 23/08/2023 22:41

Op is possibly referring to the 'forced shifts' being the training days that get put in every so many weeks on the last of the 4 days off. They are mandatory days you have to work (so loose a day off).

Would they generally be a night shift in your force?