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AIBU?

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Original poster

To feel our police officers should be in better shape?

117 replies

waddlecakes · 18/08/2013 11:01

Seriously, I was watching one of those UK Police style programmes and it's like you'll have a criminal jump out of a car and vault over garden walls, and you've just got these 5'5'' overweight police officers trotting along after them, heaving and panting, calling for back-up. It's not just a TV thing either, I can't remember the last time I saw tall, really fit looking police officers knocking about.

Does the police force not have any standards or what?

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 18/08/2013 13:35

To be fair, that's the image that was given to her from whatever programme she was watching. I certainly haven't been offended and I'm usually easily offended when it comes to anti-police!

bigkidsdidit · 18/08/2013 13:37

Why are being getting offended Confused

Police could be all the attributes listed above and fit, they're not mutually exclusive.

Tapirbackrider · 18/08/2013 13:38
Grin

I agree - but who really watches these things and accepts them as a true depiction of events?

WillSingForCake · 18/08/2013 13:39

Why did you post in AIBU if you weren't going to listen to people's responses?

Running after criminals makes up a tiny proportion of what a police office does. Many police officers will never have to run after someone. Those cop documentaries don't really represent real life.

Burmobasher · 18/08/2013 13:42

What a thick goady post. Bit pointless giving an intelligent and reasoned response.

McNewPants2013 · 18/08/2013 13:44

Let's say a potential criminal ( after all they are not a criminal until they have had a conviction) does manage to escape. It will not be long before CCTV images are realised and they are caught.

Nicknacky · 18/08/2013 13:45

Mcnew, so you just don't bother trying to catch them then??

SilverApples · 18/08/2013 13:53

Well, the youth of today are getting fatter and more unhealthy, so eventually police chases are going to end up looking like the slow-motion section of Chariots of Fire.

McNewPants2013 · 18/08/2013 13:55

Of course try and catch them, as it takes time and money to get CCTV images out and get the public to help out.

I was pointing out that if a person does escape there are other ways to catch them.

Nicknacky · 18/08/2013 13:58

Not every where has CCTV, many foot chases are in residential areas. Of course there is other ways of catching them but first and foremost is as soon after the offence. Esp for future crime prevention, forensic opportunities etc

comingalongnicely · 18/08/2013 14:00

I think that personal fitness is a huge part of the role. I realise that running after crims is not a massive part of the job, but on the other hand, no one is going to respect an obese copper who sweats just walking down the street either.

I honestly thought that there were fitness levels they had to reach & was gobsmacked to find that there weren't.

Before you go on about the gear, I was a squaddie for 14 years & had to pass Combat Fitness Tests which involved running 3 miles in 33 minutes with 36lbs of webbing plus a rifle (9lbs) and helmet (6lbs) wearing boots, combat trousers and combat jacket. And we're not talking about just youngsters, we had people up to 45 having to do this.

If anyone failed, they were on remedial PT over a few weeks to get them back up to the required standards. If they continually failed then they were downgraded medically & went onto reduced activities & pay.

So I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that those that enforce the law should be in a fit state to firstly discourage crime & secondly to at least keep up for the first mile or so. My uncle (Ex Essex Police) is of the same opinion.

Give the desk jobs to the unfit ones (and pay accordingly) and keep the fit ones on the streets.

On the other hand, I'm quietly confident that, if required, I could get away from any of our local constabulary easily which is comforting....

OhDearNigel · 18/08/2013 14:02

.............and replace them with young unemployed people desperate for work?

I can assure you that being a police officer is a fucking difficult job for which the mental attributes and abilities are considerably more than being unemployed and desperate for a job. Come along and try it if it's so easy it could be done by anyone.

My force recently advertised for 80 recruits. 2000 people applied.

ithaka · 18/08/2013 14:12

OhDearNigel, your post rather makes the point that there are many people out there prepared to replace unfit officers and with 200O applicants, you would be spoiled for choice...

Anyway, I think a basic level of fitness is a reasonable expectation for a police offier.

Age is certainly no barrier to being fit - I am certainly considerably fitter and stronger than many lazy teenagers who take no exercise and eat junk.

sagfold · 18/08/2013 14:13

'No one is going to respect an obese copper who sweats just walking down the street'. I honestly don't even know where to start with that statement.

thing1and2 · 18/08/2013 14:21

comingalong there ARE fitness levels to be achieved, both upon application, entry and ANNUALLY IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF FORCES.

Many police stations do not have any gym facility any more, not even time to take a piss or eat a snack if you are in uniform, never mind remedial fitness training built in to daily duties UNLESS you are firearms or similar.

give the desk jobs to the unfit ones it sounds like a desk job in the army may just be paper shuffling, but most desk jobs in the police, including mine, have to be applied for, with specific selection criteria, skills base, additional aptitude requirements, additional responsibilities with no additional pay. Want a rape, child abuse, trafficking, murder or kidnap being dealt with by a team including someone who didn't apply for it or want to do it?

thing1and2 · 18/08/2013 14:27

ithaka I truly wish we were spoilt for choice with new recruits. In my experience the sad reality is that the vast majority do not posses half the life skills, work ethic, aptitude or attitude required to get through training. Even if they are good at one-foot-in-front-of-the-other-quickly

ithaka · 18/08/2013 15:33

thing1and2, so what you are saying is that the public has to put up with unfit officers because you cannot get the right quality of applicants?

That is a shame, I would have hoped it would be an attractive profession to many intelligent and motivated people.

You are the one with the inside knowledge, so I must take your word for it, although it is depressing to realise that you are forced to select from such a poor pool - but it does explain some of the shortcomings in terms of fitness etc.

comingalongnicely · 18/08/2013 15:35

thing1and2 - OK, so there are fitness levels, why should work provide a gym or expect it to be done on work time? Do what the rest of us (that keep fit) do - go for a run, bike ride, to the gym in your own time! It's not hard.

sagfold - I'm sure if you try really, really hard you'll find a response. The fact remains that people don't have any respect for a bloater in a uniform puffing around the town centre.

Original poster
waddlecakes · 18/08/2013 15:39

''I truly wish we were spoilt for choice with new recruits. In my experience the sad reality is that the vast majority do not posses half the life skills, work ethic, aptitude or attitude required to get through training. Even if they are good at one-foot-in-front-of-the-other-quickly''

I can see that moving up in the ranks would require a wider skill set.

But surely those on the beat just need to be fit, have common sense, be smart and street smart, and decent people?

Are you telling me that out of the thousands of applicants, you can't find anyone to meet that criteria? Because I know a lot of people who fit that description.

OP posts:
sagfold · 18/08/2013 15:45

Coming -perhaps if you try really, really hard you may come to see that basing whether one respects someone based purely on their physical appearance/BMI reflects a flawed approach to life and interpersonal relationships. Or should our respect for others be based purely on whether or not they physically intimidate us?

HTH

LuisSuarezTeeth · 18/08/2013 15:57

I can't recall seeing an overweight officer in real life or on TV. And I have seen rather a lot recently.

Perhaps they are hiding in the broom cupboards in the stations, not fit to be seen by The Public.

Ilovefluffysheep · 18/08/2013 16:02

Waddle, it takes 2 years to train a new officer, and a hell of a lot of expense!

I hope you never ever need help from me as I'm one of those you obviously loathe - in my 30's, overweight and a police officer. Shame on me!

For the particular job I do, which I had to take an exam for followed by a 6 week course I don't need to be fit. I sit at a desk mainly, deal with prisoners mainly by appointment, and if we have live prisoners come in then they are obviously in the police cells and not going to run anywhere!

When I was a general duties officer many years ago when I joined, I think I ran after someone about twice, and I knew already I had no hope of catching them, it was just more about showing willing to run. As others have said, with a stones worth of cumberson equipment on you you're already fighting a losing battle.

There is far far more to policing than running after criminals - that really is a minute part of the job, and one that honestly doesn't happen that often.

comingalongnicely · 18/08/2013 16:09

sagfold - respect is earned.

I think you're missing the point. They are employed to fulfil a certain role, with certain requirements. If they can't fulfil those requirements, then what impression does that give?

I'm not being "fat-ist" - but I'd give a fat copper the same respect that I'd give a blind sniper....

There are requirements for a role, if you can't fulfil them then get another job!!

As for bleating "they won't let me in the gym during work" - ask an accountant (for example) how much work they have to do in their own time to maintain or improve their professional qualifications. Why should Public Sector be any different to Private? Everyone else has to do a little bit in their own time if they want to progress.

Traffic Police, Desk Officers, Custody Sergeants - be whatever shape you like. Those that are on foot patrol need to be capable of fulfilling all aspects of that role.

Sorry if that offends, but there you go!!

brunette123 · 18/08/2013 16:13

There were a couple of very fit (!) looking policemen the other day at the petrol station filling up their silver corsa - they could run after me any day and I'd make sure I ran very slowly - they were hot hot hot.

Nicknacky · 18/08/2013 16:17

I have never stepped foot in a police gym and wouldn't even consider expecting to exercise in work time, I don't think many officers would expect that. However a lot of office based officer do because they are not expected to respond to ongoing incidents

It's a disciplined organisation and is down to the individual to make sure they are fit for the role they have, in my opinion