To ask you which career you would choose - police?

[Doctorpepper]

Morning all!

Long term mn'er who has namechanged. I'm pretty stuck at the moment between two options and wanted to gage some opinions.

I'm currently a nanny, thinking about joining the police. Two completely different jobs, I know, but with similar qualities needed for each: empathy, reasoning and bucket loads of patience and positivity!

Currently look after a little girl who I adore, have done for a couple of years. Mum is due another in a few months and will be going on maternity leave soon - for between 3 - 6 months. It will be an absolute nightmare. Please just take my word for this. However, I feel a lot of guilt knowing that I'm looking to leave at a crucial time in their lives, when they need me. Nannying is not a career, as such: I am lucky if I am able to secure a full time job for 4 years because of the changing needs of the family eg starting school.

Policing is a career with the prospect of progression. I'm under no illusion that it will be easy, but no doubt completely worth it. I suppose, because it's so different to what I do now, I worry that it won't work out. But if I don't try, how will I ever know?

I kind of feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand I feel that I should maybe stick with what I know. On the other hand, I feel that life is too short not to throw caution to the wind and see how things go, to take chances. i wish i knew what the right answer is

Any thoughts, experiences of big career leaps or advice, I'd love to hear it!

No! No! No! Two decades experience in the police here I would never recommend it. It is thankless hard work. The service is very hard on it's employees. The current government is very anti police. Pay has dropped, conditions of service have got worse. There will be no improvement as budgets and officer numbers continue to plummet. And the police service is about as un-family friendly as it gets.

I'm not sure, but I think the police training is now a degree course and self funded.

I'm sorry tea I disagree to an extent.
Yes it's really hard at the moment, as it is in every public sector job sadly, and morale is pretty low.
But, IMO, there is nothing like it. I have never met another PC who has regretted joining, including me. (Maybe I've just been lucky with my Force )
Of course it's hard. But OP don't be under any illusions that you'll be blues and two-ing it everywhere. A lot of being in the police is paperwork, false starts, non crimes and dead ends. So long as you go in with an open mind and don't mind putting in a good few years graft to get where you want to be.
I would recommend joining the Specials, aka Volunteer PC. You have the same powers as a regular but can choose your shifts etc, and it's a great way to 'try before you buy'. I was a Special for two years and I was so much more prepared when I joined. The assesment centre and recruitment is quite stringent, and your Force may not be recruiting for Specials but it's a great way in and you can fit it around your nannying for now

More info here:

www.policecouldyou.co.uk/special-constables/index.html

Dh is in the police.
Not sure he would advise you to join. Conditions and pay/pensions are quite frankly rubbish now and this year dh isn't allowed to take any holidays when the kids are off school. Literally hasn't got a day out of 12 weeks in the school hols.
He gets very frustrated with the politics of it all. Lots of people in the job tops have never been coppers so basically office types thinking they know what will work best without ever having tried it themselves.
Classic example - dh recently had court before night shift. So he worked 8.30-5pm came home then worked 9pm-7am. Resource manager said this was fine and was standard policy when he asked for a later start to get some sleep. I bet she skipped out the door at 5pm home for tea and bed. Really makes me cross.
How is he expected to perform effectively whilst so tired. Race to a road accident at 6am the following day when having been awake/working nearly 24 hours.
They haven't got a clue.

I have no experience of the Police but would think it is rather different to being a Nanny. Hopefully your children don't sweat at you and spit in your face!

How about becoming a Police Special? Will give you the insight into the job without committing yourself. I actually thought that you had to do that for a couple of years now anyway. Also, it may take some time to get in (i.e. recruitment process, waiting list, etc.) so not a quick fix in terms of getting out of your current job.

My Dh has been in the met police for 28 years.
He can't wait to retire.
He also says he doesn't want the kids to follow him into the police.
Too much has changed.

Don't do it.
The jobs fucked more than it has been in the past, with more changes coming after the election.

Why not be a special and see if you like it from there?

Or do the degree/course thing first and see if you like it from there?

The other purple that is not fine. It is not allowed. His day at court should have been his tour of duty. It really isn't standard policy. Either the resource manager was confused or lied as resources were stretched.

I know a nanny who became a police officer. She loves it and is doing really well. So go for it!

Our family are three generations worth of job, and I wouldn't want my kids going anywhere near it.

Police is very over subscribed! Their working benefits have really been eroded over the last half a decade or so. Not sure its worth it these days, but they did used to have a very good deal.

Have you taken a test to suggest jobs?

My DH is in the police and loves being a police officer. We're in Scotland which is undergoing significant restructuring at the moment though which is causing a lot of tension. However he's looking at the long term view. He has a decent pension (compared to me in the private sector it is amazing) he has job security and he has wide opportunities to specialise and promote.

Ir seems like those who have been in the police for more than 10 years are the ones who are most unhappy witg change

purple other purple is absolutely right there should be a minimum of 11 hours between turn around, to do with European working laws I think, less then 11 is illegal I think

DH is in the police, in Scotland if that makes any differnce- and purplehonesty s story is a familiar one here.
Add on one small child, and another on the way and me currently working full time it makes childcare pretty fun!

My dh used to love his job, but the last 5 years or so of politics, more paperwork, less autonomy or trust from superiors, and arse covering aplenty is eroding his love for the job. He joined to make a difference, and he doesn't feel like he does that now.

Please try being a special first, the job and the work is good and always varied but shifts are hard and the conditions have changed so much in the past 10 years

One of my bugbears of my DH's job is the constant change if rota.
It's a nightmare to plan anything.
He has to fight to get annual leave 6 months in advance.
Childcare from him is non existent because he doesn't know when he will be off.
It's getting worse with all the cuts.
People are leaving/retiring and not being replaced.
I can't wait for his 30 years to be up.

Do you have an offer to train as an officer? Lots of forces aren't recruiting at the moment due to cuts so it won't be as easy as deciding to leave nannying and starting your training a month later. DH was on a waiting list just to apply for over a year.

If you're ever intending having children I would think carefully. It is one of the most family unfriendly organisations I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with - the expectation is full time working plus overtime with no notice for most posts. Certainly anything above the rank of constable.

Lots of food advice.

Also bear in mind that the recruitment typically takes a long time from initial application and starting work. I know a friend for whom it took nearly a year. If your employer is currently pregnant (I assume greater than 12 weeks) and you want to be gone before she starts maternity leave, you will probably need a stop gap job.

My friend is a police officer - she loves it. As others have mentioned she was a Special first to gain some experience and decide if it was the right job for her.

Do it. One life. You might not find many forces recruiting at the mo so selection is tough. But try. Many officers love it and you retire early. I am sure its not easy but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Quick change overs of less than 11 hours between shifts are a regular feature of my department and my DH's department. Our departments just couldn't function without staff doing it.

I'd say it very much depends on your force. DH is a police officer and I don't recognise a lot of the issues mentioned already. Yes shifts are all over the place, and seem to change every 18 months or so, but with regard to childcare it's actually made our lives much easier. DH is often home during the day in the week, meaning he can do drop-offs and pick-ups. His shifts usually finish on time (not always), and there should be an 11-hour turnaround on shifts. He enjoys the job, although it can be frustrating at times, and whilst it's true that pay & conditions have changed a lot recently, it's still a relatively well paid job with good increments and pension.

You need to check whether your local forces are recruiting at the moment, as if they're not you obviously won't be able to apply until they are. Even if they are, the recruitment process is quite long, with lots of assessments, medicals, etc. so you wouldn't be leaving your current job right away. I'd say go for it...nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say. If your already unhappy with your current career (as DH was) you've really nothing to lose.