Police Force Control Room

[skysky69]

I have always had a hankering for working for the Police and would have loved to have been a Police Officer, but that ship has sailed and I don't think I would pass the fitness test as a slightly overweight lady with a dodgy knee.

Now I'm at that stage of life where I feel I have more me time (children have left education and are spreading their wings), I have been exploring potential alternatives for working in the Police and have seen positions advertised for the Force Control room answering the 999 calls. I could not do a 8.30 - 5.00pm position away from home as we have dogs and these jobs tend to be rolling shifts which would work with husband's working from home 3 days a week and later starts etc. Is there anyone on here who does that for a job? I wondered if you could tell me the realities of the job, how did you cope with the shift patterns? I am currently a pretty lone worker and I find it appealing to be part of something bigger, part of a team.

Please feel free to private message me if you would prefer, but would welcome people's experiences good or bad.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/work/4861015-anyone-work-as-a-police-call-handler

I'm a bit confused about the times you're talking about having difficulty working though. Control room work is 24/7. Shifts are frequently 6 days on, 4 days off with approx 8-10hr shifts ie 0800-1600, 1400-2200, 2200-0800. But this will vary force to force and depend on local staffing issues.

Training will likely be 0900-1700 Mon-Fri for however many weeks before you join a shift. We then did additional training in between but I was also a Communications Controller so did all the radio work as well as 999 and 101 call handling.

Still the best job I've ever had.

I'm also thinking about applying for this job.

In my city, it's two months' full-time training - then a bunch of shift options are available (starting from 18 hours a week up to full time).

I have worked in the Ambulance service control room. Very similar environment, and it was the best job I ever had. I love shifts and now having moved to a 9-5 (different job completely) I hate it, I would go back to shifts in a heart beat. Everyone has their own way of coping with shifts, luckily for me I am always been blessed with the ability to function well on little sleep!

@CornishPorsche apologies if unclear, my husband works from home at least 3 days a week and whilst I was doing any training he could be at home more and we could ask a neighbour to help out for a short period of time (but would not want this permanently). I attended a zoom call about the position which indicated training would be 6 to 8 weeks which is not a problem.

My local force has shift patterns on their website information page about the role, which seem to be four on, four off with varying shifts. So part time 26.25 hours, consists of shifts that are 11 - 7 for two days and then 7pm to 3am for two days. So husband would need to be at home first two days (but obviously some of those shifts would fall at the weekend), but second two shifts any start time from 1.00pm would be fine as dogs can be walked in the morning until the family get home at 5.00pm ish.