Police recruits

[Silver_Shiney]

I see the latest brainwave is that only university graduates may become policemen from 2020.

I fear this will lead to a reduction in our already overstretched force.

[qbman1]

Having seen some of the "graduates" who come through our door, it will also reduce the average IQ by 40% !!

[towny44]

Having seen some of the "graduates" who come through our door, it will also reduce the average IQ by 40% !!

You got there before me Cubie.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well it'll be a step up for graduates from serving burgers

[Kendhni]

The main thrust of criminality is moving upmarket and into the electronic arena therefore it makes sense that the police have to try to keep up ... a grade 'C' in woodwork is probably not going to be good enough to take on the new generation of criminal.

[Silver_Shiney]

The main thrust of criminality is moving upmarket and into the electronic arena therefore it makes sense that the police have to try to keep up ... a grade 'C' in woodwork is probably not going to be good enough to take on the new generation of criminal.

Agreed, but there are still many intelligent people who are not academically proficient who, wanting to be a policeman, now can't even apply. We still need "bobbies on the beat".... (Or the return of bobbies on the beat)

[Kendhni]

The main thrust of criminality is moving upmarket and into the electronic arena therefore it makes sense that the police have to try to keep up ... a grade 'C' in woodwork is probably not going to be good enough to take on the new generation of criminal.

Agreed, but there are still many intelligent people who are not academically proficient who, wanting to be a policeman, now can't even apply. We still need "bobbies on the beat".... (Or the return of bobbies on the beat)

Part of the problem with the police service at the minute is that people who cannot get jobs elsewhere sometimes end up applying for the police as a last resort ... and that 'last resort' attitude sometimes shines through in a small number of today's police. However someone with a degree can just as easily plod the beat as fight crime electronically.

I have always thought it better to try to bring everyone up to a higher standard rather than allow some to bring everything down to that of the lowest common denominator. If the standards are raised then it is a win-win, because those that really want to join the police will strive to meet the appropriate grade and we end up with a more qualified officer who 'wants to be there'.

[Silver_Shiney]

There are workers everywhere with a poor attitude. I can't imagine a university graduate wanting to pound the beat...

I agree that those who really want to join will strive to achieve but, as I said, there are some very intelligent people who simply cannot cope academically - it's not that they can't learn, they just can't sit exams.

It's the same with nursing - my youngest always wanted to be a nurse and had to go to uni, but she says there are aspects of nursing that do not need a uni education, so they ought to bring back the old system of SEN and SRN. Starting off as a lower grade doesn't mean taking cross.

It's like when I joined the RAF as an apprentice avionics technician - we all wanted to work on aircraft servicing electronic gubbins. After the major exam half way through, it was decided that two lads showed aptitude for better things and were commissioned (they piloted Tornadoes in the first Gulf War and at least one achieved air rank). I, on the other hand , got kicked off the course!

[Kendhni]

There are workers everywhere with a poor attitude. I can't imagine a university graduate wanting to pound the beat...

It actually leads to an interesting quandry ... is it a case that we need a two tier police force ... graduates who do the more intellectual work and non graduates that pound the beat ... personally I would find that a little bit patronising.

[towny44]

The main thrust of criminality is moving upmarket and into the electronic arena therefore it makes sense that the police have to try to keep up ... a grade 'C' in woodwork is probably not going to be good enough to take on the new generation of criminal.

It might be if they were then allowed to use the baton they had made in woodwork class on the criminals.
I have always thought it better to try to bring everyone up to a higher standard rather than allow some to bring everything down to that of the lowest common denominator.
Ken if I thought that a university education for those at the bottom end of the spectrum was worthwhile, then I might agree. However it just seems to perpetuate the idea that the country owes them a good living because they spent 3 years of their lives partying around the off campus watering holes.

[Silver_Shiney]

There are workers everywhere with a poor attitude. I can't imagine a university graduate wanting to pound the beat...

It actually leads to an interesting quandry ... is it a case that we need a two tier police force ... graduates who do the more intellectual work and non graduates that pound the beat ... personally I would find that a little bit patronising.

No more patronising than the military having commissioned and non-commissioned ranks.

[Silver_Shiney]

The main thrust of criminality is moving upmarket and into the electronic arena therefore it makes sense that the police have to try to keep up ... a grade 'C' in woodwork is probably not going to be good enough to take on the new generation of criminal.

It might be if they were then allowed to use the baton they had made in woodwork class on the criminals.

if only..!!

[Stephen]

I see the latest brainwave is that only university graduates may become policemen from 2020.

I fear this will lead to a reduction in our already overstretched force.

Good luck with that one.

From having a brief discussion with a ranked police officer the other evening (unofficially I might add) one of the main problems in the force is bullying, resulting in officers leaving in droves. They can't retain the officers they have so I cannot see how making it a graduation requirement to join the force is going solve anything.

[Raybosailor]

You don't have to go to university to get up to scratch with technology you just need the desire to learn.
I left school at 15 with no qualifications at all, computers were something you only saw on science fiction films and the clever bods that I knew who went on to university all finished up working in banks and insurance offices.

I spent the 50 years of my working life moving from trade to trade due to redundancies but 22 years of that was spent working for the Co-op and worked my way up from yard man to stock controller. During this period the Co-op changed the stock control procedure to a new computerised system and I and several others had to go on a course to learn the system. During the course I had to ask the tutor to explain things in a more simple format so I could understand it better, there were two clever bods who were both uni grads and both made no bones about ribbing my lack of understanding with quotes like " there's always one isn't there?.
When the system went live I was one of a few who could work it and guess who were the two who struggled the most, I had great pleasure in showing them how to do things.

As far as the police are concerned I think they spend too much time with paperwork, they should have a notebook for each beat day that is handed in daily for someone else to type up and enter into the system, they would only have to check that everything is correct and sign it enabling them to get back to policing.

[Silver_Shiney]

.

As far as the police are concerned I think they spend too much time with paperwork, they should have a notebook for each beat day that is handed in daily for someone else to type up and enter into the system, they would only have to check that everything is correct and sign it enabling them to get back to policing.

There's only one thing wrong with that notion, Ray.

It's too much like common sense.

[Raybosailor]

.

As far as the police are concerned I think they spend too much time with paperwork, they should have a notebook for each beat day that is handed in daily for someone else to type up and enter into the system, they would only have to check that everything is correct and sign it enabling them to get back to policing.

There's only one thing wrong with that notion, Ray.

It's too much like common sense.

I'm not kidding Alan about 3 years ago I saw 3 youths pushing a pallet truck along the road with a large industrial size compressor on it, they were coming from the direction of a small industrial lock up unit.
I drove on to our local police station to find the doors locked and sign on the door said when closed pick up the phone on the wall, I looked through the window to see 4 police officers sat at desks so I rattled on the window. The 4 officers just sat there making pick up the phone gestures and pointing to the entrance so I picked up the phone and I was talking to someone at Central HQ 6 miles away who said they would send someone to take a statement from me. Two days later a community volunteer officer came to my door to ask me some questions but he could not take a statement but could I phone the police station to make an appointment. I phoned the number for our local police station to make an appointment but I got a recorded message saying that the station was closed at the moment and gave me a number for Central HQ.
If you want to hear the rest of this saga start reading again at line three.

[Stephen]

You wonder why you bother Ray. We have a similar set up where we live, office hours.

Opening Hours

Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sunday
Closed

[Silver_Shiney]

I phoned the police once to say I was following a suspected stolen car. They asked (naturally) why I thought it was stolen.

1 there's a big no-smoking sign hanging from the rearview mirror. All occupants are smoking.
2 all occupants are children, and swigging from cans
3 the driver can barely see over the steering wheel, he's so small

They weren't interested

[barney]

I once reported a burglary in action.
Someone was breaking in to my shed.
I rang the Police and they said they had nobody to send.
I said, don't worry, I've got a gun, I'll sort it out myself.
Within five minutes there were vans & helicopters arriving and the place was crawling with police.
After sealing off the area, the top cop said to me "I thought you said you have a gun."
I replied, "I thought you said nobody was available"

[Manoverboard]

There are workers everywhere with a poor attitude. I can't imagine a university graduate wanting to pound the beat...

It actually leads to an interesting quandry ... is it a case that we need a two tier police force ... graduates who do the more intellectual work and non graduates that pound the beat ... personally I would find that a little bit patronising.

Maybe so but if they're all graduates then the poor old buggers at the bottom of the pile will miss out on yet another job opportunity that they were entirely cable of doing.

I worked for a Company, albeit many years ago, that employed staff with very different capabilities and providing each group do what they are best suited to then it will work out just fine ... for the most part.

[Mervyn and Trish]

There's nothing new here. Many many years ago my brother, who did not have a degree, reached the rank of sergeant in the police force. Then an inspector job came up. My brother had passed the relevant exams. But they said they were sorry but they had to give the job to a relatively new recruit because he was a "graduate entrant."

When the new inspector took up his post my brother was asked to show him the ropes and help him out as he had no experience.

Shortlly after my brother left the force.

[Stephen]

I once reported a burglary in action.
Someone was breaking in to my shed.
I rang the Police and they said they had nobody to send.
I said, don't worry, I've got a gun, I'll sort it out myself.
Within five minutes there were vans & helicopters arriving and the place was crawling with police.
After sealing off the area, the top cop said to me "I thought you said you have a gun."
I replied, "I thought you said nobody was available"

The oldn's are the bestn's barney

[Stephen]

There's nothing new here. Many many years ago my brother, who did not have a degree, reached the rank of sergeant in the police force. Then an inspector job came up. My brother had passed the relevant exams. But they said they were sorry but they had to give the job to a relatively new recruit because he was a "graduate entrant."

When the new inspector took up his post my brother was asked to show him the ropes and help him out as he had no experience.

Shortlly after my brother left the force.

Sounds typical Merv.
Qualified up to the hilt, but have no common sense and don't know their ar*e from their elbow.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Spot on

[Raybosailor]

You wonder why you bother Ray. We have a similar set up where we live, office hours.

Opening Hours

Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sunday
Closed

Thanks for the tip Stephen, so its better to break into your house between 5:00pm and 9:00am Mon - Fri or all day Sunday then