Saw this
report on the BBC website this morning. Worth a read if you’re interested in a
police career, or indeed in the middle of one. To summarise it states that
delightful Tom Winsor chap – hero of rail regulation – has decided that the
police service could be enriched by recruiting senior officers from outside of
the police force itself; those that have excelled in other industries or
attained high levels of university education.
The
knee-jerk reaction to this from within the inner sanctum of the police service
is ‘what does a successful IT boffin, army officer, snot-nosed university graduate or
indeed rail regulator know about policing the streets and dealing with the villainous
scum we encounter on a daily basis’? At present there are no specific
qualifications required to enrol as a police constable (although candidates
must demonstrate reasonable levels of numeracy, literacy and – dare I say it –
intelligence at various stages throughout the application process) and all new
starters commence careers at the rank of PC, going on to complete a minimum of
two years as a ‘beat bobby’ before promotion can even be considered. To ascend
the rank pyramid takes time, study, written exams, examination boards and no small amounts
of corporate brown nosing. To reach the top of the tree – chief constable –
takes on average 25 years; and even then pay tops out at around £110,000 annual
salary, which when compared to leading roles within other industries isn’t
really a lot if you consider it (and you don’t get a company car).
I believe it
fair to say not many people join the police and wade through the crap front
line officers go through thinking, ‘It’s okay, I don’t mind taking penal swabs
from this rapist, because in 15-20 years all this will be worth it as I’ll be a
superintendent sitting behind a desk at HQ,’ because believe me – it’s not
worth it. The idea of promotion to the hefty heights is something that comes during the career at some stage, not at
the beginning. Most new officers join with the intention of chasing bad guys,
fighting crime at street level and making the local community a better place.
Would
allowing ‘outsiders’ into the exclusive world of the police service be a bad
thing? Maybe not actually. Although I have only worked in one police force, it
is abundantly clear after speaking with other officers from other forces,
scouring internet forums, not to mention the feedback we all receive from the
Federation, change is required to modernise the whole criminal justice system,
not just the police service. Presently senior officers – long since out of
touch with reality – make the most ludicrous decisions that haemorrhage both
police time and tax payers money and when it all goes wrong are not held
to account as the senior officers around them (often the same buddies they have worked with for years) simply pat them on the back for
having a 'jolly good try'. Maybe fresh thinking from outside of the police box could reinvigorate
the service and improve efficiency. Just in the last few months I have read
that 50% of Met officers are over weight, police officer corruption is at an
all time high and that half of officers have a part time job elsewhere! I don’t
believe any of this true but when you throw into the mix the ‘Plebgate’ scandal
and news that the government bizarrely want to attract a higher level of police
candidates by offering a starting salary £4k less than at present (good one Teresa May!), it’s not hard to see
that something needs to change.
Officer
moral is at an all time low; as is public opinion of the police.
Police officer’s pay has been frozen for three years now and our pension
benefit has been slashed. Talk of industrial action and strikes ripple around police stations. I dare say there are a few bad police officers out
there; but then there are most likely a few bad butchers, bakers, candlestick maker,
journalists and yes – politicians too (expenses anyone??)! But the majority of officers I know are
hard working, dedicated, honest and in the job for the right reasons.
The police
service does need reforming and I
welcome any change that benefits it and allows officers to get back to the
basic fundamentals of policing – fighting crime and protecting the public. I
just hope – for the sake of us all – the right changes are made. At present, however, I fear the worst.
PS. Another
personal frustration regarding all this change is that my book will soon need
revising as it will be out of date! However, the vast majority of it is still
relevant so please check it out if you haven’t done so already! CLICK HERE FOR AMAZON PAGE
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