Joining the Police Force: My Story
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2018
- In 2017 I was successful with my application to join Thames Valley Police. This was a dream I'd had for as long as I can remember, but the dream ended in early 2018.
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To anyone joining, I've been in for over three and a half years now, no taser, no response driving... if you want courses, go to the counties. I wouldn't recommend joining now as it's a 3 year degree to become a copper now. If you want to become a copper, and want driving courses and taser, then go to a county force, otherwise you'll be waiting a long time for them. The job isn't what you think it is either, the amount of times I've been sat on a plastic chair outside a cell, watching a prisoner, for 9 hours, not allowed to look at your phone, or read a book, but forced to sit there and watch them on a constant supervision shift, because they've threatened self harm or suicide, and despite the fact the cells have cameras in them, the custody sergeant decides it's not worth the risk and so you sit there all shift, you'll be lucky if you get more than a 5 minute loo break in that 8-9 hours.
Amount of hospital guards I've been on, with a prisoner who's being abusive, but we have no choice but to remain at hospital because they need treatment, and they're under arrest and therefore we can't leave, or someone we've sectioned who is repeatedly using physical violence to try and escape from the place of safety, usually a hospital, and you spend 8 hours constantly having to restrain someone, and tolerate their abuse for 8+ hours, and in extreme cases, as long as 12 hours, it's physically exhausting.
The amount of crime scenes I've sat on all night long, or all morning or evening waiting for a specialist team to come out, who "don't work weekends"...
The amount of times I was put in the front office, dealing with enquiries from members of the public, or taking crime reports at the front office all day long....
Policing now really isn't what people think it is, you spend far less time out on the streets arresting people, or going to calls, than most people believe, and the reality is you will spend most of your first 3-5 years sat inside a police station.
Policing now is more about safeguarding other people's health (i.e preventing a detainee from strangling themselves or smacking their head repeatedly against the wall in a custody cell) and doing case papers than it is actually patrolling the streets. Or arresting someone who's alleged their partner has attacked them, however they then turned around and state they don't want them prosecuted, and you then see them walking along the street together the following week, the hours you spent dealing with that job, essentially wasted, because they are back together again and the violence is able to continue.
To anyone reading this, who wants to join, by all means, do so, but this comment is just to give an insight into what the reality of policing is like, because the vast majority of people frankly have no idea.
I am doing a degree right now in Psychology and Criminology about to be in 2nd year. I was thinking of joining the police degree apprenticeship. Do you think I should just carry with my degree and forget about policing cuz it’s not worth it? I am genuinely confused and don’t know what to do as I don’t want debt on my head and the idea of getting paid while getting a degree is not so bad
Degree is 3 years you do it along side your full time police job during thay time they shift you around every department so you get an understanding for every aspect of the job you get paid a full standard pc wage aswell as being a full officer from day one 🤷♂️
Would you recommend a police apprenticeship?
best thing to do is not romanticise any job role
@@muffincute3921 Absolutely. There's too many people that think policing is like what they see on the TV. I new of numerous recruits who went through 13 weeks of training, only to resign after being told "They would have to work shifts, including nights and weekends" and "They may be off late". I'm not quite sure what they expected when they applied to join a disciplined police service....
3 more officers I worked with and helped all resigned very quickly, because it wasn't for them, 1 officer i trained with resigned after 5 weeks on the street, because it didn't suit his family lifestyle and his Mrs was earning significantly more than him doing a far less stressful and dangerous job.
Hi I had family problems last year but I didn’t get arrested, it was just abuse from both sides on phone calls that person reported me and i had to sign something so I don’t contact the person again same was to that person, but I’ve never been trouble with police before I don’t have a criminal record am I still legible to join the police force thanks
Sent my online application and took ages especially with the family members part about 3 weeks now. Just wondering what the time frame actually was from sending the application to starting training. Also what was the interview process like and what questions do they ask you
Best of luck with it all! The information with vetting and things took me so long, there is a lot of information that is required and I recommend having it all ready beforehand before you begin the application as I started it and left it a few days to then have it all disappear and then I had to restart it..
The interview was relatively easy, despite me being a nervous wreck (or so I thought) it wasn't too long and the questions weren't all that difficult. From what I recall they gave me two scenarios that I had to explain what I'd do in (as an officer), knowledge of laws etc didn't matter too much as you weren't expected to know this in the interview.
They obviously asked why I wanted to join the police, what my weaknesses were - to which I said I sometimes lack confidence and this came across in the interview as when I was told I was successful, they mentioned about my confidence and said they believed I would grow in confidence over time but just to work on it as much as I can.
It was some time ago so I don't remember what other questions they asked me, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting to be fair.
Thanks for sharing a really interesting story! I have just currently underwent an assessment centre for PC and am awaiting results so I am very excited as to possibly accomplishing a dream of mine that I have always had. Great video, I will certainly be subscribing! 👍
Thank you for subscribing! I wish you the best of luck with your dream and I am keeping my fingers crossed that you are successful this time, but if not, you can always try again in the future! :D
TheJadonMayhew thank you! You are absolutely right! It’s all about resilience.
I'm sure you'll be fine, apparently the assessment centre is designed to make you fail, and 70% of applicants fail, however I took it twice, once in late 2015 to join as a special and then again in early 2017 to join as a regular officer, both times I passed the assessment centre first time. Been doing the job out on the street since late 2017 and approaching the end of my probationary period.
Good luck!
thefiestaguy how do you find it? Management, shifts, traumatic scenes dead bodies blood and guts all good or not for the faint hearted??? 😉
Can a police constable quit at a time or not. As I'm planning on becoming a police constable for a few year so that I can become a Canadian mountie or an Australian police officer
Hi Jadon, great video, very informative. Do you remember how long exactly it took you to begin training from the completion of your final interview; how long the vetting, medicals, fitness etc took?
I'm approaching the date for my final interview and itching to get in
Sorry for the late comment but do special constables get the same gear and drive the police cars just like a regular cop and is it full time? Thanks.
Hey, he passed away but I can answer this, and the answer is yes, there is a minimum of hours you have to do. But its all pretty much the same but just no pay
Also with regards to the bison test, if I have prescribed glasses am I still able to join?
I'm not entirely sure what a bison test is, unless that's autocorrect doing it's thing? However, you can still join if you wear glasses.
How many months need to wait to start training after all interview, vetting and all process.?
Do you have to choose your job in secondary school or later schools?
You don't have to "choose" a job at any point in your life, technically speaking. You are free to make the decisions and choices you want, whether that is deciding your career in school or later in life. There is no set age for when you must find a job and settle down.
Of course, if you want to earn money then finding a job sooner rather than later is important, but, you don't have to be 100% sure of your life long career immediately.
so, i could do with a bit of advice, i wish to start in the specials next May/June, has anyone got any tips as to be able to pass the fitness test, any help will really really be appreciated
The fitness test is nothing to worry about. Do some jogging and some bleep tests to get used to it and you will be fine 👍
How long does the process take to become a police officer so with all the training and application
I'd imagine it varies from force to force, and there is a big difference in training time between a regular officer and a special. This is because if you're applying as a regular you will be training during the week, whereas the specials train on every other weekend (Thames Valley Police, at least) and this was over the course of around 6 months.
The process before this, the interview and vetting etc took approximately 4-5 months.
Hi man, is there anywhere I can message you? Just I wanna join police and I'm 16 so kinda not sure since dad disagrees :(
You should be able to find my email address via my channel on the "About" section.
I really like your energy. Thank you for this insight
how many rereferences do they ask for? and do you konw if they accept estranged family
How long did it take before the police got back to you after your application? As I’ve applied for the police 2 days ago and very eager to get into it but not sure on how long it’ll be before I hear anything back.
It was extremely fast, but there was also not a pandemic at the time so that may be having an impact on things. Best of luck!
Jadon Mayhew thank you mate appreciate your response!
Lee, how did it go?
Hey do you think the police are institutionally racist? I have a family member who works for the met and they said theres a lot of internal racism, sometimes indirectly from colleagues and senior member of staff. This has really put me off from completing my application to join the met. Thoughts?
Short answer, no.
I do not believe they are. I believe there may be a very small minority of officers who perhaps subconsciously are, and some who just outright are - but this would be a very small minority. There will always, in any job, be bad eggs and sadly the police force is no different. I've come across a few in my time, but I have seen more good officers than bad. I hope that answers your question!
I was wondering. I come from a large family too. My siblings have offences (with one in prison), would I still be able to join?
To my knowledge it is looked at on a case by case basis and depends how much involvement you have with them now. If you have little to no involvement with them then it should not be much of an issue, but if you are still heavily involved with them then it may be considered a conflict of interest but ultimately it would be up to the police force.
Hello Jadon how old are you in this video becouse you look young and how old are you now.
Is responding to crime in the police car something you did or is patrolling areas just a constable job
As I never completed the training, due to the reasons I mentioned in the video, I never got the opportunity to go on patrol. However, as far as I am aware, Special Constables do drive police cars much like regular officers and depending on the force you can apply to other departments, such as traffic.
great video dude! what do they do for vetting? is it just your family who you live with they want info about? or even the cousins you never see? what if you don't have any family though?
From what I recall it didn't need anything like cousins etc, just your closet family such as parents and siblings. The vetting is very intense and there is a lot of information they require, understandably.
do they need to speak to your family face to face or do they just need their details like date of birth etc? thanks btw mate, youre awesome! :) @@JadonMayhew
Seb Weller To my knowledge they never spoke to any face2face, just required details such as DoB and addresses and any previous names used
Ive done the online assessment (written assessment ,briefing and competency based exercise )i just wanted to know if you know how long they take to get back to you??
Depends on the force, mine took about a week, then I had to do some other tests online, 3 of those, by Apollo if I recall, after that I heard nothing for about another month until I was given a link to book my Day 1 assessment centre (SEARCH) test.
Depends on the force mine took 2 months. Before i got my interview dates and invites which was 4 weeks from then.
Do you need GCSEs or is there other ways in the uk
You do not require any qualifications to join as a Special Constable. You may need qualifications (dependant on the force) to join as a regular officer.
What grades do you need to get in the police force?? (UK grades)
Totally depends on the force in question, as they all set their own requirements. For Thames Valley Police (TVP) it's A-Levels and a CKP (Certificate in Knowledge of Policing) for a regular. For a special in TVP there are no grade requirements. I'd recommend having a look at your local force's website and checking out the careers section which should give you more information on what (if any) grades are required! :)
TheJadonMayhew ok thank you so much :)
You went away from training which would be difficult leaving family, how long was the training though??
The training was nearly every other weekend (Fri-Sun) for 6 months.
Jadon Mayhew thank you so much for the information, great video and help people progress with their careers!
This might sound like a stupid question 😂😂 do you have to take any equipment / uniform home? Im guessing you leave Batons at the station and other stuff like CS gas, but in terms of the stab proof vests and hats etc. I’m hoping to join the police soon but I was just curious if you’re able to take any part of your uniform home and travel to work in it, rather than having to change into it in the station every morning. Every force might be different in terms of uniform procedure but I thought I’d ask anyway 😂
There's no such thing as a stupid question! And yes, certainly for Thames Valley Police, you are expected to take your items home. Of course, as you said, not the pepper spray but the rest you do. I do not recall if the baton is taken home or not, I know during training the handcuffs and baton are not but I believe they are once attested.
Generally speaking most people will not drive to the station visibly in their police uniform, due to the varying threats. Some will cover up by wearing a plain jumper over the top and some will get changed at the station. However, rules on that will vary force to force and I do not believe it was a requirement under TVP to do it one way or another, just a recommendation.
Pepper spray is classed as a firearm and therefore cannot be taken home. It is kept at the police station and you must sign it in and out each shift, like you would if you were part of the firearms team.
Captor spray is a section 5 firearm and stays at the Nick, everything else on your utility belt you take home.
@@JadonMayhew I was going to say, do you guys down there generally conceal yourselves for safety. I personally keep well covered when travelling in and out of work. I’ve been followed home a couple of times and had to take evasive action to lose the following vehicle. Obviously whilst speaking to ACR staff and telling them I’m going to run a red ATS, and put my foot down. The public don’t understand just how dangerous the job is at times, especially these morons that call themselves auditors, filming our private vehicles without a care in the world. The job isn’t what it used to be Jadon, 18 years in now and the changes are pretty terrifying, compared to when I first joined up.
How long do you have to be a special constable before you can become a full time police officer. Is it better to get A levels instead? If so what A levels are best?
You need to be a special constable up to the point where you are on independent patrol status (all training is done and you're no longer supervised, this would take roughly 6 months). You will then need to apply for the regular role just as anybody else would apply regardless of if they are a special or a member of the public. It's completely up to you if you wish to do A-levels first but good luck!
There is no set time limit and being a Special Constable doesn't mean you are then able to become a regular. The requirements are set by each force and therefore you'd have to look at what they ask of you. Thames Valley Police did not require specific A-Levels but just that you had some (though I do not remember how many). They also require that you have CPK.
@@JadonMayhew yeah. I was looking to get an apprentiship so I'm gonna do my A levels
@@JadonMayhew how do I check how many A levels are required, how many gcse i need before that and what ones are best? I would also be doing and apprentiship to get the ckp certificate. I want to know this to get a head start as I'm nearly 15, I like to plan ahead in case anything goes wrong and I can study better knowing what I need to do
Do you need exams to become a police officer
Interesting story and it could apply to many peoples lives across the board. Choices are hard to make the way the world is set up and society makes it more difficult as well. People should be free to do whatever profession they are interested in at any time not handcuffed to one indefinitely.
What station were you posted at?
It was going to be Loddon Valley, unfortunately I obviously left beforehand due to what I explained in the video but it's definitely something I may look into again in the future once things have settled.
Did you have to do a polygraph test when going through the academy?
No. Polygraphs are non existent in the UK. They’re unreliable so we don’t use them.
@@peteglanton9259 okay, thank you for answering.
Can you make more videos about the police, they are really informative.
I'd be more than happy to, potentially on my secondary channel (MoreJadon). What sort of content specifically regarding police would you like me to make? What topics etc? :)
TheJadonMayhew just things like what to do, or what you should know before joining or q&a, tips etc.
I'll certainly look into doing some more videos on it :)
How did you prepare for the interview questions ? Also great video!!
It basically comes down to just doing research into the role itself - as you would for any job interview. I then used the research I’d done in answering the questions, particularly during the scenario based questions - such as making mention of the warrant card to show I knew about the role.
Jadon Mayhew Hi! Thanks for this! I had my interview and heard back the same day that I was successful! So now preparing for the next few bits I need to complete!
It's now 5 GCSE's at grade 4/C or above or level 2 equivalent now to become a constable, so hopefully anyone who wants to become an officer like me can have an easier time getting in
Without being rude.... 5 GCSE's is not hard at all. When I joined very nearly 4 years ago it was still 5 GCSE's, I didn't try massively hard at school and in the last three years, (Year 11 plus sixth form for two years) lost complete motivation and put little effort in. I still ended up with 2 A levels and 14 GCSE's.
No it’s not it’s a degree at uni haha
@@shaun5454 You can go to Uni for a bachelors degree in policing but you don't need to go to uni to join at all, I studied this in college recently as I do a L3 Public Services course.
@@ruiuchan8994 yes you do. Currently some forces still recruit traditional route through level 3 but in the coming years and now forces only recruit if you get a degree in policing, degree in some other subject or do the apprenticship programme
You only need English and maths now I think, but then it’s 3 years in training
What the rank get with master in IT ?
Did you declare your RUclips channel as a business interest?
At the time I wasn't doing RUclips, however, I did make them aware of my channel and they said that if I were to return (whilst also in the police) that I'd have to be careful with what I post online as I'd be a police officer too - which is understandable. They did watch some of the content I believe, but, as I wasn't making any money from doing RUclips I did not need to declare it as a business interest or anything similar.
i have no repsect for youtube so the last thing you will here is "any kind" of loyalty for i"IT" OR "ITS" Policies !
Is this something I can do whilst in full time employment?
You can, but they pay you enough that you won’t need to stay in full time employment. If you haven’t already done your CKP they will pay you to do that for 6 weeks before you start at the training college
Yes you can! Many people do this whilst in full-time employment as the minimum requirement as a Special Constable is an average of 4hrs per week. Many employers are also very accommodating.
Hey not sure if your still active on here but I’m about to start college within the next few months, what did you do in college and if it was policing how was it? I want to do a level 3 policing diploma, any ideas on what this is like? Thanks :)
He sadly passed away 😔 he never went to college, he did it through sheer determination and hard work. He left school and did all he could
@@roxannemayhew6274
Really?
he had basic GCSEs. But the application process was pretty insane.
@@roxannemayhew6274
No, I mean he passed away?
Yes, I was his fiancé. He passed away in july
I’m 16, I’m thinking about studying criminology and then joining the police when I’m 18? I’m very unsure what to to do?
Alex Jones ??
It really depends what you want to do in life! I suppose I can only tell you what I got out of it (the training at least) and why I had wanted to join in the first place but ultimately everyone is their own person and it depends what you want to do in life. :)
Once you're a special constable for the London MET, can you become a Police Constable for the London MET if you work hard?
Yes, there is nothing to stop you from moving from a special to a full time constable. Although the progression systems are separate and you would have to do the degree apprenticeship or post graduate course to join as a constable. Your experience as a special would considerably help you in the process, but will not speed it up.
Yes, this is the exact route I took. I didn't even get as far as IPS (Independent patrol status) as a special, before I completed my CKP at my own cost (about £700 online) and resigned 2 days before I started my PC training.
@Pretty Boy Because I started PC training 2 days after resigning. You don't "transfer" from being a special to being a fully paid PC, you resign and then start training on a Police foundation course.
Did you have to do the written exam as you didnt have A levels ?
As I was joining as a Special Constable I was not subject to the same requirements a regular is. I do not believe there is a workaround for that though when becoming an officer. There are many new routes into policing now, however, and I would suggest looking at your local forces careers section for all the info!
@@JadonMayhew perfect I have applied for special and waiting for an interview. Thanks for the vid 👍
I'm 15 and want to join but no way I've get all the stuff to join or even the abilities needed
After failing gcse is possible to join with retake
Are there any qualifications on being an officer if so what are they ?
It depends entirely on the force, to my knowledge there is no set guidelines for if a force have to request applicants have specific qualifications. I'd recommend looking at your local forces website on the careers section. :)
@@JadonMayhew ok thanks I'll see if I can 😀👍
An update, to become a special constable u don't need any qualification. However, to be a regular u needed to have at least have lv3 qualification. But this will change in 2020 as the new scheme police constable degree apprenticeship, 3 years studying whilst working. I am hoping to do that but currently waiting for an assessment date for special constable.
Sorry, I've only just seen this comment! Were you able to get an assessment? :)
Do u have to have A levels? LIKE HAVE TO or not?
I think most require 1 Level 3 qualification which is the equivalent of an A-Level.
It's a job that I wanted to take up but glad that I didn't with what is going on lately.
*To become a Policeman in the USA.*
*- County or Town* - All you need is a High School Diploma or it's equivalency like a G.E.D.
*- Major City Police* - Some Cities High Diploma is fine and you may have to past a educational test. Some cities you have to have at least a 2yrs College Degree.
*- State Police* - few states High school diploma and passed a test. Most States a 4 yrs Bachelors degree is need.
*- Federal Police /Agent* - 4yrs bachelors degrees is the least.
*- C.I.A* - Unknown, I believe they recruit you.😢
Im 16f rn and want to join as soon as i have done my a levels, what are the entry requirements, i have done a bit of research but havent found that much.
It's required you have grade 4 minimum maths and English
Don't
Go get a degree
I'm 16 and looking towards joining the police force once I'm 18. Is there anything that I can do whilst I wait to ensure I understand what to do
Try and do as much research as possible. Look into your local force and their entry requirements - forces sometimes differ from each other. Be prepared to fail but don’t give up- just keep trying.
Revise the SJT test.
Just make sure you are fit and do some research into your local force.
Join the cadets, I was a cadet for 2 years and it was the best thing I’ve ever done
Do everyone a favour as well as yourself, don't turn into the usual copper that has a massive chip on their shoulders and don't wind up with a massive attitude problem 👍
Any requirements needed to join the police force in relation to education?
It depends on the force you are applying for. I would recommend checking your local forces website for the specific requirements!
Jadon Mayhew I’ve been studying level 3 health and social care and I’m starting my second year this year. The question I also want to ask is, am I taking the right course?
I’m really nervous to start my process for police. Thanks man. Just subscribed you coz I thought your video is useful, at least it helps me to prepare a bit.
I'm glad you've found it useful. Best of luck with it all, it is very nerve-wracking but equally an incredible experience.
@@JadonMayhew u will not pass or have the stamina as a polis ,nervous 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂
@@Meadows-tg3tv everyone's nervous, I don't think there would be one copper out there who could say they haven't been before. If not then there is something wrong, because its fear that keeps you alive.
If u want to join the police but your not old enough then you can join police cadets in your area (13-18yrs) I’m currently a police cadet and it honesty the greatest thing I’ve ever done
Such a great thing to do. I'd love for my kids to join, when they're much older - and if they want to, of course. Would you like to become a special/regular when you're old enough?
Plot Twist :
He’s still a fed.
I don't think I'd still be making such videos if I was.
He's in the UK, he can't be a fed.
@@Castrated__ it's American slang for the FBI, we don't have Federal Police in the UK
@@Castrated__ it's incorrect, u roadmen have been watching too much American TV lol
@@CD-ky4rl Lol this kid really thinks we have feds in the UK? What an idiot lool, in the uk we call them bobbys or coppers
Can you join without GCSES
Thank you for sharing the video ,but just a quick question 🙏Like what course did you study in university or polytec to become a police officer?Because i am really interested in becoming a police officer,it’s something that I am really keen to do in the future ,but I don’t know what course should I study
As I was joining as a Special Constable, rather than a regular officer I didn't need to go to University or study any courses as it's a voluntary role. However, there are several different routes into the police nowadays and for the best information on what your local force offers I would recommend looking on their website :)
Am 19 i wanna join police force got no qualifcation but i can speak 2 languages
What did you have to do in the eye test because I wear contact lenses and I'm due to get checked up on that ...
You won't be at a disadvantage because you wear contact lenses or glasses - similar to driving in that respect. It's basically an in-depth eye test, a little more than your average eye test at the opticians. I recall having to look at a variety of different colours through what looked like a pair of binoculars. It is similar to an opticians eye test in the sense they're checking your vision,. They also check your colour vision to ensure you're not colour blind, for example.
Any written tests??
There was a 'written test' on the day of the interview. It was simply listening to an audio tape and writing down everything you heard. It was read out extremely slowly as it wasn't a test of how fast you can write, but to check your handwriting and grammar.
I’m slightly confused, so did the police say, you need to stop doing RUclips to be a police officer? Or did they say you just need to watch what you post?
It was when I was waiting for my vetting meeting, she came down and found me and said she recognised me because of my RUclips videos. Then later on whilst we were walking up to the room she said it's good I'd stopped as it's not really recommended or something like that. There are plenty of officers on social media though, so I was a little confused.
TheJadonMayhew this is precisely what I’ve been thinking. RUclips shouldn’t be treated any different to other social media sites. Twitter, instagram, they can probably be used to cause more harm to reputation than a RUclips video. I have my assessment centre coming up in July, but I also have a RUclips channel I run with my cousin. I definitely don’t want to give that up, I enjoy it but I also want to be a police officer.
I wish you the best of luck with it all, it's such a rewarding thing to do. Granted I never went the whole way through to being a police officer on the streets, even just the training felt so rewarding. And yes, you're absolutely right I would think Twitter can definitely do more damage. I suppose, like any social media, you just need to be careful what you're putting out and mindful that you're working for the police so anything you say/do must be sensible. That said, there will always be people that take offence to anything...
TheJadonMayhew I appreciate that :) if you ever want to collaborate hit me up, I just followed you on Instagram, don’t want to self promote my RUclips here.
I want to join the police is it hard ??
I suppose that sort of question is based entirely on your opinion of it. I didn't find it overly difficult in terms of the interview, but there is a lot of form filling and many questions that will be asked of you even after the interview. Just passing the interview doesn't guarantee you are going to become an officer.
What do U have to do to become. A police officer ??
To become a Police Constable you now either have to complete the police degree apprenticeship which last 3 years, or if you currently hold a degree (In any subject) you have to complete a 2 year course with the police. For both of these you are paid during training (Around £20,000 - depending on force)
The other option is to be come and Special Constable (SPC). The training process of this usually takes 6 months to 1 year. You are not paid for the training or the role as it is voluntary. You are required to do a minimum of 4 hours per week (Depending on force).
I was thinking of joining Thames Valley but ive seen the reviews online and they say the officers are really rude. Is thames valley a nice place to work in?
As a general rule of thumb, in my experience, every team has an officer, or officers, who despise new officers, and don't like new faces. This is just how it is. When you work on a team of up to 50 people sometimes, you inevitably find the odd strange person who dislikes a new officer for no comprehensible reason.
Appreciate the honesty here, I'm thinking of joining this year after seven years in the private sector...
Rip
You will regret it, adverts being knocked out, nothing to do with reality. Just plain bull💩 recruiting adverts. After a year you will see and hate it.
Do you need to go to a police station or do you need to go to your school and ask also when you do the writing test is it inside of a hall just asking lol
Claire Speight Different forces will have different processes and procedures, but the writing test was in a small room, about the size of a classroom, with three other applicants.
Regarding applying, I did it online via the police force website. I’d assume most forces would take applications this way now, but I’m sure you could go into your local station for further advice on applying.
TheJadonMayhew thank you and good luck with your career I hope you pass in everything
Also I found the metropolitan police website where it says apply so I really do hope I make it
Good Luck! :)
I want to join the police but the armed police sector I'm 15 rn and still got a lot of research left
Same man I’m excactly the same 15 and want to be an armed officer but first I got to be a regular officer for 5 years then I can apply to be an armed officer
Ive just turned 13 and want to do traffic police
Hey Jadon, thanks for the video. I applied for the Special Constable role and I have my assessment/interview at the end of the month. I’m dreading my interview. I feel like I will struggle with the core competencies questions! What did you do to research - Did you read any books? I’ve been watching the career tv vids on RUclips. Which have been helpful too. Hope to hear from you soon! Thanks again!
Best of luck with the interview, I'm sure you'll do great. Just be honest with all your answers (obviously) and do some research into the role itself (and the force you're applying for). I didn't read any books, because I don't tend to read books but I did a lot of online research into the force and role. The research I did helped in the interview, especially with the questions regarding 'what you'd do in this situation' etc. If you can show in your answers you have done research and know the role, you'll stand out. And don't worry about nerves, it's totally normal and they're used to it. I felt like a total bag of nerves but was still successful.
TheJadonMayhew thanks for your reply! I will continue to research more about it! Ahh I hope it get it! Fingers crossed! 🤞🏼
Ur all rats
I've been shortlisted for the police force as a police officer. Really going to put my full effort in.👍thanks for the video mate!
That's brilliant news. I wish you all the very best with this! I would love to know the outcome.
Hi Craze Pure! Well done! How long did the whole process take? I'm going to apply soon, but due to COVID the recruitment is entirely online.
@@fggh2755 thought I could help out, for WMP I applied in February 2020. Around 4 weeks later I completed an online value based questionaire , followed 2 weeks after by a set of online interviews which replace the SEARCH assessments due to covid. Around a month after I was told I had passed all online stages, and a week ago sent off my medical, getting and counter terrorism paperwork
harvey burton well done, Mr Harvey Burton, I wish you all the best with the rest of the process, and in police training academy....
Craze Pure Now, well done Craze Pure, I wish you all the best, with the rest of the process, and in the police academy training too....
Did you do good for gcse and sorry for asking I’m just curious
You don't have to apologise for asking! I would say it was a mixed bag of results, with some A*s, A's, C's and then a few lower grades like an E and D. I try to not let my grades define me though.
Thank you
Hey i wanted to join the police force bro its always been my dream
How long is the training process and do you get paid for the training
To become a Police Constable you now either have to complete the police degree apprenticeship which last 3 years, or if you currently hold a degree (In any subject) you have to complete a 2 year course with the police. For both of these you are paid during training (Around £20,000 - depending on force)
@@tomostridge8129 oh wow
So I cant just apply straight from the website
Or is it vital i do the apprenticeship or the training
@Ahmed Haider sorry whos that
@Ahmed Haider omd how??
Thanks Jadon for your honest video. I want to be a full time PC but I'm also considering to become a SC to get some experience of what it's like.
If you are a little unsure about it I would suggest going for SC first, so you can get the experience and see what it's really all about and if it's for you. If you then don't feel it's the right fit for you, you can then work on finding out what is for you rather than being in employment as an officer and hating it.
How can we apply for it
Hi, Jadon sadly passed away due to mental health ❤️
Hi, what criteria did you have to join?
Could you be a bit more specific? Are you referring to grades in school, fitness, medicals?
@@JadonMayhew Yes what did you have?
@@JadonMayhew There is a certain criteria to have to be able to apply.
@@jasonjuggler3457 As this was for a Special Constable there were no requirements in terms of grades, from what I recall. The fitness is the bleep test, for TVP it's 5.4 which is really easy (some may say too easy). And then medicals are self explanatory really, just good physical and mental health. You have to do a hearing and vision test as well, it's far more advanced than what you may have done normally though - as you'd expect, police officers need extremely good hearing and sight. They test for a range of things.
They'll ask you about any previous medical problems, it doesn't mean suddenly can't join but they have to obviously take it into consideration when dealing with your application. Certain things would mean you'd be unable to, perhaps at that time or at all but for me that obviously wasn't the case. Of course, just be honest about any medical history though. If it's not something persistent then it's unlikely they'd look into it anymore, for example, I had to mention my pericarditis that I had before but as it was only once it didn't require any further investigations or anything on their side. :)
@@JadonMayhew Thanks so much, your a great guy :)
Can you help with competency based questions // any tips?
The best tip and advice I can give is to be totally honest and do lots of research. The questions they ask in interview are fairly easy, I think, assuming you have done your research into the specific role and the force you're applying for. And of course, be honest about everything including any weaknesses you have.
Wait you have to give family addresses I’m not in contact with half my family😵
Yeah, for those who you can provide. I'm in a similar situation where I have family who I am not in contact with due to being adopted (did a video on that, shameless self promo) and therefore just explained that in the notes when I put their names (or whatever I last remember their names being) and it wasn't an issue. You can't give information for someone if you don't have it to be fair! :)
How do you go about applying for the way you went through it would be great if you could help.
Firstly you'll need to check your local force's website and see if they're taking applications. Some forces cut off the applications at some points during the year, and reopen it again later so if it's not open now then take a look later in the year - follow them on social media and they'll hopefully inform you when it reopens.
And then, if they are taking applications (or when they begin to) you need to go through the application process and complete it like you would for a job or anything similar. Be as honest as you can, make sure you do research into the role (even though it's voluntary, this is very important) and be prepared for rejection (harsh, but true).
If you are rejected, don't let that defeat you. You can go again, sometimes there are time limits on when you can reapply but generally speaking you can reapply again. If you're successful and get an interview, treat it like any other job interview and take it seriously. It's obviously a very serious role and has lots of responsibility with it, so they need to know that you would be good for the role and a responsible person despite it being a voluntary role (Special Constable).
@@JadonMayhew thanks for the help dude.
@@8RaNDoM8 I work for the force , you can either join the special constablary or try the regulars. Joining part time as a special gives you the experience and confidence , many specials I know have got independent status and can go out on their own without a regular present.
Application process for me
Online application (competency based)
Face to face interview about the key competencies and referring to times in your life where you've shown them
Assessment centre ( fitness test , medical /drug test , group exercise where you discuss as a group a way to achieve a desired goal)
Then you do training
Airwaves
OST
First aid
Body worn video etc and some other legislation based stuff
Once you've done your training you're ready to attest and then the fun begins !
advice : Get to know the different response teams as soon as you start and stick with them
@@dixoncider1526 thanks very much for the advice mate!
@@8RaNDoM8 no worries mate , If you are applying there's a YT channel called Blue light consultancy who walk you through the interview and application process
What is police constable apprenticeship and how to get it ? Do i have to go to a college of policing after year 11 instead of the normal college?
I don't know enough about the apprenticeships, unfortunately. I understand these are slightly newer and they are different to becoming a Special Constable (voluntary). I'd recommend looking at your local forces website for the full details though.
Or if you stayed as a pcso for 2 years could you then go on to other branches like fire arms ??
I think I saw a comment about the difference between Special and Regular from yourself, but I can't find it now. Anyhow, the main difference is obviously regulars are paid and specials are voluntary. Specials must do at least 4hrs per week volunteering, but this is flexible with holidays/other events. They aim to ensure you do 16hrs a month basically.
Specials are limited in the progression route and it depends entirely on the force as to whether they allow specials to move into other aspects of policing, I know from my short time with TVP that there were different routes a special could take including traffic but it would totally depend on the special themselves and any availability within that specific section.
With regards to powers, uniforms etc specials and regulars are virtually identical and there's not much difference in that regard. A special constable is basically the same as a regular officer, just volunteering.
PCSO's are different altogether and work with the community a lot to build trust, they don't have the power to arrest other than a citizens arrest, as we all do. PCSO's can't move into firearms or anything like that without becoming a regular officer, their experience would certainly help them but of course they'd still have to go through the interview process like any other candidate - this is the same for a special too.
Really appreciate this video, I have just applied for the same role. You have given me a great insight into what I’ll be getting into 👍🏼
Thank you! Best of luck with it all.
Did you get in?
@@arizonaavery9741 Yes, but I have to wait due to my age for another month.
Oh nice congratulations 👏
Yes, I was successful in applying. However, due to the reasons I stated in the video I unfortunately left during training.
I really want to join but I have no gcse
Thanks this helped.
I'm pleased this has helped you! :)
Apply 2 times now and failed each time. The questions in the interview are intense. Now I gotta wait 6 months to apply again
what do they ask?
Waiting to arrest on June 13th with the Met as a special, watch out Greenwich here I come 😉
Enjoy catching those crims and helping those in need. Such an awesome thing to do!
As a constable or pcso can it help you build your career as a police officer would u still need A levels ?
It will certainly help you from the experience point of view. However, it isn't a fast track method to becoming a regular officer or anything like that. And if the force in question, such as TVP, requires specific grades and/or certificates then you would still need those regardless.
What’s Difference between a special constable and a normal constable ?
You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something which you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
🚔🚔🚔
I know I’m asking to much but what subjects do you need to become a full time police officer sorry
It would depend on the police force, as they all have different entry requirements. I'd recommend having a look on your forces website under recruitment and it should state the criteria.
Other than the standard GCSE's, English, Maths (and 5 GCSE's at C or above level) they don't care.
Some forces require you to complete a CKP (look it up) and some don't, despite the fact I was a serving special constable at the time, when I applied as a regular officer I still had to complete the CKP, which took around 2 months to complete, I did mine online and learnt from home, other companies offer physical classes that you can attend. Mine was done online and then assessed on modules, if I got 65% or above on each module then I'd be authorised to sit the final exam, I sat the final exam and passed, without any revision, it wasn't overly difficult, the pass mark was 65% and I got about 74%, I didn't revise as mentioned but still passed, however I had a lot of already existing knowledge in relation to PACE powers from my time during specials training and policing as a special.
Hi mate, are you still a SC or REG now ? Hope you’re enjoying the job down there with TVP or the MET whichever you went for. Stay safe down there fella!
Just came across your channel whilst on refs, knackered and wanting to go home lol.
Steve WYP
Yes. I am in the “job” have been for over 4 years now, and I was a special for 18 months before that. In my force they’re called “hospital guards” not “bed watch”.
Same way that “constant watches” in my force are called “constants” or “constant supervisions” in other forces.
Or how “I grades” are called “priority calls” or “grade 1” calls in other forces.
If you’re in the job as you say you are, it surprises me that you aren’t aware other forces have different names for the same thing….
He sadly passed away on the 27th July 2020, he absolutely was proud to be a special constable and he enjoyed the time he was there.
@@roxannemayhew6274 Jesus. I'm sorry to hear this. He seemed like a likeable character and it seems it was mental health and depression related. Having been in the job for the last 4 and a half years I've been subjected to constant mood swings and depression, and it's no easy time. I'm an ex-special and now a PC in a different force.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Hello Jadon are you still in the police but if you are not then what is the reason why you have left.
He passed away
MNIB no he has not passed way.
@@paulhough5143 They are correct, Jadon sadly passed away nearly two years ago now.
Hello CMC thank you for being honest about this but please will you tell me how he died and what happened to him.
I want to become a patrolling officer in Eastbourne when I'm 18....i hope it isn't too hard since I'm not a great fighter, but I just think it'll be fun.. 😂
You will get lots of training in terms of having to use force, but of course it must be reasonable and be justified! The training is great fun though. Good luck if/when you do apply!
You don't have to be a good fighter, the trick is knowing where to hit someone, not how hard you can hit someone. A baton will hurt someone a whole lot more than their fist will hurt you, and then you gain control through pain compliance
I can confirm a baton will hurt. I hit myself with it whilst training.. ouch.
A list you did try it.
I applied for British transport police Special constable role and I passed the application, passed the online tests, passed the interview and now just need to do vetting, fitness test and medical.
Dominic Bearsdworth did you have to do the college of policing assesment
@@aabdul_ Yes
always best to do some homework of what police does and deal with stuff on the tv shows
I’m the only comment on this I and I want to become a police officer well I changed at last minute but can you reply on what you need too do please
Are you trying to become a police officer in the UK? There's no how-to on the steps, because everyone is obviously different but ensure you just be yourself and be honest. The tests are relatively easy (bleep test, writing test). The writing test is just to check your handwriting is readable and that you have decent spelling, it doesn't have to be perfect - just so that others can understand. If you haven't applied yet, I would suggest doing research into the role, as it will show in interview if you can refer to research you have done, and then once you're ready apply and await a response!
Best of luck though, it really opened my eyes up to a lot of things despite never fully becoming an officer, and only doing some training, it was eye opening.
TheJadonMayhew thank you for this I want to stop crime and help people so you have inspired me to do so thx
I'm glad to hear that. :)
ive just started the process to join the police force
Best of luck with it all! :)
Damian Dungey
Me too :)
Domestos Bleach what grades do you need to apply and stuff I want to apply when I’m older
Domestos Bleach ok thank you
What is the process
So do you actually need anything (police experience etc) do apply/be a police officer?
Nope, not for Thames Valley anyway. Of course, if you can draw on experience of things from work, school or general life this will help you a lot in the role and also the interview as you can give examples for the questions. But you don't have to come from a certain background, such as security (for example) to become an officer.
Little bit of life experience, the ability to cope well under pressure, perform relatively well in interviews.
The day one assessment centre is very hard to pass allegedly, it's designed to make you fail and about 70% of applicants fail it first time round.
That said I did it twice, once as a special and once again when I applied to join the regular force as a full time PC, and both times I passed the assessment centre first time, personally I think it's one of those things that is hyped up but is not as hard as people expect.
I don't think I ever did an assessment like that to become a special. Just the interview and then all the various things like vetting, medical etc and then I was offered it.
@@JadonMayhew As far as I'm aware, most forces, if not all, require you to undergo what is called a SEARCH assessment, also known as the Day one assessment centre that I referred to earlier. I joined the Met and it was required, I've also looked at Kent Police and Essex and equally they both require it too.
I do know someone on my response team who was in TVP, but this was about 15 years ago, as he left TVP and joined the met by 2006, this was probably way before the assessment centre was introduced.
@@thefiestaguy8831 As a special joining TVP this isn't something I ever had to do. Perhaps it's different for regulars?
R u still a police officer ? And what police station do u work at? Like where near ? These police officers look so young !!! I saw a police like u in Kent 😅❤️❤️
@Ahmed Haider oh No That Is Sad🥺
@Ahmed Haider oh He Got Harrased😭.
I have just passed all stages and been given s start date :)
Hello! I am 14 years old, and I have joined the West Midlands police cadets for 13 - 17 year olds! I wish to become a police when I am older, and so thought I should start off early to get more experience and have more thought into my choice. I am watching this so I know what I have coming and what I should possibly improve on. :)
I wish I could join the cadets but in Cheshire it’s 15 :(
What’s it like getting bullied?
I was a volunteer special constable for 1.5 years in the Met from 2016 to 2017, I used to work a day job as a travelling IT technician offering IT support for several schools across the south to mid part of the country, including Brixton, Northampton, Margate and Sevenoaks, at the end of my working day (which I'd wake up at 5:30AM for) I'd come home from work, around 6PM, on a Friday night, most Friday nights, and be in uniform, on duty and booked on at the station by 7PM, then on duty policing either the town centres or response team going to calls until the early hours of 4/5AM.
I eventually resigned 2 days before I started my training as a regular PC in mid 2017, I'm now nearly at the end of my 2 year probationary period and of all the jobs I've done this is the best.
That's incredible, I take my hat off to you because I don't think I would ever have been able to do that - incredibly long hours to be awake and physically working in some form. I can imagine it is a truly incredible and rewarding role, something I still do ponder about revisiting again in the future.
I was a special / Regular in the met and I fucking hated it. We're all different :D
I wear contact lenses how do they test you for your eyesight is it like the optician or do they use a machine etc to test your eye sight ???
@@jjggghjj5359 Just seen this comment. It's the same as they do in the opticians, where they get you to read the letters, you press your head forward into a machine, which looks like a pair of binoculars, they start it and click a button and a slide pops in with some letters in different font sizes, and get you to read as far as you can.
They do it first with both eyes, then test one at a time and put a shutter across the lense of the eye that's not being tested.
I remember when I did mine I couldn't see the letters properly, despite having 20/20 vision, the woman was a bit puzzled before I said "It's too dark" and her response was "Oh" and flicked a switch which turned the light on, so that I could actually see the slides with the letters on lol.
I am thinking about becoming a pcso
This is 2 years too late, ima apply for the police as soon as I have my theory test passed. What’s the chances I’ll get in lol.
How did it go
@@ThOnlyRDLZ application is being processed, passed the security checks...
@@sea-fieldpony.4556 fair enough mate ive applied for them too im waiting for my assessment
@@ThOnlyRDLZ noice, I just found out I made the short list, I have a virtual briefing!
@@sea-fieldpony.4556 did you get in
Did you need a license to join the police
Some forces require you to have one, I don't believe TVP did to become a Special Constable but I had one anyway.