<![CDATA[Police Success

<![CDATA[Police Success - Blog]]>Mon, 24 May 2021 22:52:25 +0100EditMySite<![CDATA[Police Officer Support: Part 2]]>Sat, 06 Feb 2021 09:37:41 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/police-officer-support-part-2Police Officers Support: Part 2 (Diversity Support Associations)

"Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve."
Martin Luther King Jr.

There are diverse range of support organisations in policing for police officers and staff. You will discover more about them once you are successful in joining the police. This blog series provides an overview for those seriously interested in going through the police assessment centres and applying to join their local force, with information most are unaware of until they join.

Part 1 provided insights, history and functions of the Police Federation, the official negotiating body for police officers across England, Wales, Police Scotland and Police Service of Northern Ireland. This blog collates for you the formal associations relating to diversity, specifically in reference to individuals' 'protected characteristics'. Protected characteristics are defined in the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty; subjects you would do well to become familiar with ahead of your police interview and questions which may arise around your values (a detailed example/practice interview question bank and guidance is provided in our comprehensive Police Success guide!).

Diverse Police Associations

"Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you."
- Misty Copeland

While the Police Federation supports all police officers on a wide range of matters, there are an increasing number of formalised organisations and associations that support police officers aligned to ‘protected characteristics’. These tend to focus on minority or underrepresented groups in the police service and operate both at the national and local level. Their broad aims are generally to provide advice and guidance to officers, promote equality of opportunity, and raise awareness of the issues faced by individuals with specific protected characteristics.

It’s a common misconception and misunderstanding of the Equality Act 2010 that only characteristics in the minority are legally protected. This misunderstanding even occurs within forces’ own 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' departments, but that’s maybe a blog for another time! The reality is ALL variations of the nine characteristics are protected, as you will have researched as an excellent police officer candidate.

Here is a flavour of the main UK support groups available, normally supporting both police officers and civilian staff. Most forces also have local versions of many of these groups and often go beyond, for example the Met Police have tens of associations including Humanist, Hindu and Greek Associations.

British Association for Women in Policing (BAWP)

Founded in 1987, the BAWP is largely a networking and professional development group, helping women in policing progress their careers. Here's the BAWP main site for further information. In 2003, Police Scotland initiated its own ‘Scottish Women’s Development Forum’ with similar aims.

Central & Eastern European Police Association (CEEPA)

This support group is specific to Police Scotland only. It aims to provide support for police officers and staff who originate from Eastern European countries while raising awareness of issues that may also help better connect the police with such communities in the public. See the more info on the CEEPA aims for further details.

Note that although the relevant protected characteristic here is formally called 'race', colloquially in the public sector people more often use the term 'ethnicity', including on official statistics. Interestingly, police diversity statistics on the 'race' (or ethnicity) protected characteristic don't report Eastern European, Gypsy/Traveller or others in the 'White Other' minority ethnic category separately from 'White British', nor in its targets around 'black and minority ethnic' recruitment ambitions. The common comparisons of 'BAME vs. White' clearly leaves room for improvement in policing to truly improve its underrepresentation of minority groups within the 'race' characteristic.

Chinese & East Asian Staff Association (CASESA)

This is based in the Met Police and currently operated through a CASESA Twitter account. The aims are similar to other minority ethnic police associations, in the form of providing a support network to individuals, raising awareness of relevant issues affecting people with these characteristics and encouraging equality of opportunity.

Christian Police Association (CPA)

The CPA was founded way back in 1883. It aims to provide a voice and support for Christians in policing, while connecting policing with Christian communities. It initiated the Police Chaplaincy service, which is a service now represented by a diverse range of religions. For further information, here's the national CPA website.

Disabled Police Association (DPA)

The DPA is the national body for disability networks in policing. It aims to support disabled people within the police family and encourage equality of opportunity and fair treatment of those who are disabled, injured or ill. Here's the national DPA website for more info.

While local disability networks have been established across the country for decades, this national association was founded relatively recently in 2012. Scotland Police has a local association which is also geared to supporting carers.

Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Police Association (GRTPA)

Founded in 2014, the GRTPA provides a support in the working environment for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller officers and staff. Their slogan is ‘breaking down barriers and building trust’. They also support candidates from these communities and work to help policing understand specific community needs. The GRTPA website provides more details.

Jewish Police Association (JPA)

The JPA provides advice and support to Jewish police personnel while promoting an understanding of the Jewish faith in policing, Like the BAWP, it also provides CPD support through networking and development events. The dedicated national JPA website is here.

National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)

The NAMP was founded as a national association in 2007, where there were already local force associations in place. Membership is open to all UK police officers and other roles in the police family. NAMP promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. It also leads on initiatives to facilitate better workplace environments for Muslims and delivers training relating to Islamic awareness. Here's the NAMP website for more info.

National Black Police Association (NBPA)

The NBPA was formed within the Met Police in 1994, but now covers the national scene. It aims to improve the working environment of black officers and staff, enhance racial harmony in the police service, encourage equality of opportunity and help progress minority ethnic staff through the ranks with development opportunities.

‘BAME’ is a commonly-used (albeit less than ideal) term to describe Black And Minority Ethnic categories within the ‘Race’ protected characteristic. The NBPA appears to focus more on ‘visible’ minority ethnic groups rather than others who may identify as Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Eastern European, or others within the ‘White Other’ minority ethnic groups. Here's more on the national NBPA website.

Scotland Police also have an equality / diversity national association called ‘SEMPER’ (Supporting Ethnic Minority Police Staff for Equality in Race), to support and represent all minority ethnic employees on issues of equality in race.

National LGBT+ Network

This support organisation promotes inclusivity and equality of opportunity for LGBT+ police personnel within the police service, while seeking to ensure policing is representative of communities within these relevant protected characteristics. Here's more on the UK's LGBT+ police network.

Note that Police Scotland have a local ‘LGBTI’ support network and an additional specific National Trans Police Association for supporting those in the police family with any gender identity issue. More on the Police Scotland support networks here.

National Police Autism Association (NPAA)

The NPAA is a privately-run group of UK police officers and staff supporting colleagues affected by autism and other neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. The NPAA began in 2015 and is open to all UK officers/staff with an interest in autism and neurodiversity. It aims to promote neurodiversity and inclusion within the UK police service. It provides support forums, encourages neurodiverse recruitment/progression, and shares good practice in relation to autism awareness. They welcome all police personnel with a personal, family or professional interest in these conditions. Here's the NPAA website.

National Sikh Police Association (NSPAUK)

The national SPA was established in 2019 to represent Sikh police officers and staff throughout the UK. Their online presence and information/news is currently managed solely through the NSPAUK Twitter account.

Police Pagan Association (PPA)

Established in 2009, the PPA works to tackle issues around Paganism within the police and communities, including raising awareness and tackling faith-based inequalities. Here's the national PPA website for more info.

In the next blog, we shall explore more of the myriad of support organisations for police officers. Until then, good luck in your ambition to join the police family!

If you want to supercharge your preparation, download your personal toolkit to all aspects of police applications and assessment centres...

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I hope you found this blog helpful, whether you are an aspiring to join the police as a member of the public, leaving the military, a serving Special Constable or PCSO. Download the comprehensive Police Success guide (below) for more detailed guidance, or feel free to arrange some 1-2-1 coaching for bespoke support. The guide includes comprehensive information about the role, CVF, assessment tests, application interviews, practice questions, and much more to help you excel and achieve your ambition to joining the police!

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]]><![CDATA[Police Officer Support: Part 1]]>Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:14:11 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/police-officer-support-part-1Police Officer Support: Part 1 (Police Federation)

"Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you."
- Misty Copeland

This blog series provides headline guidance on the support associations and services in the UK police service once you have joined. Many of these provide information and guidance for those wanting to join the police as an officer. Support organisations and networks range from the official Police Federation in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (effectively the 'trade union' of serving officers), support groups based around 'protected characteristics' (a subject useful to know for your application / interview!), to other activity-based, informal and in-house support groups. All aim to provide support, activities, and/or represent the views of officers in some way.

You can find out more in your police force once successful at your interview, application or other recruitment assessments which the Police Success guide supports you with. But let's start in this first with the most prominent...

UK Police Federations

"The voice of Scotland's police service."
- Scottish Police Federation purpose statement

The Police Federation is an organised staff association representing ‘rank and file’ (Police Constable to Chief Inspector) police officers. It is legally different from a fully-fledged trade union, but acts practically the same:

It lobbies governments predominantly for better pay and working conditions, being the formal negotiating body for annual police officer pay awards;
It supports members with legal, wellbeing and discipline matters;
It is a subscription fee-based membership service;
It is structured much like a trade union, with similar governance arrangements, meetings, roles (e.g. ‘Secretary’, ‘Treasurer’, ‘Chair’), and elections for representatives.

Unlike trade unions however, officers cannot openly campaign for a political party or go on strike.

"Welfare and Efficiency."
- PSNI Police Federation declared remit

Each UK police region has its own Police Federation:

The PFEW was founded in 1919 and is the largest of the three organisations, stating it represents 120,000 officers; though figures on how any of those are paying members are not readily available. It has a headquarters in Leatherhead, from which it provides conferences, accommodation, restaurant and other facilities for members. Note that forces in England & Wales also each have their own local force federation, called a ‘Branch’, each with their own website, support services and full- and part-time force-funded Federation Representatives (aka ‘Fed Reps’). The Federation also employs regional organisers who work across several forces.

The SPF was also founded in 1919 and boasts representation of over 18,000 people, including Police Cadets and Special Constables. The SPF is organised into more local 'Area Committees'. A key part of the work of Federations is negotiating terms with the Police Negotiating Board and make the terms of employment accessible to Police Officers. Here is Police Scotland's 'Police Officer Handbook', which includes regulations on duty time, pay, allowances, leave and expenses.

The PFNI was established much later in 1971 and has approximately 7,000 members. It is organised with reps in local areas called 'Districts'. One notable initiative is the Mental Health Wellbeing Programme, targeting improved wellbeing of officers through holistic and other complimentary therapies not usually offered through the NHS.

There are Federation representatives for each rank of the service. For example, the PFEW has structures to represent the differing interests of Constables, Sergeant, and Inspectors / Chief Inspectors. Police forces generally have approximately 1 Fed rep for every 100 - 200 serving police officers.

Upon joining the police, you will be strongly encouraged by local Fed reps to join the Police Federation and pay the subs, which are taken directly from your monthly wages (like police pension contributions are). These subs act like a one-stop-shop insurance for benefits of legal cover (e.g. representation in the event of any disciplinary matters), travel insurance, health cover, while also providing access to services (e.g. training, conferences) and discounts.

A notable and successful centre available to PFEW members is ‘Flint House’. Flint House is a recovery and rehabilitation centre for physical and mental health ailments. Located near Reading, it also provides services for retired officers, PCSO, Special Constables and other frontline policing roles.

Fed reps are well-versed in providing advice and signposting for their fellow officers to other welfare and support mechanisms. We will cover many of these in the next blogs in this series.

"Representation, Support, Influence, Negotiation."
- Police Federation England & Wales stated objectives

In the next blog, we shall explore more of the myriad of support organisations for police officers. Until then, Happy New Year and good luck for 2021 in your ambition to join the police family!

]]><![CDATA[8 Steps to Joining the Police (Part Two)]]>Wed, 09 Sep 2020 09:57:33 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/8-steps-to-joining-the-police-part-two8 Steps to Joining the Police (Part Two)

“The key to success is to start before you are ready.”
- Marie Forleo

In the previous blog (PART ONE), I summarised the first three steps to joining the police. Well done for reaching this far in your quest to become a police officer! In this post I will outline what the final five obstacles look like and how to navigate them, with particular emphasis on the competitive police interview recruitment process.

Whether you are in the process of your officer application or just preparing ahead, there’s a wealth of more detail and techniques in the full ‘8 Steps to Success’ downloadable guide to help you on your journey. As a reminder here are those steps, grouped into themes of aptitude, physical and administrative:

Step 1: Application Form
Step 2: Online Assessment / Selection Tests
Step 3: Assessment Centre
Step 4: Interview
Step 5: Fitness Test
Step 6: Medical Examination
Step 7: Substance Misuse Testing
Step 8: Vetting & Pre-employment Check

Step 4: Police (Online?) Interview

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
- Seneca

Whether your interview is in the (newly online) assessment centre, in-force, or both, the police recruitment interview assesses your behaviours aligned to the force competencies and values (the CVF). As you might be aware, much of the process has been moved online for 2020 in light of pandemic events.

In summary, the number one strategy for effectively managing your responses in interview is to prepare and practice. This takes time. When you consider that you can anticipate and predict most questions on your interview, it boils down to the time and effort you are prepared to invest in yourself to maximise your potential in a highly competitive process. Our 8 Step Digital Guide has a ready-made bank of specific and relevant support questions you can use to practice and develop your confidence ahead of your interview opportunity.

It also helps to have a mental structure for your responses, to help you convey your evidence and experience. I tend to advise the memorable ‘PAR’: Problem, Action, Result; with most of your attention being on the actions you took.

As with all things, practice makes perfect. And don’t forget: evidence you submitted with your application can also be used in the police recruitment interview!

Step 5: Fitness Test

“The finish line is usually a lot further away than you think."
- Elon Musk

You will have overcome many hurdles testing your aptitude to get to this point. There are however more physical and admin steps to overcome in your ‘8 Steps to Success’. These are more of a pass/fail nature rather than a competitive process against other officer candidates, but are important to be aware of and prepared for. Another you can prepare for is the fitness test.

Police officers must be physically fit to perform the demanding duties required, which you must demonstrate as part of the application process. The police fitness test assesses your fitness to perform the role of a police officer, including your aerobic fitness. Police forces expect candidates to be fit and ready when applying.

Running will be entailed, for example forces in England & Wales and Police Scotland require a minimum of level 5.4 on the multi-stage shuttle run (aka ‘Beep Test’). Police Scotland also offers an alternative of completing a 1.5 mile run within 18 minutes (average is therefore 5 mph). Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have a more demanding multi-stage fitness test; PSNI call theirs a Physical Competence Assessment and provide fitness guidance here, but there is plenty of fitness information elsewhere online or social media. Whatever your chosen force has in store for you, now is always a good time to start preparing, so dig out those trainers!

Step 6: Medical Examination

This may well be wrapped up in your fitness assessment. Medical professionals will assess you, to ensure you are in good health to perform the role of police constable. This is all done in line with the eligibility criteria linked in Part One of this blog.

It is expected that all candidates are already leading a healthy(ish!) lifestyle. Your chosen force will provide more details on the specific medical criteria. Generally a BMI between 18-30 is desirable. You will be required to demonstrate a minimum standard of unaided vision in an eyesight test, which will also include whether you are colour blind. Hearing tests are also involved and the fitness test will assess your general physical condition.

Step 7: Substance Misuse & Drug Testing

This part is very simple. Drug testing is a critical ‘pass or fail’ step in the recruitment selection process, for obvious reasons and as most would expect. These initial drugs screening tests are conducted confidentially, usually by an external organisation to your chosen force. Allowances are made for prescribed medication, so make sure you declare any relevant details.

Note that if successful, random testing then continues throughout your policing career.

Step 8: Vetting Checks

Vetting is a confidential and in-depth process. It includes criminal records checks on you, your family and relations. It also includes an assessment of your financial security to ensure that you are a fit and proper person to hold the office of constable. If vetting checks reveal otherwise, you will not necessarily be told why. It is simply pass or fail.

So, here's a recap and summary of those 8 Steps to Success:

Kind Regards,
Steve

]]><![CDATA[8 Steps to Joining the Police (Part One)]]>Thu, 27 Aug 2020 20:08:11 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/8-steps-to-joining-the-police-part-one8 Steps to Joining the Police (Part One)

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

In the Police Success comprehensive guide to becoming a UK police officer, I break down the journey into 8 steps, providing guidance on how to pass each in detail. Joining the police will be a challenge, both mentally and physically, but now is a fantastic time to join as most forces are doubling their recruitment intakes. However, it remains a highly competitive process, so recognising the journey ahead will help. Here are the broad steps you will take, which as shown in the image I group into three simple themes of aptitude, physical and administrative:

Step 1: Application Form
Step 2: Online Assessment / Selection Tests
Step 3: Assessment Centre
Step 4: Interview
Step 5: Fitness Test
Step 6: Medical Examination
Step 7: Substance Misuse Testing
Step 8: Vetting & Pre-employment Check

Forces around the UK may do things in a slightly different order, different way, or with slightly different standards. I will summarise each in this two-part blog series to give you a complete overview of the process. Further links are shared for further reading, or of course you can get the ultimate support and simply download the detailed guide to success…

Step 1: Police Officer Application Form

“What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.”
- Christopher Hitchen

Having decided that becoming an officer is the role for you, it’s a good idea to first check your eligibility. The eligibility criteria are similar for most forces as outlined on the Police Success FAQ pages. But as a head start, here are the eligibility criteria for Scotland, the eligibility criteria for PSNI, and also for England & Wales forces.

Application forms have largely moved online during 2020. This is a step where ¾ of officer applicants fail, so it’s important to spend the time getting it right! The application form isn’t just about outlining your qualifications, sharing personal details and any other information to ensure you match the eligibility criteria. The ‘scoring’ parts give you the opportunity to answer a mix of competency-based questions, experience and motivations for joining the police. Extensive guidance and examples are provided in the full guide, but here is a free blog on applications you can read right away to give you a head start.

Step 2: Online Assessments & Selection Tests

“You have to learn the rules of the game, then play them better than anyone else.”
- Albert Einstein

Online assessment tests are a core part of UK police recruitment processes. In fact this year, much of the process has moved online as part of the new ‘online police assessment centres’ as a response to COVID-19 in England & Wales; your assessment tests may be wrapped up in the ‘virtual assessment centre’ but forces may choose to do additional ones. Police Scotland call theirs the ‘Police Scotland Entrance Test’ and PSNI now have an ‘Initial Selection Test’.

Either way, they are all forms of psychometric tests for which you can practice extensively before trying to simply ‘wing it’ on the day. Common examples include:

- Literacy & Numeracy tests
- Situational Judgement Tests
- Verbal Reasoning Tests
- Inductive Reasoning Tests

I cover each kind of test in the ‘Police Success Guide to Joining the Police’ to familiarise you, but ultimately ‘practice makes perfect’! Note that with the tests now being online, you’ll need to complete them in one go. So clear your room of any distractions and be sure to check your Internet connection!

Step 3: Assessment Centre

“Remember the three P's of success: Passion, Planning and Perseverance.”
- Homer Hickman

Brace yourself for interrogation! An assessment centre (or day) combines tasks and activities to test your abilities as a police officer.

Most police assessment centres have moved online in the wake of COVID-19. Be them ‘Day One’ for England & Wales or bespoke police assessment centres for Scotland and PSNI, the police recruitment assessment centres combine a mix of psychometric and behavioural assessments. They may include written assessments, briefing exercises, role-plays, interviews, in-tray exercises and more psychometric tests.

Note that the behavioural tests will be assessed against the behaviours outlined in the policing Competencies & Values Framework, with all explained extensively in the guide. For now and for free, here are some blogs to give you further food for thought:

‘How are your Values?’ provides some free guidance on the policing values
'What Experience do you Need to Join the Police?’ outlines the basics of what is meant by ‘competencies’
'How to Nail Police Briefing Exercises’ provides several tools to help you successfully navigate Briefing Exercises as part of your police recruitment process

Steps 4-8: Coming Soon...

Look out for the next Police Success Blog, where I will outline police recruitment interviews and other remaining steps of the selection process. In the meantime, you can get a head start right away with this all-inclusive guide to joining the police…

]]><![CDATA[Are Police the Hammer or the Anvil?]]>Wed, 05 Aug 2020 10:03:54 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/are-police-the-hammer-or-the-anvil

Are Police the Hammer or the Anvil?

Should police always act on the letter of the Law? Maybe there is a greater purpose that should determine our response during civil disobedience like the recent 'Black Lives Matter' protests/riots (they have been described as both). During times of change, civil unrest is common but is it the job of the Police to take a side? Now some dust has settled and emotions aren't running so high, let’s consider that in this post which might spark some thoughts to those applying for the challenging, yet rewarding job of Police Constable...

Why Do We Have Police?

"The police are the public and the public are the police."
- Sir Robert Peel

Why we have the police at all is a question that is often asked. The glib response is to invite people to try living without and see how long it takes before they ask to go back to the way it was before. But it's more complex than that. The answers vary according to who you ask. Is it simply to catch criminals? Or to keep the community safe? Those two concepts aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive of course, but there can sometimes exist a grey area within which you must use your own judgement and discretion. That's where things can get difficult.

Let’s step back and take a wider perspective.

Living with other humans is hard. People can be incredibly caring, affectionate and supportive. However, we can also be annoying, selfish and hateful. Living with other humans is a constant challenge for all of us, but we choose to do it. This has been true since the human race began and probably, it will always be this way.

When you put a sufficient quantity of us together, some kind of policing function is essential. Society creates general rules (which we call laws) for us all to rub along effectively enough, but it’s an imperfect system. There will always be people who decide the rules don't apply to them.

The fact is that we’re all learning together, and human society is still a work in progress. What we have is a delicate balancing trick. New technologies and geopolitical change constantly create new issues that can throw a spanner in the works now and then. Also, we have old issues that got swept under the carpet ages ago, but every now and then emerge to challenge us. Sometimes centuries later.

One way to look at policing is as a social mechanism that keeps us collectively safe while we work out our issues. Another way is to see policing as a social mechanism for keeping people who don’t match the “general norm” under control.

Ouch! Policing Hurts!

"Bravery is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of fear."
- Mark Messier

When you put the uniform on, you accept that you will be doing one of the hardest jobs there is. You’ll see things others will not.

Step onto the streets in uniform and you know that you’re also carrying the burden of expectations and duty that other people have of you. Because you are also a part of the community you serve, it’s not just up to you to decide what you will have to deal with on any given shift. Often that can be incredibly rewarding, but at other times it is painful, sometimes literally being assaulted. That happens, we know that, but it shouldn’t ever be accepted as part of the job. Surely there have to be limits to what you are expected to deal with?

Protesting or Rioting?

"We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Someone once remarked that the USA is the longest riot in history. It started with the Boston Tea Party and is still going on. That may be a joke, but it does remind us of two things: firstly, that comparisons between UK policing and the police in the USA are ultimately fruitless. Secondly, that legitimate protest which is ignored can eventually lead to rioting. Whilst we accept that organised protest is a legitimate activity, history teaches us that governments rarely make big changes until the volume of social protest gets loud. Really loud. This is particularly true when it comes to structural change.

Would women have the right to vote today if it hadn't been for the Suffragettes? In November 1911 window smashing was officially adopted as a key campaign tactic by the Women's Social and Political Union. Also, destruction of property, such as attacks on public artworks, and even arson, were embraced. The Suffragette newspaper reported over 300 incidents of arson and bombing between 1913 and 1914.

Similarly, it is almost impossible to imagine that the system of Apartheid that existed in South Africa could have been defeated had it not been for the riots that plagued that country. Ultimately, their government did not give up that system because of peaceful, ordered marches with placards.

And the issue isn’t about the legitimacy or legality of the protester’s demands. When one part of our society believes that the sanctioned forms of protest are being ignored, and that their cause is just, this can lead them to adopt more violent measures. And that can mean laws get broken.

This is exactly the point at which the police are inserted into the issue. Surely the policing function is about preventing law-breaking, and catching lawbreakers? Without fear or favour. But what about the bigger picture? Should you always be obliged to bring down the hammer regardless of the circumstances? Arrest every single offender? What if you consider that it would be of more service to the community to de-escalate the situation with empathy and discourse? This can only be possible if you remain impartial.

During the 'Black Lives Matter' wave of protests and rioting, we’ve seen police in the UK and the USA take a variety of approaches ranging from direct confrontation to de-escalation. De-escalation can lead to an end to hostilities and the adoption of a co-operative approach, but requires that we accept and adopt certain concepts, namely:

Protesters are not the enemy.
Even criminals are not the enemy.
Militarisation of the police can lead to a military mindset.

Why do these things matter? Because when you’re caught up in the middle of conflict, it becomes incredibly tempting to pick a side. Our society is made up of us all. This includes protesters, law breakers and the ordinary public too. And you. If you see yourself as separate from ordinary society, we can kiss goodbye to policing by consent and you can't expect to get far when wanting to join the police as an officer.

In many countries such as the US we have seen a growth in investment in military style hardware and clothing. The problem there is that once we surround ourselves in the trappings of the military it can become easy to adopt the mindset that goes with it. If you doubt that, ask any kid dressed as Batman what they feel like.

In wartime, an enemy exists and can generally be identified, and it’s easier to know which side you are on. You can take pride in it. For the police, it is extremely perilous to think of other members of our community as an enemy. They are us, we are them, as the Peelian Principle outlines. British policing is accepted as being the best in the world. It can be a force, but it is also a policing service.

We need the military and we need the police. But they are clearly not the same, which is why Great Britain has chosen the 'policing by consent' model for hundreds of years to date.

In the Police There Can be No Sides

'Lady Justice' doesn't take sides!

Sir Robert Mark, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police 1972 to 1977 said that "The police are the anvil on which society beats out the problems and abrasions of social inequality, racial prejudice, weak laws and ineffective legislation."

Police are always in the middle. There is no third side, whether we like it or not. It’s hard when you or a colleague is struck by a protester, or subjected to a constant barrage of abuse, to feel unaffected by that emotionally. You wouldn’t be human if you were immune to that. But that is why the recruitment process is so rigorous. That is why the selection process rejects more candidates than it accepts. That is why we refer to ourselves as the Police Family. This is one of the reasons why we call it a job like no other.

Individual officers may feel drawn to one issue or idea but must never be tempted to take a side because of that.

When you are on neither side, you are always going to be on the wrong side. Caught in the middle, the police will inevitably be accused by both sides of either incompetence or bias. Nevertheless, as an organisation and as individuals, finding a space between warring sides is your lot. And it may not be a happy one, but for the sake of our society as a whole it is an essential role: 'Lady Justice' doesn't take sides.

Hammer or Anvil?

"The police are the anvil on which society beats out the problems and abrasions of social inequality, racial prejudice, weak laws and ineffective legislation."
- Sir Robert Mark

So, as a raw recruit or a seasoned officer, you must ask yourself this question daily: Can I be impartial about this? If not, think again because nothing less than that level of professionalism is good enough. If you can, you may be ready to join the police.

What do you think? Is it your role to bring down the hammer on lawbreakers regardless of the wider situation? Or, are you prepared to be the anvil upon which we work out our differences?

Kind Regards,
Steve

0,Police Success

]]><![CDATA[How to Nail Police Briefing Exercises]]>Sun, 17 May 2020 12:58:53 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/how-to-nail-police-briefing-exercisesHow to Nail Police Recruitment Briefing Exercises

“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”
- Robert Louis Stevenson

To join the police, you may be required to deliver a formal briefing or presentation as part of the competitive police recruitment process. Particularly now in light of the changes to national online assessment centres I recently described, which involve online briefing exercises and written exercises. A common question asked by those wanting to join the police is, 'How can I pass the briefing exercises in the assessment centre?' This blog offers food for thought on the topic of briefings and how you might approach this type of assessment exercise.

Police officers need to be effective communicators, so a short presentation or briefing as part of joining the police provides assessors with insights of your communication skills and values. This step usually comes after successful completion of your police application form. For many people, the very thought or prospect of formally briefing or ‘presenting’ to strangers fills them with dread, especially if not done this before.

As a coach/mentor who has helped hundreds of police officers achieve promotion across UK police forces, I know prior knowledge of what lies ahead in a selection process can provide valuable insight, help reduce uncertainty and underpins personal confidence levels. Your first port of call will be to read the candidate guidance you receive carefully, this will also help familiarise you with the briefing exercises and outline the mechanics of what to expect. However, regurgitating the process guidance you will receive anyway adds no value to my clients, so I’d like to instead focus on how you can prepare for them. Briefing exercises are a fantastic opportunity to stand out from competitors, which you can do by familiarising yourself with some helpful structures, experiment with some of the ideas posed here, and making a solemn commitment to yourself to practice.

Tools to Navigate Briefings

“Not a lot of people know that.”
- Michael Caine

With the new police online assessment centre tests, some direction and guidance can make the difference between success and failure. In this blog we will look at some free guidance that is ‘hidden in plain sight’; members of the public are able via the College of Policing’s website to access the police Authorised Professional Practice (APP) at any time. APP is the documented professional standard for the daily business of operational cops. Not a lot of people know that!

Why is this important? It’s important because APP provides a virtual treasure trove of helpful information and background reading for anyone thinking of joining the police. APP contains police guidance and principles across different areas of policing including investigation, critical incident management, public order, detention, operations and custody. Among these is where you will find information on briefing models and structures.

Here you will find briefing aids such as ‘SAFCOM’ and ‘IIMARCHD’, together with links to related briefing models for joint emergency working (aka ‘JESIP’). These names may appear strange, but are well known mnemonics within policing and emergency services, serving as communication aids for briefings and risk management.

In briefing exercises as part of the police recruitment assessment, you will generally be given a scenario or set of circumstances. You will then be required to ‘brief’ the assessors on what actions need to be taken or outline your approach for a potential or suggested resolution. These exercises will likely be policing-related, reflecting requirements of the police constable’s role.

Here’s a quick look at the two most frequently used briefing models in policing, with insights on how you could apply them to your own briefing exercise approach...

SAFCOM

“The quality of your communication determines the size of your result.”
- Meir Ezra

SAFCOM is a mnemonic for summarising the headings of this police briefing model: Situation, Aim, Factors, Choices, Option and Monitor. The model is sometimes referred to in policing as a ‘briefing upwards’ model, i.e. updating more senior officers to summarise a situation, incident or problem, what is to be done and why. It is also very helpful as a thinking tool to tackle briefing exercises!

If you look at the headings you might already be thinking, this is quite a simple structure, easy to recall and the notion of ‘briefing upwards’ is relevant for assessment. In your mind’s eye, imagine ANY scenario or challenge that you could be asked to deliver a briefing on. Here’s an insight of how the SAFCOM model can be applied to many exercise scenarios. I’ve included some speech as prompts to get you thinking.

Situation: Describe/summarise it effectively, e.g. “From the information I have available the current situation is…”
Aim: Using your assessment guidance or based on what you know, what do you want to achieve? What is your intention? E.g. “My aim is…”
Factors: What factors or risks are apparent? e.g. “I have identified that the following factors present risks of xxx to xxx. I propose to mitigate these risks by (actions)…”
Choices: Summarise main options or actions that you could prioritise. Outline the pros and cons of each. The ‘rule of threes’ can be very helpful here, e.g. “In my view there are three clear choices…”
Option: What option have you chosen? What have you decided to do? Explain your rational, e.g. “Based on the information available, my favoured option is xxx… I have decided to xxx… my main reasons for that are…”
Monitor: How will you monitor what you have put in place? What does ‘success’ look like? E.g. “The situation is now under control; I will review the position on a daily basis until permanent measures can be implemented.”

SAFCOM is a flexible briefing tool but is often overlooked. It can be a great mental aide to proactively ‘get to grips’ with your briefing from the outset and to help you make best use of limited time. If the model doesn’t ‘fit’ your scenario or task exactly, you can still use the headings to generate questions or structure your thoughts. For example:

What’s the situation here?
What am I aiming to achieve?
What are the factors and facets I need to consider?
What choices are available to me?
What decisions do I need to make for the best option?
What will ‘success’ in this situation look like?

IIMARCHD

“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.”
- Tony Robbins

IIMARCHD is an alternative briefing aid. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘briefing down’ model. It’s used mostly for operational briefings in law enforcement, but you can easily use elements of it in an online assessment centre briefing exercise.

IIMARCHD is a mnemonic to summarise the components of Information, Intention, Method, Administration, Risks, Communication, Human Rights and Debrief. As with SAFCOM, you can use these headers as a flexible thinking tool to generate questions, clarify issues and communicate with others...

What information do I have to work with? What more is needed?
What is my intention?
What methods will I use to achieve my intention?
Administration: Guidance? Times? Locations? Resources needed?
What are the risks? How can these be avoided or reduced?
Who else do I need to communicate with? What’s the plan?
Human Rights impact? (e.g. Privacy? Protest? Use of force?)
Will a debrief be required? For everyone? Just certain individuals?

IIMARCHD is a tried and tested briefing model. In earlier iterations it was known as IIMAC and IIMARC, so it has evolved with the changing police landscape, but has stood the test of time. The 'D' is sometimes added to ensure a debrief is not overlooked. Take from IIMARCHD anything you find helpful. It simply offers an alternative mental model to think through your own approach to a briefing exercise and to help generate questions and actions. With that in mind, you could experiment by mixing aspects of this model with SAFCOM headings to tailor your own mnemonic!

Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.

“All you're trying to do with improvisation is get as much material as possible for the editing room.”
- Martin Short

A mnemonic is one method to ‘chunk’ important information that helps you recall it when it matters. You can easily adapt or improvise elements of different models and structures. Here’s a DIY-model, a ‘mix and match’ of aspects of SAFCOM and IIMARCHD to make up a new mnemonic: SCORCH. I’ve put some thinking prompts in speech alongside each heading. You can experiment to develop your own structure...

Situation: What is the situation here in this scenario/task?
Choices: Based on what I know, what are my choices?
Option: On balance what is my favoured option?
Risks: What are the risks? How can I reduce, avoid, remove or accept them?
Communication: Who needs to know? Who’s included?
Human Rights: Are my proposed actions legal, necessary and proportionate?

A memory aid doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you. Having options to think through beforehand can make all the difference to being proactive in your approach. By reading to here, you’ve already done some thinking that may help you adapt to any briefing scenario you may encounter. Which of these briefing structures initially appeals to you? What will your own mnemonic look like?

Practice Makes Perfect

“Remember the three P's of success: Passion, Planning and Perseverance.”
- Homer Hickman

You have the potential to deliver an effective briefing. The key to doing so confidently and with impact is experience. Experience comes from practice. This is such an important issue that underpins success. Here’s three reasons why:

Your presentation and communication skills will improve.
You’ll develop your own distinct personal style.
Practice will ensure you have your content and timing right, while enhancing your confidence.

Those who practice enhance their ability to nail a short briefing or presentation. I encourage individuals to deliver a ten-minute presentations, then a five-minute presentation to a family member, close friend or even the dog! The topic can be anything; it’s the time practicing and then reflecting on improvements that counts. Reflect and consider after the shorter, five-minute exercise: What did you keep? What was removed? Why? In doing so, you’ll develop speaking skills, awareness of timings, content, how it sounds, but most importantly boost confidence knowing you are honing in on the impactful delivery.

Imagine for a moment how your favourite movie might have looked if the actors hadn’t read the script or practiced their lines until they arrive at the shoot. Think for a moment how not practicing might feel before being required to deliver a ten-minute briefing or presentation to people you don’t know, on a topic, scenario or circumstances you just found out about. That’s what we are talking about here!

“Experience comes from practice.”
- Steve Cooper

Contrast that with having practiced for hours beforehand and how much more confident about your own ability you would be. Lots of candidates don’t think about this aspect enough and are unable to realise their potential when it matters. Here’s how a presentation task might look:

You are given a briefing task to be assessed against a police officer’s role competencies and values. A situation will be laid out to you.
You will receive a period of preparation time and any writing materials needed.
You will then deliver your presentation and answer a few questions on it.

In the new online assessments, you will be recording your presentation by video and uploading it, rather than delivering it in person. For other selection processes, you submit power point slides ahead of the day. This may feel clunky or unnatural, but the briefing structures covered remain applicable to support your thinking, approach and to help you generate or answer questions.

A Reality Check

“There is only one proof of ability: ACTION.”
- Marie Ebner Eschenbach

Once you are provided with guidance and instructions for your briefing exercise, you will be clearer on exactly what is required of you. Consider while reading which briefing option or model might be appropriate to address your specific task.

Here’s an insight to preparation time required by Wayne Burgoff that I connect candidates with, to help them focus and to adopt to the right mindset for the task ahead. It conveys an idea of what is required to excel, especially in highly competitive selection processes where doing some homework in advance can make all the difference…

“It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.”

This quote tends to resonate with individuals because it’s a reality check. Some are disheartened, but it simply highlights that sincere commitment to meaningful preparation aids effective delivery. Many presentations and briefing exercises for police selection processes lasts around ten minutes, so it’s understandable that your first thoughts on reading this quote may include, “Where am I going to find ten hours?” Whilst your briefing exercise might not be exactly ten minutes, or might even be recorded and split into sections, the principle is the same: Effective briefings are based on prior thought and preparation. Instead of worrying about what the briefing scenario or topic could be, you can choose to think about mental models, mnemonics or structures you can apply.

One question I am often asked as a coach/mentor is: “What is the best way to deliver a presentation?” My response is that there is no single best format or model; you just have to choose one. The good news is that there are tried and tested options, some are alluded to in this blog. Familiarising yourself with these now will support your thinking and confidence. It is the highly motivated people equipped with ideas, alternative structures and a choice of thought processes tend to do better than those who simply show up and hope for the best.

Does any of this work? Can you really use this kind of approach to nail briefing exercises? I’ll leave the final words on that to others who successfully navigated briefing exercises in highly competitive selection processes…

“Steve, I passed my Inspector board achieving top marks in the presentation, interview and briefing exercise.” - Jamie

“I passed my Sergeant’s board; practice presentations made a huge difference.” - Rachael

“Hi Steve, I passed my Inspector board. I achieved very high marks on my presentation, SJT and my interview.” - Scott

I hope you found this blog helpful, whether you are an aspiring to join the police as a member of the public, leaving the military, a serving Special Constable or PCSO. Download the comprehensive Police Success guide (below) for more detailed guidance, or feel free to arrange some 1-2-1 coaching for bespoke support. The guide includes comprehensive information about the role, CVF, assessment tests, interviews, practice questions, and much more to help you excel and achieve your ambition to join policing in 2020!

Kind Regards,
Steve

Comprehensive guide on how to join the police!

]]><![CDATA[New Online Assessment Centre]]>Wed, 06 May 2020 18:50:29 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/new-online-assessment-centreWhat is the New Online Assessment Centre for Police Recruitment?

"You cannot discover new oceans without the courage to lose sight of the shore."
- Andre Gide

I highlighted in early April this COVID19 crisis would spark a revolution in police recruitment processes to continue Uplift, with 'Virtual Assessment Centres' in England & Wales forces coming to replace 'SEARCH' and 'DAY ONE'. This has now quickly become reality, with the College of Policing (COP) recently announcing the new online assessment process as part of measures to support police recruitment. But what is this new virtual assessment centre for recruiting officers?

As an overview, the police online assessment centre will last throughout 2020 and entail the following three elements, each of which this blog provides guidance on, absolutely free:

Step 1: Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
Step 2: Competency-Based Video Interview
Step 3: Briefing Exercise & Written Exercise

What's New In These Police Assessment Centres?

It has been made clear this new police assessment centre process will replace SEARCH and DAY ONE assessment centres for all of 2020. So what's new?

For a start, the College has significantly streamlined the volume of assessment done. They have dispensed with verbal reasoning tests, numerical reasoning tests and role play scenarios entirely.

Second, the focus will be 'competency-based' throughout. This means you will be assessed against Level 1 competencies and values described in the CVF. For example, here are the Level 1 criteria for the competency 'We are emotionally aware' in detail. I suggest you familiarise yourself with the others too! I'll do some blogs around the CVF officer competencies in due course, however for now you might like to read my blog on emotional intelligence. This is set in the context of police promotion (Level 2), but you'll see later how those who EXCEED the Level 1 competencies score higher marks!

Once applied to your chosen force, you will receive an email inviting you with a link to the College online assessment platform, called 'LaunchPad'. You will be able to access this anytime and anywhere with an internet connection - ensure yours is working well! You don't require specific policing knowledge or experience to excel, but comprehensive support is available from us at Police Success should you want it!

There will be some information about the role of a police officer, also covered extensively in the Police Success guide. Now you have a bit of an introduction, here are those three steps of the virtual assessment centre in more detail...

1. Situational Judgement Test

" A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to."
- Banksy

What is a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) used in police applications? In summary, a SJT is an assessment of your ability to make decisions in situations similar to that you will face as a police officer.

You will be presented on screen with a number of written scenarios in turn. For each one, your task is to choose what you think is the BEST response to the situation, presented from four available options. These options are generally designed to be scored on a scale which you can imagine ranges from 'Terrible idea!' to 'Most effective'. Allow yourself 2-3 minutes for each scenario, to ensure you are reading the question and options carefully, but being swift to complete the full test within the time limit set. You must do this in one sitting, so check your internet connection and get yourself settled before you begin.

Below is an example of a SJT scenario and four response options, with the 'Most effective' one chosen. The questions you will see on the new virtual assessment centre in LaunchPad will be set in a policing context, for example community problem-solving, de-escalating situations, working with other officers, policing events, interacting with the public as a police officer, and so on. Regardless, it is worth practicing in advance if you have time to familiarise yourself and become an expert. You can access more free practice SJT questions here, or practice police-specific SJTs here if you prefer. Either will prepare you well for this stage of the assessment.

It (almost!) goes without saying: Don't be sharing screenshots or other information about the LaunchPad assessments, or any other part of the exclusive assessment content for that matter. Like bad language or inappropriate behaviour, this will result in an instant fail for candidates; it's incongruent with the values of honesty and integrity sought in policing.

Made the cut? Then you will be invited to complete step 2 of the police online assessment process...

2. Competency-Based Video Interview

"Creativity is thinking about new things. Innovation is doing new things."
- Theodore Levitt

This step entails recording yourself giving 5-minute recorded responses to a series of competency-based questions asked. Each question will be assessing one of the CVF competencies or values. The candidate guidance document you'll get from the College will tell you exactly which ones they are; read it carefully to focus your preparation and work smart! As a reminder, the six competencies and four values are...

We are emotionally aware
We take ownership
We are collaborative
We deliver, support and inspire
We analyse critically
We are innovative and open minded
The four values are Impartiality, Integrity, Public Service, and Transparency

You will receive clear instructions on the technicalities of recording and uploading your responses within the LaunchPad system. There is no human interaction, you receive the questions and prompts on-screen. That might feel a little unusual at first, but from what I hear it's pretty straightforward. Again, worth just checking everything is working on your end and making sure you won't be disturbed, as you only get one take!

Here are some further tips on virtual video interviews:

There is an extensive question-bank within the Police Success guide with practice questions. For example, a good place to start is always "Why do you want to join 'Xyz' Police?"
There's nothing stopping you prepping some bullet-point prompts behind or around your camera. This might help remind you of key aspects you want to cover or just reassure you won't dry up. The College may also give you prompts as per previous processes (on screen this time), e.g. why you took the action, how you adapted or overcame any challenges, what results you achieved.
If you feel nervous in front of a camera, try doing some practice videos on your device separately then play back. This will at least help you get more familiar, if not more comfortable, with seeing yourself on camera.
Use a structure to your interview responses. E.g. Problem > Action > Result (PAR) is easy to remember.

"Why do you want to join this police force?"
- Potential interview question

It will take a few days for the assessors to watch and assess your responses. They will be scoring each video you upload using a typical 1-5 'Likert' scale. You can assume it looks something like this...

Awful
Below Par
Acceptable, meets the required standard (i.e. 'Good')
Solid, sometimes exceeds the standard ('Better')
Awesome, exceeds the required standard a great deal ('BEST')

Always aim for 'BEST'! Go look again at those CVF competencies: How will you exceed the required standards? I go into much more detail on interviews in my guide, but will also provide occasional musings on this blog over coming months. If successful, you will then be invited to conduct step 3, which we cover next...

"Give an example of a time or situation when you took the initiative to solve a problem which was outside your comfort zone?"
- Potential interview question

3. Briefing Exercise & Written Exercise

"The will to succeed means nothing without the will to prepare."
- Juma Ikangaa

Step 3 of the College online police assessment process is again assessed against competencies in the CVF and can be broken down into two parts:

Briefing Exercise
Written Exercise

But what are briefing exercises and what is a written exercise?

Briefing Exercises are essentially a presentation. That's great news, since I have previously blogged extensively to give detailed guidance on giving effective presentations. The 'Rule of Threes' is a great place to start, very relevant to this process and something to peruse for clarity on your preparation and help give your presentation some impact. It might be worth also browsing some of the College's 'Authorised Professional Practice' used within policing to help spark further ideas. For example, SAFCOM and IIMARCH provide a readymade structured mnemonic of issues to consider addressing in your briefing. Another structure I advocate in any responses to questions is 'PAR': What problems will you address, with what actions, and what will be the result achieved by doing so?

You can expect to be given a description of a policing or community problem to solve. You will then have time to prepare with materials given to you before providing answers to questions raised in a briefing style. I will blog in some detail on this element in due course to help police officer recruitment candidates prepare effectively. As with all aspects of the online assessment centre, be sure to read the detailed candidate instructions carefully beforehand. This will give you more exact mechanics of the process, like timings and sequencing, so that nothing comes as a surprise to you on the day.

Written exercises are designed to assess a candidate's written communication, comprehension skills and attention to detail. Use your time wisely to read through instructions, the documentation you are provided, crafting your response and then checking it over for clarity or errors before clicking 'submit'.

Again this task will be set in a policing context. A frequent task used in police assessment centres is writing a response to a letter of complaint received from the public, something neighbourhood officers often do. Or it might be from a response / patrol perspective, by compiling a factual incident report based on a gaggle of unstructured information and documentation. I cover this in some more detail in my extensive guide. For now, you can prepare by familiarising yourself with the CVF you get assessed against and as with SJTs, practice written tests beforehand to get match-fit. A common written exercise used across many industries is writing a letter to someone who has complained about receiving a poor service.

What Does The Future Hold for Online Police Assessments?

" Prediction is very difficult, particularly when it involves the future."
- Mark Twain

The College will clearly be reviewing the national implementation of this online assessment centre during the Summer months. They are pretty open about plans to reintroduce the human touch and a human interaction once this COVID19-induced emergency planning has passed; not least to help ensure integrity of the process and the ability for assessors to probe candidates further. Don't be surprised if scheduled interviews make a comeback, with real people interviewing, albeit run by normal video-conferencing. There might also be reintroduction of some sort of interactive role play and other assessment tests (e.g. numerical / verbal reasoning), if forces become worried about the process being made too easy to pass.

This online approach also saves the College and forces a great deal of costs, while bringing policing up to date with technology in a major way. It has already been announced this is the standard throughout 2020, no more SEARCH or Day One assessment centres this year. However, it will likely continue in some adjusted form well beyond that... a 'new normal' to use a COVID-19 buzzword goes!

Remember, the journey doesn't end with Virtual Assessment Centres on the College of Policing's 'LaunchPad' platform. Forces remain entitled to throw in additional interviews or other steps to the process around this, and are doing so. Don't be alarmed when that is the case for your force!

In the meantime opportunity is knocking... good luck! Download the comprehensive Police Success guide for more detailed guidance or feel free to arrange some 1-2-1 coaching for bespoke support. This includes information about the role, CVF, assessment tests, interviews, practice questions, and much more to help you excel and achieve your ambition to join policing in 2020!

Kind Regards,
Steve

0,Police Success

]]><![CDATA[Experience Needed to Join the Police]]>Thu, 23 Apr 2020 18:20:54 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/experience-needed-to-join-the-policeWhat Experience do you Need to Join the Police?

“Experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer."
- Randy Bausch

The ongoing police recruitment drive aims to boost UK police numbers by 20,000 officers. To achieve this means recruiting an estimated 45,000 police recruits over the next few years accounting for natural turnover. So if policing is a career that appeals to you or someone you know, there has probably never been a better time to apply and a greater chance of being accepted.

In the UK police recruitment process, you will be required to provide details about your life and work experiences in support of your application.

People from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and life experiences join the police service. The Police Success guide includes many examples from retail, military, professional drivers, technology, and other sectors to help you on your way.

There is a robust selection process, so it is natural to have questions including:

What kind of experience are the police looking for?
Do I have this?
How do I communicate it?

Every police force has a recruitment selection process. Whilst these are standardised nationally to a great extent, there are some differences. The application form is an important element all forces use. A high proportion of applications fall at this early hurdle and simply fail to meet the required standard.

Understandably, written application forms can seem to be an onerous exercise, especially if you haven’t done one recently or before. You may have even ruled out applying to join the police, maybe in the belief you don’t have what it takes to be considered, or you don’t know where to start.

“Never underestimate the problem or your ability to deal with it."
- H. Schuller

If that is the case, you could well be mistaken, maybe even missing out on the career opportunity of a lifetime. If you were not aware, many forces also offer support to potential candidates via recruitment information evenings and career insight events, including Q&A sessions.

When it comes to experience, police forces consider every application and each individual on a case by case basis. The current COVID-19 situation may well lead to innovations in police recruitment processes, but opportunity is certainly knocking loudly at the moment for those aiming to make a career in policing.

The good news is that you likely already have experience aligned to competencies expected for the role of police officers. These may include working with others, making decisions, demonstrating professionalism and delivering a service to others. That encapsulates a broad spectrum of people across communities and the wider UK workforce!

Your force will provide you with bespoke guidance on what is required. It might seem difficult at first to put pen to paper and to start writing down your experiences, but right now is a good time to start…

Competencies: A Rose By Any Other Name...

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
- William Shakespeare

Competencies are simply how an organisation communicates how it wants its people to behave and perform within a particular role. It can be confusing when interchangeable language is used to describe competencies in recruitment guidance or instructions. This includes knowledge, skills, attributes, behaviours and/or personal qualities. You may even see all of these in your application guidance and instructions. Here’s a quick practical tip. Use a single name for them, e.g. 'Behaviour'. This can help keep your thinking simple and uncomplicated. Here’s why:

A Police Constable is expected to ‘behave’ in certain ways.
'Behaviours' are the things described & assessed in ‘competency frameworks’.
You will face a 'behavioural interview' later in the process.

That said, the only way assessors will ever know anything about your behaviour is if you tell them about it. So, it is vital that you evidence the specific behaviours (e.g. Working with Others, Professionalism, Service Delivery, and Decision Making) assessed against the role of police constable. The more you adhere to guidance provided, the easier it will be for assessors to score your application. For example, your force might just use the Competency and Values Framework (CVF).

Application Form Example: Decision Making

“Of course, motivating yourself has little to do with energy and everything to do with decisions. Choosing to do something might be hard. You need to decide whether the task is worth the effort."
- Gina Barreca

Applications are the main area of failure for police recruitment, so it can be very helpful to see what successful examples look like, to help when putting together your own evidence towards those important first steps in the process.

The ability to make sound decisions is a highly desired skill in policing. So valuable, it is assessed in police recruitment and also every police promotion process from the rank of Sergeant through to Chief Constable. To support your aspiration and give you an idea of what the ‘8 Step Guide to Joining the Police’ includes to help you get ahead, the following is a full detailed example of the behaviour ‘Decision Making’.

Allow yourself some thinking time. The practical example provided below should help to spark your ideas concerning your own experience. It will also give you an idea of how to structure your examples. You’ll notice the broad question comes first, then forces often follow up with some additional questions to help guide you in providing structure and a fuller response…

Please describe a specific occasion when you have considered a number of options before making a decision…

Why was it necessary to consider a number of options before making the decision?
I was advised that my employer was to move away from consumer electronics and focus more on the mobile phone side of business. This meant either leaving or changing roles within the branch. I was given the option of several posts all with different factors to consider. Contracted hours offered varied and other roles were much less customer focused. I took time to review all the options considering the potential impact of each on my family and my income.

What did you consider when identifying the options?
I carefully considered the implications my choice would have on my wider family (I currently live with my parents), the salary change (I’m saving a deposit for a home) balanced against overall job satisfaction. My choices seemed quite stark; redundancy was suggested. However, it became clear that there would be a position for me within the organisation. I had three clear options. The mobile phone section, bakery manager or delivery driver. I spoke with colleagues working in each of these roles to better understand what they involved.

What did you consider when making the decision?
I considered working hours, shift patterns, the challenges of each role being offered and the salary implications. My preferred choice initially was the phone shop, continuing in a customer facing role. The issue with this was a reduction in working hours to sixteen a week. The bakery manager role offered similar hours and salary to my previous position but required 3am starts, six days a week. I therefore decided upon the driving roleas it offered similar salary, hours, working patterns and included customer contacts.

What was particularly good or effective about how you identified the options and made the decision?
The requirement to change role came unexpectedly due to retail restructuring. It required careful consideration of the longer-term implications of my decision. After reviewing the options, I believe I made the right choice in the circumstances. I was given time to make my decision and I was able to consider family impact and commitments beyond work. The time enabled me to make a fully informed decision. I have reflected on my choice and the process. I was asked for advice by my team, whilst I was confident in my decision, I advised my colleagues to do as I had done and to consider the wider implications for themselves for roles offered to them.

What difficulties did you experience and how did you overcome them?
I would not have chosen to apply for any of the roles had I been allowed to continue in a technical specialist role. It was a difficult time, but it was important to realise I was being offered alternative employment as some staff were made redundant and not offered alternatives. None of the three roles I was offered were ideal, but I overcame the dilemma by thinking through advantages and disadvantages before accepting. The process enabled me to settle for the closest match and make an informed choice.

Why not use the red questions now to start drafting your own example of decision making? I hope you found this blog helpful and if you are thinking of applying to join the police service, good luck and I wish you all the very best.

Further Police Application Support

If you would like to see a variety of full detailed examples aligned to police recruitment competencies (behaviours) you can get your copy of our digital ‘8 Step Guide to Joining the Police’ at any time to hit the ground running with your preparation.

Whether you are a member of the public, leaving the military, a serving Special Constable or PCSO looking to join as a full-time police officer, get your copy of our toolkit now for a range of application examples, plus a raft other detailed guidance on joining the police service.

Kind Regards,
Steve

]]><![CDATA[Police Recruitment vs. COVID-19]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2020 08:51:03 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/police-recruitment-vs-covid-19Has COVID-19 Killed UK Police Recruitment Uplift?

Thinking about police recruitment covid19

"Crises and deadlocks when they occur have at least this advantage, that they force us to think."
- Jawaharlal Nehru

In response to COVID-19, the College of Policing have now postponed police assessment centres. 20,000 new police officers are still required to meet the government’s recruitment target. This so-called 'Coronavirus', or more so the current response to mitigate the effects of the global pandemic, have unquestionably set back plans to recruit new cohorts of police officers.

'SEARCH' and 'Day One' recruit assessment centres are postponed. This will clearly delay the necessary uplift to the frontline of policing. However, it is in times of existential threat and national crises that innovation emerges. New ideas and previously unacceptable or unaffordable initiatives are often considered, supported and implemented...

'We Are Innovative and Open Minded'

"Improvidus, apto quod victum."
- Improvise, adapt, overcome

'We are innovative and open minded' is a tenet of the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) in policing. History is packed with examples where innovation in the face of crisis has led to survival for civilisations and nations. It is a story played out through the ages: Understanding the brutal reality of the situation, working collectively to overcome it whilst holding a belief that ultimately your way of life would prevail.

In 216 BC at the battle of Cannae, having led his army and Elephants across the Alps (hitherto believed impossible), the Carthaginian General Hannibal annihilated the largest Roman army ever assembled. Yet in defeat and in its darkest hour, Rome refused to pay the price for peace. Instead, its citizens were put to work making new weapons and equipment.

A crippled Roman army was rebuilt with new thinking and improvisation. This included lowering the recruitment age, enlisting convicts from prisons and offering slaves their freedom in exchange for military service. More legions were eventually raised to replace those lost at Cannae. Rome adapted, training its army using what it learned from Hannibal to finally defeat him.

An Invisible Enemy

"The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands."
- Sun Tzu

Today in 2020 another battle is being waged for survival. This time, COVID-19 is attacking having taken our civilisation by surprise. It is an invisible and silent killer. Tens of thousands of people have died, with many more to follow over the coming month or two. Populations across the world are confined to their homes. Wartime language is heard in daily news, with comparisons to times of WWII and mentions of “Fighting on the frontline”.

However, we are also seeing fresh thinking and approaches to improvise, adapt and overcome. Dyson are adapting to produce lifesaving ventilators; not just by going from ‘suck’ to ‘blow’! A massive 'volunteer army' of 750,000 people have enlisted to support people directly and indirectly affected. The government are implementing unprecedented economic measures to encourage individuals and businesses to battle the potential worst hit to the country at least since the 2008 crash.

We are increasingly all in this together, but what will be the effect of all this on police recruitment? Will it kill off the planned policing uplift?

Opportunity, Competence & Values

"Close scrutiny will show that most 'crisis situations' are opportunities to either advance or stay where you are."
- Maxwell Maltz

Policing has always changed to adapt to events. Recruitment will resume ASAP, but getting anywhere near 20,000 new cops means the College of Policing needs to quickly adapt aspects of the assessment process in order to keep some momentum. Born of necessity, the College is now ‘working at speed’ to provide an online solution within weeks, which meets College standards for assessing candidates. The main priorities are keeping the public safe and ensuring forces have the right number of officers.

There is a clear opportunity presented for the College to demonstrate its own Competency and Values Framework (CVF). This framework is designed to ensure there are clear expectations of everyone working in policing, raising standards for the benefit and safety of the public. It is the assessment tool used to evaluate police officers and police staff for recruitment, promotion or other selection processes.

Compelled to think 'outside De Bono', the College are clearly utilising each of De Bono’s six thinking hats to explore options and implement solutions to keep the police recruitment uplift going.

“We are committed to being flexible in our approach to ensure the best outcomes. The perpetual need to adapt, innovate and question our assumptions is at the heart of being able to serve and protect the public. It includes taking innovative action.”
- The College of Policing

A Virtual Revolution

"It is through the pain of confronting and resolving problems that we learn."
- M. Scott Peck

Recruits already in initial police training during this ‘lockdown’ period are experiencing innovative changes to navigate through this crisis. These include being trained and redeployed temporarily to force control rooms. Others remain at home during lockdown for 12 weeks, receiving invites to ‘attend’ virtual classrooms instead. Lectures by police trainers are being delivered on force intranet platforms, webinars and other online packages and technology. There is clearly potential in this ‘needs must’ reactive response. Regardless, the surge of a 20,000-strong army won’t be stopped by a microscopic species!

Policing is generally found behind the technology curve. However, COVID-19 could be the catalyst for a deeper dive into virtual assessment methods, using more video, instant messaging, online questionnaires and web conferencing platforms to interact with candidates. These are the sorts of things being explored to continue police officer recruitment in the face of social-distancing adversity! Opportunities are abound for policing to take a quantum leap forward in how elements of initial training and assessment are conducted.

“We will need to adopt new thinking and assumptions, be continually inquisitive and committed to continual improvement.”
- The College of Policing

Virtual assessment centres are essentially online versions of traditional assessment centres, using technology to achieve what is needed without compromising process requirements. Virtual assessments have a range of tools, can generate automated reports and can reduce the costs of personal assessments without impeding regulation or accuracy of scores and results.

Virtual interviews, also known as digital or video interviews, can be used as a standard way of initially assessing the suitability of candidates. UK policing has dipped its toe into virtual assessment methods, now may be the appropriate time to immerse itself in order to become more effective, efficient and to facilitate recruitment at the scale required.

Far from killing the UK’s police recruitment uplift, COVID-19 clearly offers opportunities to learn. Individual, team and organisational learning generated will not just help overcome the Coronavirus pandemic, but other policing challenges which lie ahead.

What Next?

All this means there is every reason for aspiring police officers to continue their preparation, particularly for those finding themselves with plenty of extra time on their hands! There has never been a better time for reading up on the role, competencies and the sorts of assessments faced to becoming a police officer. Regardless of these assessments being conducted digitally over the next few months, recruitment processes and assessments will likely resume in full before summer is out, so why not ‘hustle while you wait’?

I hope you found this blog helpful. If you are thinking of applying to join the police service, good luck and I wish you all the very best. For more guidance on joining the police service, get your copy of our digital ‘8 Step Guide to Joining the Police’.

Kind Regards,
Steve

]]><![CDATA[Joining the Police: How are your Values?]]>Wed, 11 Mar 2020 20:02:01 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/joining-the-police-how-are-your-valuesJoining the Police: How are your Values?

“If you embody our purpose and values, join us and make a difference.”
Police Recruitment Advert

As the Police Service recruits 20,000 more police officers, opportunities to join are abound. There has never been a better time to join the police!

If you aspire to become a police officer, the recruitment process is challenging; not only for candidates but also individual police forces. In the UK, policing by consent means that the public expect police officers to demonstrate professional behaviour in their dealings with communities. Chief Constables are responsible for delivering effective and efficient policing, they need to ensure they select only those individuals whose personal values closely align with the values of the police service.

People behave according to their values. So before becoming a police officer, it’s not surprising that the joining process requires you to demonstrate and share insights about your personal values...

Values-Based Police Recruitment

“Values aren't buses. They're not supposed to get you anywhere. They're supposed to define who you are.”
Jennifer Crusie

In England and Wales, the College of Policing sets the standards for police officer values and recruitment. The Competency and Values Framework (CVF) describes nationally recognised behaviours and values. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also uses the CVF for ‘values-based’ recruitment to assess new police officers. Police Scotland do things slightly differently, describing their expectations of a police officer's values as 'Standards of Professional Behaviour'.

Force recruitment processes aim to select the best candidates. Values Based Recruitment (VBR) means using and assessing personal values in police recruitment processes, either exclusively or in addition to other criteria. Whilst this may be achieved in slightly different ways, all align generally with the stated aim of the College of Policing’s CVF:

“The overall aim of the framework is to translate the Code of Ethics into the highest standards of professional conduct in all areas of the police service.”

Ethical codes are adopted by organisations to assist decision-making, by giving direction to the subjective nature of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. The increasing focus on values is to improve public confidence in policing, by ensuring all police officers demonstrate ethical decision-making and professional behaviour in all their dealings with communities.

How Are Your Values?

When aspiring to become a police officer, it's time to reflect on your own values

“Values will guide your behaviour.”
Kenneth H. Blanchard

When officers leave police premises, it’s just desks, chairs and computers that remain. There is no culture, for example shared values, attitudes or beliefs. That stuff arrives with individuals and it goes home with them. If you think about it, the ‘Office of Constable’ by itself doesn’t contain values. It’s only when the role is occupied that it ‘takes on’ values. Your values! Together with force (organisational) and community (environmental) values, these shared values act as integral checks and balances when performing the role, underpinning the powers, authority and discretion that come on appointment.

Whoever you are and in whatever generation, it’s important to ‘check in’ with your values…

“The modern individual is assailed from every angle by divergent and contradictory value claims. It is no longer possible, as it was in the not too distant historical past, to settle comfortably into the value system of one’s forebears or one’s community and live out one’s life without ever examining the nature and assumptions of that system.”
Carl R. Rogers

So, what are values? It’s an important question because your values drive your behaviour even if you can’t identify them. Values are beliefs, principles or standards important to an individual, organisation or group. They guide and motivate particular behaviours and actions. A value is something for which we have an enduring preference. Certain types of values are ethical values for example, honesty, compassion and accountability.

Thinking about values however is not something people often do; unless of course they are attending a job interview or have to focus for some reason on the topic. Talking about them is fairly easy and most people can ‘name’ some kinds of values, such as integrity, fairness and respect. Yet when it comes to responding meaningfully from a personal perspective, it is often more difficult.

Try answering this example interview question:

How are your values?

It’s an introspective question, requiring self-examination. It will take you some time to reflect on that question ahead of any meaningful response, because it is hard to answer questions about your personal values. The police recruitment process however will test, measure or assess your values, to ensure they are more than just words to you.

Testing Your Values

College CVF values integrity, fairness, impartiality, transparency

“If you don’t stick to your values when they’re being tested, they’re not values, they’re hobbies.”
Jon Stewart

In a police recruitment process values will be addressed within exercises including written applications, personal interviews and/or role-play exercises to ensure the ‘match’ between individual values and those of the organisation. This is known as ‘person - organisation fit’ and is a key element of a values-based recruitment process.

When it comes to policing, there are always critics for and against anyrecruitment, selection or promotion process in use. There is no perfect system and processes evolve over time. Using the example of the College of Policing, a key conclusion from the Police Leadership Review was that values inherent in policing’s Code of Ethics should be integral to all local and national selection processesin England and Wales. The PSNI also use the CVF to provide a consistent foundation for recruitment processes.

The four values defined in the CVF are as follows:

Public Service
Impartiality
Transparency
Integrity

The College of Policing even provide detailed guidance on values-based recruitment processes! This 'insider information' provides perspectives on values-based recruitment for the police service, including advice specifically for those who are making the recruitment decisions... a valuable resource to all aspiring officers!

If you aspire to join the police service, here are some example interview questions to practice, to help trigger your thinking, connect you with your values and see if you are a good fit!

What is important to you?
What are you guided by?
Why do you do what you do?

Further Support...

I hope you found this blog helpful. If you are thinking of applying to join the police service, good luck and I wish you all the very best. For more guidance on joining the police service, why not get your copy of our digital '8 Steps to Success' toolkit.

Kind Regards,
Steve

]]><![CDATA[Application Success: Evidence & Examples]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2020 19:12:32 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/application-success-evidence-examplesPolice Application Forms: Evidence & Examples

“What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.”
Christopher Hitchen

Having chosen to become a police officer, as part of the police recruitment process you will be expected to provide some supporting information about your life and work experiences. This will be assessed against the role and behaviours expected of police officers.

Police application forms contain set questions. Different police forces ask different questions on their recruiting forms, but all require specific information to assess against their policing competencies. For example, in England & Wales, evidence is often required to demonstrate behaviours such as Professionalism, Working with Others, Decision Making and Service Delivery. Whether your chosen force uses these or other behaviours of an effective police officer, it can be daunting to think about what evidence or examples you may have from your own experiences, then writing about it. The good news is that you almost certainly have what forces are looking for...

Where to Start?

“A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.”
Chinese Proverb

In the context of the four behaviours mentioned above, you will have behaved professionally whilst performing various roles, worked as part of a team, made decisions, and provided a service to others. Writing about that for the first time takes a little practice, just to ensure that the example you are providing covers what is required for the application form. Note that many forces use the term 'competencies' for such descriptors of the role; for simplicity, I choose 'behaviours'.

A key element when providing evidence or examples in a police recruitment application is that the information needs to be specific. That means being clear about what you did, how you did it and the result or outcome of your actions. You will be provided with detailed guidance by your force. That said, some forces are better than others. For example, some will ask extra questions to help you deliver a rounded example against any required behaviours.

Below is a summary of descriptors for the behaviour Working with Others. They are the guidelines describing ‘what good looks like’ for this particular behaviour. Note that these behaviours of 'an effective police officer' of course look similar wherever you apply in the UK. For example, Police Scotland describe similar traits under the 'Team Working' competency of their 'Personal Competency Descriptors'.

Works co-operatively with others to get things done, willingly giving help and support to colleagues.
Is approachable, developing positive working relationships.
Explains things well, focusing on the key points and talking to people using language they understand.
Listens carefully and asks questions to clarify understanding, expressing own views positively and constructively.
Persuades people by stressing benefits of a particular approach, keeps them informed and manages their expectations.
Courteous, polite and considerate, shows empathy/compassion.
Deals with people as individuals and addresses their specific needs and concerns.
Treats people with respect and dignity, deals with them fairly, without prejudice of their background or circumstances.

Police Application Example: Working With Others

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
African Proverb

Use the behavioural descriptors to help align your own evidence, like shown above with 'working with others'. You don’t have to set your example against each descriptor, but the more closely you adhere to the guidance, the easier it will be for assessors (using the same descriptors) to score your evidence. This is particularly true when mirroring some of the language describing the behaviour.

Below is an example of the behaviour Working with Others aligned to the guidance. This example happens to relate to supporting a colleague with a new IT system. The main question comes first, then is followed up with additional questions used by some forces to help guide applicants towards providing a fuller response...

'Please describe a time you encouraged someone to view an issue more positively.'

Why was it necessary to encourage the person to view the issue more positively?
A new colleague was struggling to use a software system at work. It was important to respectfully encourage her, so that she wasn’t stressed and could work to her full potential. It was also important to encourage her because this was impacting on the team’s capability.

How did you encourage the person to view the issue more positively?
Once I had finished my tasks for the day, I offered to sit down with her and go through the system in detail. I took her through step by step, explaining with clear instructions and wrote these down in a note pad for her to refer back to. I reassured her as she improved and provided my mobile number.

What did you consider when encouraging them to view the issue more positively?
I considered that she might have felt embarrassed about being offered help, so I ensured my language was helpful and supportive. I considered working a little faster earlier on in the day to complete my own responsibilities to ensure that I had enough time to listen carefully to any issues raised and then provide assistance to her without being rushed.

What was particularly good or effective about how you encouraged the person to view the issue more positively?
Giving her my mobile number was effective as she was able to use the computer on her own with confidence, knowing that she could call me for guidance or support rather than worrying or not being able to progress. My ongoing reassurance through the week gave her more self-esteem and enabled her to start working independently on the new system.

What difficulties did you experience and how did you overcome them?
It was difficult to be able to help her whilst working in a busy work environment due to noise and distractions. I overcame this by suggesting we worked through our lunch breaks occasionally, as it was much quieter. I also found it difficult offering to help given my own workload but overcame this by managing and prioritising my time to fit the support sessions in.

Insights: Compiling Your Police Application

“A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes Snr.

Reading through police application examples like this can trigger your thinking and support your approach towards drafting your own evidence. It gives you an idea of how you might shape and draft your own examples for police application forms. You can also pick up insights into what kind of situations or experiences might be suitable from your life and importantly what the end product can look like.

Breaking challenges down into smaller parts helps. With that in mind, you’ll see that the sub questions in the example provided act as supporting prompts to assist applicants in providing specific evidence. When examples are clearly structured and laid out as above, it aids assessors to do their job. They are interested in specific actions that you took, aligned to the behaviours being assessed. In that sense it’s time to blow your own trumpet! You will note in the example provided that “I” is used quite a lot, rather than “we”. The use of “I” clarifies which actions were performed by you. Using “I” is therefore good practice to help demonstrate the part you played in any example you provide.

Supporting a colleague is a great example to demonstrate the behaviour ‘Working with Others'. It’s a behaviour which occurs across organisations whilst working in teams or on projects.

Further Support...

I hope you found this blog helpful. If you are thinking of applying to join the police service, good luck and I wish you all the very best.

For many more police application form examples, plus a raft of other guidance on joining the police service, why not download our digital '8 Steps to Success' toolkit.

Kind Regards,
Steve

]]><![CDATA[Is Policing the Right Career for Me?]]>Tue, 25 Feb 2020 20:31:32 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/is-policing-the-right-career-for-meFood for Thought: Is Policing Right for You?

"Most of the time you're dealing with people who don't like you.”
Steve White

Before embarking on a career as a police officer, you must answer this fundamental question: "Is policing right for me?" The question is so fundamental, it's even asked of you by most forces in the application process. Researching the role of a police officer is a good opportunity for a reality check, because it’s certainly not for everyone. Depending on what you read or who you speak to, you could be encouraged by the excitement, variety and noble challenge of the job. Or you might change your mind fairly quickly!

As quoted above, an insight from the former Chair of the Police Federation of England & Wales was, "Most of the time you're dealing with people who don't like you." What are your thoughts about that?

Policing: The 24/7 Challenge

"The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence."
Sir Robert Peel

Nearly 200 years later, this quote from the founder of modern UK policing is still relevant. Today, it’s you who needs to make an informed decision on whether Policing is the right career move for you. You will see the glossy recruitment images and polished social media adverts, but do some meaningful detective work yourself to get a balanced view as part of your decision-making and approach.

Don't just research the role of a police officer, which can be challenging and rewarding in equal measure. Also learn about aspects of the job, like working shifts covering '24/7, 365' and encountering violence on a regular basis. If you do decide to apply, you will certainly be asked some pretty straightforward questions in your recruitment process. Here’s one:

“What preparation have you undertaken before making your application, to ensure that you know what to expect and that you are prepared for the role of a police officer?”

It’s worth spending some time on that one. It’s important because whilst most UK police forces have opened up recruitment windows there is a high level of scrutiny applied to those wishing to join, especially around motivation: Why you? Why now? Only you know this!

The Tough Side of Policing

"Let's be honest: How many of us would want a job that exposed us to random violence, expected us to wipe the vomit from a teenager’s face, to retrieve personal effects from a suicide’s pocket, or to break the news of a loved one’s death to his or her family?"
- Jeremy Paxman

Cops often describe 'the job' as the best vocation in the world and get enormous satisfaction from the difference they make to society. But let's not skirt over the tough aspects. In your deliberations, you might find helpful this Jeremy Paxman article from which the above quote is taken. This is just one of the considerable information resources out there to help you.

Could you do this? It describes some of the reality and aspects of policing that you may not see in recruitment adverts, but which await many carrying out operational police duties. Policing is about making a difference, being there for communities and individuals when they really need you. It’s about being a force for good in serving people. To find out more information, you can attend force recruitment events or briefings. You can also speak with officers in your local community to make sure that policing is a good career choice for you.

If it is, go for it! Opportunity is knocking...

]]><![CDATA[Joining the Police: A Guide]]>Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:07:47 GMThttps://policesuccess.co.uk/blog/joining-the-police-a-guideYour Personal Guide to Becoming a Police Officer

"The police are the public and the public are the police."
- Sir Robert Peel

Policing is a challenging yet rewarding career to which many people in the UK aspire. However, the police recruitment and assessment process is something many fail, as police forces demand only the best applicants to protect and serve the public.

Police forces in England and Wales are increasing officer numbers by 20,000 as part of 'Operation Uplift'; this will require recruiting 45,000 officers over the next few years. Police Scotland and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) continue to regularly recruit and encourage people to become police officers. Note that the PSNI online application process opens 26 February! All have challenging, multi-stage recruitment processes. In this competitive process, only 1 in 10 applicants prevail through the myriad of police application, assessment tests and interviews. Most fail through lack of preparation for or knowledge of this police application process.

Help is at Hand...

The core purpose of the UK police service is to prevent crime and disorder through a model Sir Robert Peel described as 'Policing by Consent'. These Peelian Principles underpinning policing have stood nearly 200 years. While policing priorities may change over time, there is never a shortage of applicants.

You could spend a lifetime and fortune getting lost browsing online sites, forums and a plethora of books about joining the police or on each step of the process. This new guide now brings expertise and insights for the whole process into one single, simple, and affordable digital toolkit. Mindful of commonalities between police forces in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, this digital guide provides:

Support in making an informed decision on whether policing is right for you
Guidance through the typical stages of the recruitment application process, crystallised into '8 Steps to Success'
Help with transforming your life/work experience into scoring evidence aligned to police officer competencies
Tangible examples of application form answers and a bank of interview questions to practice
Explanations and signposting to bespoke resources (e.g. psychometric testing)
Coaching guidance and other tips to help turbocharge your preparation and boost your confidence

I hope you find the digital guide useful, wish you success on your journey and welcome you to Police Success!

Kind Regards,
Steve

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