Should I apply to be a British Policeman?

Question

Ok, I've always wanted to be a policeman, since I was just a nipper. Many of my friends and family say that it is a role I was born to do.
However (isn't there always a however), I no longer see the point. Police officers have no power in protecting the general public because the government tie their hands. They appear to spend their lives now catching speeding motorists (which although an understandable problem, not as important as protecting the innocent from criminals) and persecuting innocent people who are easy pickings.
I couldn't do that. I want my life to have some meaning, I want to help people and am willing to give my life to protect them from criminals. I could enter the system to try and fix it, but if I do that would I not become as useless as all the police officers we have already? trapped behind government red-tape and unable to fight effectively?
What do u all think?

Re: Big Bird. thanks for the low opinion of me, typical of a true woman I guess.
Re: Steve I. Already doing the superhero thing. Although I prefer Vigilante.
Re. Mythmagic. Flying around at dangerous speeds not doing what the public wants me to do don't sound like fun. I'd prefer to torture criminals, pretend they are the ones that brutally beat me and got away with it. Get myself some Justice.

Answer 1

The people making flippant comments have either had a brush with the law, when they did wrong listen to the press, who do not have a clue or are just ignorant.

Being a police officer is fantastic if you are joining for the right reasons, remember helping people may mean taking some persons liberty from them.

The training is very hard and as stated by some one else has no reflection a real policing. I have worked in some of the toughest boroughs of London and you will come across the usual attitudes towards police, but these people are ignorant or possibly they have met a police officer who is not typical.

If you do your job for the right reasons with integrity you will not go wrong. You will get lots of complaints, because criminals think that if you complain about an officers think that the case will go away, but in fact the opposite will happen remember if you don't play football you won't get set off,

Go for it, you won't regret it.

Answer 2

Whilst some of your sentiments are admirable, you also should not believe all you read in the media about policing. It is not really the police who cannot protect the public - but the judicial system that lets the criminals go - time and time and time and time again - racking up numerous convictions before receiving an unbelievably SHORT prison sentence! Which is not much of a punishment.

We don't spend our lives catching speeding motorists - we have cameras to do that for us - but you need to remember that SPEED KILLS - I am sure you and a million or so others would be up in arms if a small child was killed in your neighbourhood by a SPEEDING MOTORIST. So do these people not deserve to be protected from foolish, incompetent, ignorant, often uninsured, sometimes drunk or drugged, motorists?

The best thing I can advise - give it a try. If you don't like it you can leave - but don't regret NOT trying it.

Good luck.

PS If you really WANT to make a massive difference, perhaps you should try politics?????? Who knows!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

I am saddened to read you tirade on policemen/women and think you are doing this as a platform to put the police down.
Where do you really think you would be if there were no police to help you out,have you any idea how many calls are received in a typical day at police stations even in small towns.
Policing our roads is a very small department of the police,yet everyone complains about them.
If the police are not protecting the public then perhaps you can tell us all who is?
You make a very offensive comment about police officers being useless,so without the police who would catch the Killers/Rapists etc,do you think there are more qualified people to do the job ?
I agree there is a lot of restrictions on what the police can do that's down on you the public to improve the conditions of the police not slag off people doing a very tough job, so yes! join the police to help it improve!!

Answer 4

If you always wanted to do it - then you must try it - you can always leave and never regret it - I always wanted to be a copper too - I was 5 when I decided - and I was 27 when I joined - there were bits of it I loved - there were bits of it I hated - there are so many different departments and you will never know unless you try it.

If you do go for it - it is hard work in training but you sound intelligent enough to get through it and remember - the police is not like it is in training - so make the most of the training - then apply a little bit of yourself when you get out on the beat - listen look and learn from your mentor - go for different departnents - you never know - you might end up enjoying TRAFFIC! They do actually catch criminals too alot of the time - CID had to admit that without TRAFFIC they might not catch as many bad guys - as you usually find baddies drive cars - and sometimes without licences or breaking the law in some way - burglars use cars to get away etc.

Now here is the crunch..... I resigned... after 6 years. Why... Thats another story - but I will tell you I loved what the police gave me - I left under a happy cloud - not because I was bad or anything - I actually went for a job I never thought I could get - and it was through the police I managed to get it -

So

Do it

Or regret the opportunities you may miss out on! Best of luck.

Answer 5

My partner is a police officer and i am a police civillian so may give a bias answer however - my partner has always wanted to be a police officer and went through the same problems as you thinking that its not worth it anymore but now after two years of doing it he is in a job he would not change for the world and he has a lot of respect, especially for some of the results he has managed to get. its not all about catchin speeding motorists, there are a number of differnet speciality areas you can apply for or just the normal on the street officers. different forces have different red tapes but at the end of the day the job that is done is better than not having anything and the majority of police officers are working to get the criminals of the streets and make it a better place but its a battle thats never going to end. i worry about my partner being out there day after day getting abuse and being in dangerous situations and dreading the day an officer knocks on my door if anything should happen, but im proud of the job he does and the fact that it has not stopped him being the man i love and im proud of him for going out there day after day and doing it. he has always wanted to make things better and he is. i think you should go for it and discover your role, its like a big family at the end of it, always supported and you do get to make a difference even if you dont always feel appreciated.

Answer 6

Fab question!

You are obviously a serious minded good person who could only be of benefit to our country. But I truly understand your concerns. I can only suggest that you try and work your way up the greasy pole - and unfortunately play the political game for a while - until you are in a position to implement your clearly sensible ideals. Then you will be able to make a difference.

We need more top level police officers who are not afraid of putting victims first, criminals behind bars, treating diversity with common sense as opposed to paying lip service and sticking a delicate two fingers up at some of the human rights issues.

Hope you get some great answers and it helps you to make a life changing decision.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Tell you what, join up and make your own mind up. You can always leave if you hate it.

You are making comments about red tape , speeding motorists, etc.... these are usually comments made by people who arent in the job themselves. The media is often anti-police and irresponsibly twists facts and reality.
Only people who are in the job know the true reality.
Join up, work hard and make a difference.

Answer 8

law in Britain is mainly good you'll always find criminals who will break the law and it's these people that use the justice system to there own needs, a small crime left unsolved or solved and then gets a light fine, you'll be fighting a losing battle the hours spent on a case don't even come into it

Answer 9

In my humble opinion I think you should go for it. Work your way up the ranks, get to a position where you can change things and change them. I know sounds simplistic but if more like passioned people do the same thing instead of backing off that is the only way change can happen.

All the best.

Answer 10

The desire to help and fix the evils of the world is very commendable. A firts requirement for ANY policeman however is the ability to follow rules. You seem to make your own as you go along, not really ideal characteristics for a copper.