UK Police?

Question

I am toying with the idea of becoming a Police Officer (UK) but have been told that many of them lose their social lives when they join up and are often treated warily by existing acquaintances. Is this in any way true?

Basically I was told, 'Apart from thier closest, long-term friends, a Police Officer's only companions are other Police Officers,'

No disrespect intended obviously but I would like to know. Cheers.

Answer 1

You start off as a uniform PC working shifts. That means that weekends off happen usually about every 3 weeks. If you are dealing with something at the end of a shift you have to keep working through. This makes having a social life outside the job difficult. If you go on to specialise it can be worse. There are some flour-grading jobs where you work 9 - 5 but if that is what you want don't join the police - there's no union and the conditions of service can be harsh. You will find that you tend not to advertise what you do in a social setting as there's always some prat who wants to winge about the speeding ticket he got or whatever.

Having said that, you will make friends that are closer than any civilian would have.

Personally, I wouldn't join now due to the ridiculous target system brought in by the current government.

By the way, if you want to get on, don't bother joining the masons - it's soooo passé! Take up golf - you'll go much further

Answer 2

James, a career in the police is a rewarding and challenging career. You never know what may happen from one minute to the next. Also at times it can be a real test of character.

I personally couldn't work in an office and do the same thing day in day out.

In terms of losing friends, yes and no. Real friends will stick with you. The ones that aren't will drift away. You will also make some good friends within the service. Its not just a case of cops sticking together, but more of an appreciation of what your friends / colleagues also do for a living.

As for socialising; yes you will work shifts and work weekends but equally you will have weekends off too.

I would personally recommend a career. If I went back I would do the same again.

Answer 3

I've not read all the answers on here but no doubt there are lots of negatives, as there usually are about the Police.

In my experience, my closest friends that I had before I was in the job are still my closest friends. I've also made some very good friends who I met in the job.

As for your social life deteriorating, this does happen, mainly because the job takes up a lot of your time. You also have to regularly cancel social events because of having to work extra hours or having your duties changed, something that your average critical member of the public may not realise!

Having said that though, the social events arranged through work are some of the best you can get.

As for being treated 'warily' this is true of most people that find out what you do for a living. One of the main reasons why I often don't discuss my job to people I don't know. Also for reasons of personal security as some people will cause damage to your property if they know what you do for a living.

At the end of the day, your career choice is your choice. Some people won't like it but that's their problem and they are usually those of a criminal persuasion anyway!

At least you will be putting something into the community, unlike your critics.

Good luck with your chosen career : )

Answer 4

If you lose friends through joining the police they were not real friends in the first place.

As for your only companions being other officers this is true to a certain extent, but it's mainly due to the shifts you work. Your colleagues will become close friends because they are the people you are relying on for back up while doing a very challenging job.

Don't let these issues worry you mate, join up and you'll be in one of the most enjoyable and exciting jobs in the country.

Answer 5

Good question. Most officers on Patrol only carry a night stick, then there are the teams that carry guns and are called out to situations with weaponry involved. I have noticed that there are Officers in airports that have SMGs (Most likely to be able to gun down any confirmed terrorists) I think all officers wear a bullet proof vest, when you see them patrolling, they always have large utility vest type things that hold their equipment. Im not exactly sure how the police are supposed to react if someone pulls out a gun, but its very rare that you hear of an officer being shot and killed in the UK (Guns are quite rare in a lot of places in the UK, aside from inner city areas with a lot of gangs) My guess is that officers are just trained to fight someone wielding a knife, and in a situation where an officer knows someone is carrying a firearm, they report it so appropriate backup can be sent.

Answer 6

hi there. i was told exactly the same thing!

im studying psychology with criminology and people laugh at me when i tell them i wnt to join the police service, they tell me il become recluse, a loner.

wary of what they told me i decided that it maybe there mybe some truth to it (when a lot of people say the same thig you get a bit uneasy) i decided to go talk to a police officer, then i talked to a chief constable... and now im applying to become a special!!!

a special is a voluntary police officer. they must put in a certain ammount of hours a month (usually 16, check your local service for more info) this is around your everyday job/studies

im currently at uni, iv got two job and im applying to be a special. this way i will get first hand experience of what its like to be a police officer and have a life!

people are usually sceptical when they hear the word "voluntary" but think what it will look like on your CV, the life experience you will gain... plus if you do like the job, when you apply for the regulars you will have a great deal of information to help you with your application process

oh, yes specials do have EXACTLY THE SAME POWERS as a regular full time officer.

good luck

Answer 7

I think that being a police officer is a vocation, you would have to make some sacrifices but if you enjoyed what you are doing the positives would outweight the negatives. And anyway, if someone judged you without getting to know you just because you were a police officer would you want to be friends with them anyway?

http://www.willdlifeuk.net - UK Wildlife and countryside forum

Answer 8

Hi i am a police officer and have been for a few years now. When i joined all my friends (inc those who weren't keen on cops) were very proud of me.
Not one of them shunned me.
Several years down the line i still socialise and am great mates with all my friends from before i joined, they all think i am doing something worthwhile and everyone of them loves to here about what i have been up to.
I now also have some great mates within the force and we have a great social life in the force too.
My non police mates love meeting men in uniform so always want to go out with me and my police mates, and my single police friends love meeting my other friends so all in all it works really well.

Answer 9

As a law abiding citizen i can honestly say that after my own very recent personal experience of Lancashire Constabulary, i wouldn't bother.
My dad used to be a Special Constable for the same force and i can't print his opinion of the police force without my answer being censored by Yahoo

Answer 10

ive been a hertfordshire officer for 3 years, not long you may think, but it seems longer.

honestly yes the shift work (which everybody has to start out doing) does muck up your social life, and you will have to work harder than your friends to find time to see them.

ive got a few friends on the wrong side of the law and they think its funny but they are real friends and repsect me for who i am rather than what i do.

admittedly that people will treat you differently when they find out what you do. but its a small price to pay for having an amazing job.

But you will find that the only people (after time) who really understand you are other officer.
they go through the hard time you go through and they suffer as you do and you become brothers in arms.

sorry but its simple tuth you bond with thre people you suffer with.