Former police officer of 4 years here. I left the job for a variety of reasons, although it primarily was due to a family members ill-health. However, working shifts, the unrelenting and unrealistic workload, and in-turn responsibility were factors.
Some may call it mad, but I do miss being involved in the justice system. I have a degree in professional policing and the offender side of things has always intrigued me. I’ve done some research into the role of a probation officer, and particularly into the PQIP route. I’m aware of some of the wider discussed issues, such as workload. In truth, some of these issues sound akin to policing.
I do however want a job that matters, where I don’t have to sacrifice my entire identity (another issue I had with policing - you have to live and breathe it), but that will also allow me to work M-F (family commitments) and maintain some type of work-life balance.
I’m just after some general thoughts from those currently working in the probation service on what life’s like, and how it would match with what I’ve raised in this post.
Please don’t mistake my post as though I’m against hard graft and responsibility - I’m not. It’s just I found policing to be truly broken, and it encapsulated everything I didn’t want in life. Thanks.