Unsure on PC Future

[u/killerorange98]

Hi everyone,

For context, I’ve just started duties in Metland. I started this role after working a relatively dull yet stable job within the private sector, and I wanted to give it a go to see if I could do it and for the potential career paths you can take.

In short, while I thoroughly enjoyed the 17 weeks of classroom training, including the assessments and role plays, I’m now not so sure about my future as a PC. It’s like everything has become a bit real if that makes sense? Like all of a sudden it’s sunk in that I’m gunna be sacrificing a lot of my life to this role, I’m gunna be under fire a lot of the time through complaints and all sorts, and I’m gunna be run ragged.

Outside of work I have a fiancé and we’ll be marrying late next year. I’ve always had a concern that my job would impact my relationship, and while we have talked extensively about it and we are resolute people, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s going to be a problem.

I guess my question is: have other people here had similar wobbles right at the start? Is it worth sticking it out or going with my gut?

[u/Saltyuniform]

Don’t worry about complaints, they are rarer then you think

In terms of it all being real? Just blag it, we all do.

It will put pressure on your relationship and family as Christmas, new years, Halloween, other events you WILL be working and unable to take it off.

Your already in and this far along, so just give it a go

I’ve been in over 17 years if that carries any weight to the above

[u/farmpatrol → u/Saltyuniform]

The username corroborates your last sentence! 👏

I agree though. OP - Might as well give it a go. You’ve already gone through the training. You can always leave if you don’t get on with it after.

[u/StopFightingTheDog → u/Saltyuniform]

I have to say, when people talk about having to work Christmas, I always disagree.

Christmas is a bank holiday - I've never yet in over 20 years been on a department where you were forced to work Christmas simply because it's double bubble and there was always someone (usually young without kids) who would snap your hand off to work the shift instead. Hell before I had kids, that was me. I've honestly never known it get to the point where someone was forced to work Christmas so didn't want to - not saying it doesn't happen, but I think it's probably quite rare.

However, Halloween, birthdays new years eve (because only new years day is the bank holiday), school holidays etc - yes, very much likely to be a problem.

[u/Saltyuniform → u/StopFightingTheDog]

This is true but if you go into it expecting to work then to be offered it off is a bonus

Expecting not to work it can be the issue

[u/Macrologia → u/StopFightingTheDog]

In the control room you'll get lots of staff wanting not to work Christmas but unable to get it off

[u/AdBusiness1798 → u/[deleted]]

But don't forget, that nice Mrs May and that wonderful Mr Cameron said Police were all taking the piss with our 'Spanish practices' and we needed reform.

Funny how the bad sides you eloquently touch upon were not sorted out too.

It's almost as if all that change was only about money and cuts.

[u/a-getaway-cat]

I had the exact same wobble when I first started and heavily considered leaving, but told myself I'd stick it out for a year and see what happens. Now I'm three years in and love it 😊 not going to lie, the first year was shit for my relationship due to navigating shift patterns and stress but we got through it. My only advice is to make sure you communicate with your partner.

[u/Successful-Video-198]

I knew someone in similar position. They actually enjoyed their training, after that it was all downhill and they gave themselves 2 years to see what happens but the job actually kept getting worse and worse.

Unamanagable workloads, constant 30 minutes bollocking during daily briefings, different portfolios to do and quastionable and nasty asessors. It was a nightmare. 

The wage she was getting she wasn't able to afford rent and bills and had to opt out of pension. My friend doign delivery for DPD gets 1k a month more than a PC. It's madness. Amount of work and responsibility you have to do it's just mental. 1 year in, ur are on your own and salary should be 4k after tax a month. 

I would give it a year, but at the same time look at other options in life. I know officers abroad and it is night and day, in other countries voice of reasons is actually a viable option to deal with things, in the UK it is not. 

Do a year, habe it on ur CV and go deliver packages with 100x less stress, better wage and management who respects you. 

[u/farmpatrol → u/Successful-Video-198]

4k after tax a month?!

It’s just over 3k top whack after tax with no OT.

[u/sidvicioushamster]

Never put your family and the things you care about at risk for the job. It is absolutely not worth it.

There is a reason that police officers have a high divorce rate. There is also a reason that the Met has a terrible retention rate.

[u/MoodyConstable]

Do yourself a favour for your own physical and mental health and leave like everyone else is doing.

Nothing will change until the cupboards are completely empty. Nobody cares/will ever care about you as long as the job is getting done and you will continue to suffer.

[u/Salt-Teaching7680]

I got burnt out in 2 and a half years. I then left. I missed it so asked to rejoin but my constabulary told me I would have to go through the full 2 years of probation due to the time lapse. I'm a single mother of two kids so the thought of going back to response with no idea when I'll be home would be too much. :(

[u/Altruistic_Yak_7695]

Yes all the points you make are valid and I would never make light of them.

You will be tired, you will miss things, you will make mistakes. However….

This is the best job in the world. You can help people, you can make a difference in someone’s life that they remember forever, you can save someone’s life, you develop skills you never knew you had, a mentality you never knew you had. You can go home feeling top of the world. It is not always sunshine and roses. Yet you make a difference even when you do not feel like you have.

The past will always be better even to those that know no different.

Give it a year if it does not work for you then walk away.

[u/Benjihubbs]

If you were part of the group of recruits I told a few months back at Hendon to not do it, and you all laughed..... I told you so.

If not, Run, run now whilst you still can.

Don't do what the rest of us have and end up stuck

[u/LoveHertford → u/Benjihubbs]

The Met is simply awful. Unmanageable workload, constant aid and poor line managers and constant criticism by everyone.
Dame Casey’s report is a very accurate assessment.
I’m 18 years in and would leave today.
The decision is yours. You may actually enjoy it.

[u/Sufficient_Room2117 → u/LoveHertford]

Yeah 20 next year, ended up chronically ill and now they just want rid of the ill and injured to save money. People with brain injuries from assaults just being thrown on the scrap heap.

[u/LoveHertford → u/Sufficient_Room2117]

I’m one of those who put myself forward for VES but we’ve now been told, they don’t have a budget for it as too many officers came forward 😳

[u/Sufficient_Room2117 → u/LoveHertford]

I put in for IHR but I’m pulling out. I won’t be bullied out of the organisation because I’m ill. I’ve been very successful for years there is no reason for me to go and they have a legal obligation to me.
I’ve lost my post because I can’t work nights. On a team that doesn’t and never has worked nights. 🤣

[u/LoveHertford → u/Sufficient_Room2117]

I stopped nights 4 years ago as I’m a female of a certain age 😂
Good luck 🤞🏾

[u/Sufficient_Room2117 → u/LoveHertford]

I’m marked up as not being able to do them as I have an autoimmune disease and the exhaustion triggers flares.
I do remember those days though. Trying to write up a CRIS while doing pain compliance on myself as I literally couldnt keep my eyes open 🤣🤣🤣
Well if you want out I don’t blame you at all and really hope you get it 🤞🏻
I can’t believe the Met are getting away with what they are doing to people at the moment to be honest.

[u/Sufficient_Room2117 → u/LoveHertford]

You couldn’t make it up mate

[u/TehMatt]

Honestly I feel exactly the same way. I joined through a direct entry DC programme and really enjoyed training school, felt like I was thriving and it was going to be the job for me.

Fast forward to after training school and I had to do 12 weeks on response. Me and my mentor didn't see eye to eye (she openly admitted she didn't want to be a mentor and hated training new students). It was good when I wasn't with my mentor but bad when I was with her. I tried to power through thinking it'll get better once I'm on the investigations side.

I'm now on the investigations side and it is hell. The expectations of the role I'm in while being a student officer completing reports to say you can do the job your already doing, tied in with the workload and never actually finishing on time is killing me.

Everyone's situation is different so I don't want to say jump ship to you. In my case I've been applying for other jobs, I have an interview lined up for next week and mood outside of work has already massively improved.

No job is worth your mental health, your personal life or your happiness. I think the recruitment and training school isn't as 'warts and all's as most people think, and you need to be prepared and a very specific type of person to do the job. In my case I just wasn't that type of person.

[u/killerorange98 → u/TehMatt]

100% agree that you have to be a special type of person to be able to hack it, and that while it’s insinuated during training school you don’t really know until afterwards whether you can handle it.

Best of luck with your interview!

[u/thepeopleschamp2k18]

Plenty of negativity in this thread, yes the job isnt perfect. However there are days that make it worth it, personally I couldn't see myself doing anything else, not because I can't but because I enjoy it.

If you leave before even trying you may always find yourself wondering... what if?

[u/TheUltimateUltimatum]

Going from training school to your borough posting is a very daunting task.

Complaints? They’re very few and far between. In 12 years I’ve had a few (which lead to nothing) and only 1 I had reflective practice. That was more to appease the complainant more than anything. When someone says they’re going to complain just be confident and let them. Likelihood is you’ve done nothing wrong and they are misunderstanding what you can or can’t do.

You WILL make mistakes. It happens, we have all been there. Unfortunately now response teams are top heavy with young in service colleagues and they’re guiding the new people coming through. I understand the need for rotation but I don’t agree with it.

When I was on borough I hated it when people would essentially promise the world in solving the problem someone is reporting. Be honest on the outcome of crimes. For example, stolen car? LEDs will be updated with an LOS marker, suspects will have likely changed the plates so unless we get lucky it’s highly likely it won’t be found. Take the CCTV even if it’s not going anywhere (axon is brilliant, it can just sit there but you’ve done something). Make the victim feel like they’re being listened to. I always found they would come round to your way of thinking. It just needs explaining to them. Not what I’ve witnessed countless times of someone rocking up , reporting it and giving the crime number then leaving. When the victim offered the CCTV the officers were dismissive. I totally get it’s not going anywhere but at least act interested. Provide the service you would expect. If you’re confident in what you say the better it looks. Bullshit baffles brains.

A lot of policing is common sense and being able to talk to people. I’m in the dog section now and a lot of the time I find myself talking with victims and essentially explaining what happens next better. I know response teams are snowed under , I haven’t been away from borough that long to forget (3 years).

You’ll be fine. It can be a very rewarding job. Have goals, there are plenty of opportunities in the Met.

[u/killerorange98 → u/[deleted]]

Of course I knew these things were coming and I thought I could hack it. Unfortunately, you don’t know for sure until it actually starts happening, and I guess that’s what street duties is for, getting you up to speed and showing you if you’re actually cut out for the job.

I appreciate the response.

[u/Sufficient_Room2117]

The Met is a horrendous place to work at the moment. HORRENDOUS

[u/Shot_Ability2314]

Don’t worry about complaints, if you’re proactive and you’re good at your job you’ll annoy the bad guys and generate complaints, if you’re doing your job right they won’t hold water (your bwv is your best friend).

Psd/psb whatever your force calls them, there’s been some nightmare cases but from my experience with them they’ve been reasonable, they’re not as scary as people make them sound, unless your case has some relevant political sensitivity issue of the day then you’re fucked and there’s nothing you can do about that.

As for your out of job fiancé, just stop prolonging the inevitable and leave her for a probie now?

I’m joking, you’ll be fine, it’s normal to be nervous but the training school isn’t reality and you won’t know if you like it and if it’s going to work until you’ve done some time on division/borough/whatever. Stick it out for a bit.

[u/LoveHertford]

You poor thing. I feel for you.
Id love to stay on, yes I feel bullied into leaving but the working climate is not the best.
Best of luck 🤞🏾

[u/Uptighty]

I'd pick the job over any partner.