It’s All.. So Quiet.. Shh

Well day one, went out into the darkness on foot patrol. After all, I’m but a Lv.1 Special at the moment!

The excitement of the start was slowly dulled by starting the day with admin duties. Having spent the working week on the PC, I find I’m not overly enthusiastic about spending my policing time on the computers. But with the level of paperwork I’m sure to see, it’s something I’ll have to get used to.

We went out walking and must’ve covered a good few miles throughout the 5 hour foot patrol. Into shops, making sure everything’s okay and into parks with children.. who legged it to another area of the park, so that they were away from the empty beer & cider bottles we found a little later..

So a quiet night. Should be more active next week, but I’m expecting mainly quiet nights while I’m a lv.1 until I start going on operations, or into the town centre!

And yes, in closing, it was my very first patrol, and I was asked by what appeared to be a pregnant 14 year old if she could urinate in my helmet.

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I’m Out, Man.

First official ‘going out’ duty is Friday!

Took a while. Couple of inductions first.. Day in the Control Room, day in Custody, a day which was, basically, a tour around the station (which isn’t exactly a big station, took about 10 minutes for the tour, and 50 minutes to go through expenses..)

Excited & nervous. Friday night, don’t know what to expect!

On a more sour note – I find it absolutely shocking that I have to work out bus routes to get to my station in order to claim expenses. I live a nice distance away from my station. The best mode of transport would be the train. It’s a good job they don’t make you actually use the bus to get to station.. if I was on duty at 6.30pm, I’d have to set off at 3pm just to get there in time.

Pain in the backside. But to be honest, if that’s my biggest gripe so far about this venture into being a volunteer Constable.. I think I can live with it. Just means I’ll have to put some effort into my expenses!

Real Policing awaits! Bring on Friday!

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The Beginning Of A New Era

Attested.

After a recruitment process that lasted 3 months, Im officially trained after 2 months. Seems a little short to me, considering regular officers initial training can last 3x longer than that. But hey, on-the-job training is the real stuff anyway.

Personal Safety has got to be the most fun I’ve had (that didn’t involve alcohol, of course) in a long time. Shouting ‘Get Back’ while hitting a punchbag with a baton? Spraying  others in the face with water (pretending it’s CS)? Getting to the point where your partners wrist almost snaps, just so that they’ll get on the floor and be compliant? How can this stuff NOT be useful in day-to-day life?! Everyone should go through PSP. Police or not, self defence is a necessity. Some things are just that useful (and that much fun).

I’ve never ever been a violent man; I have never been in a fight in my life. But feeling that wrist lock go on, and feeling your partner fall to the floor after a small amount of pressure is such a fantastic feeling. Admittedly, it will be very different when the person you’re doing it to isn’t someone you get along with. The joy and fun of it is engulfed by the situation, the excitement, and the atmosphere.

For the record, if any of you get into trouble with the police.. Be compliant. Or it’s going to hurt. Two words that are not your best friend – Reasonable Force.

Sometimes what is reasonable still hurts. If you are being uncooperative, trying to escape, etc, then it’s going to hurt. Just lie down and take it like a man.

Should be getting my upcoming duties soon..

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