PSNI Recruitment (Archived)

Fiacmar

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one still waiting for news back... Does anyone how many trainee officers will be taken offered training in the current campaign? I know its usually 240, but if I understand it correctly there was only one campaign this year as opposed to the usual two. Does this mean that double the number will be taken from this campaign, or that recruitment is slowing down, or just that one campaign was skipped?

Shield

The just skipped a campaign. That changes nothing I'm afraid.

Fiacmar wrote: »

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one still waiting for news back... Does anyone how many trainee officers will be taken offered training in the current campaign? I know its usually 240, but if I understand it correctly there was only one campaign this year as opposed to the usual two. Does this mean that double the number will be taken from this campaign, or that recruitment is slowing down, or just that one campaign was skipped?

MartinC2006

Still awaiting my medical questionnaire and appointment, vetting forms where sent off on Saturday.

Does anyone have an idea from experience how long it’ll take until I hear anything else? I did my assessment centre 6 ½ weeks ago and heard word back about a week ago that I’d passed that stage. My concern is the Intake starts in January and I can’t see myself being passed the vetting stage by that point. Is there a chance I’ll lose out simply on a timing basis?

On another point ‘PSNI’ could you let us into what the job is actually like in the first 2 years? Is there a mammoth amount of work involved in the SOT? I’ve heard reports of huge overtime being expected, is this really the case?

Also the pay scale is well publicised but are there any additional allowances? I have a Paramedic friend who gets 25% unsociable hours allowance, do the PSNI have anything similar?

Good luck to everyone in their application

Cheers.

Martin.

Shield

Firstly, don't worry about losing your place. This happens all the time, and if you are in the merit pool, but you are held up due to the medical or vetting, then your place is preserved until the rest of the process is complete.

The job is a busy job no matter what year you are in. In the first 2 years, you get a lot of bits of paper with lots of boxes to tick to make sure you have experienced the full scope of policework, and that you weren't just put stopping cars for the last 2 years. Overtime depends on where you are based. Some places are one-horse-towns, others are non-stop wall-to-wall action.

The SOT is not difficult if you don't sit around the student bar moaning about the amount of work you have to do, with no time to do it. If you get in, get the head down and stay on top of the work. All it takes is about 1 or maybe 2 hours per night to get your classwork done. Not hard.

No unsocial allowance I'm afraid. The only thing that comes close is the "special allowance" due to the dangerous nature of the job in NI. At the moment, that's a little over £2,800.

Hope this helps..

MartinC2006 wrote: »

Still awaiting my medical questionnaire and appointment, vetting forms where sent off on Saturday.

Does anyone have an idea from experience how long it’ll take until I hear anything else? I did my assessment centre 6 ½ weeks ago and heard word back about a week ago that I’d passed that stage. My concern is the Intake starts in January and I can’t see myself being passed the vetting stage by that point. Is there a chance I’ll lose out simply on a timing basis?

On another point ‘PSNI’ could you let us into what the job is actually like in the first 2 years? Is there a mammoth amount of work involved in the SOT? I’ve heard reports of huge overtime being expected, is this really the case?

Also the pay scale is well publicised but are there any additional allowances? I have a Paramedic friend who gets 25% unsociable hours allowance, do the PSNI have anything similar?

Good luck to everyone in their application

Cheers.

Martin.

mickey2186

Hi All,

I also received vetting forms middle of last week, but I haven't had any word on a date for the medical, just have to keep an eye on the post!

A quick question for PSNI... Jim mentioned in an earlier post that he had been speaking to recruitment and a figure of 440 recruits for this campaign was given to him. Is this incorrect? Your post from yesterday indicated that 'normal' figure of 220 recruits would be accepted from this campaign.

I am also aware that the previous campaign 12 has not yet closed and in some cases a definate yes or no has not been given. Will anyone else be accepted at this stage from campaign 12??

Thanks..

P.S. Good luck to everyone!

Mickey2186

Shield

It looks like they've doubled the figures this time around because there was only 1 campaign for the year. Usually they run 2 and take 220 from each.

As per this, you'll see that Campaign 12 is indeed closed for new applicants. Once you've passed the initial and the assessment, you're in the merit pool. Pass the medical and vetting, and they look at your place in the merit pool and decide if they can offer you a place in training, doing the 50/50 hokey cokey.

Best of luck with the medical and vetting!

mickey2186 wrote: »

Hi All,

I also received vetting forms middle of last week, but I haven't had any word on a date for the medical, just have to keep an eye on the post!

A quick question for PSNI... Jim mentioned in an earlier post that he had been speaking to recruitment and a figure of 440 recruits for this campaign was given to him. Is this incorrect? Your post from yesterday indicated that 'normal' figure of 220 recruits would be accepted from this campaign.

I am also aware that the previous campaign 12 has not yet closed and in some cases a definate yes or no has not been given. Will anyone else be accepted at this stage from campaign 12??

Thanks..

P.S. Good luck to everyone!

Mickey2186

mickey2186

Thanks PSNI..

Double the intake gives eveyone a better striking chance!!
Good luck to everyone!

With regards to campaign 12 I was wondering if all the places have been allocated as yet. The last I heard in June this year was that the size of the merit pool was as yet undetermined and I would know by Feb 2008!!
I do know of others that got a NO letter in June. A bit confusing!!

Mickey2186

smudge0580

thanks PSNI

im trying to shed the pounds at the minute, hopefully get my BMI down before the medical. i took my assessment day on 5 november. any idea how long ill wait for results anyone?? cheers

Fiacmar

smudge0580 wrote: »

thanks PSNI

im trying to shed the pounds at the minute, hopefully get my BMI down before the medical. i took my assessment day on 5 november. any idea how long ill wait for results anyone?? cheers

Hi, had my assessment on the 17th of Oct (anybody else do theirs that day? I was the bloke in the suit that whipped a biscuit from the Consensia tea and coffee table).

I was told six weeks, which was yesterday, and I still haven't heard yet. Maybe they noticed the missing biscuit...

I was on the phone to them as I was planning to be out of the country for much of December, but it appears that there is some kind of delay. However, they expect to have the results processed by the end of November. Travel plans on hold until I hear, I guess. Bit overweight myself, but am carb free like a maniac, and expect the weight to be ok soon.

Good luck mate.

Shield

Those that have got their NO letter are either too low in the merit pool to stand a chance or failed vetting. Like I said above, if you are high in the merit pool and through no fault of your own you are still waiting on vetting, then that place is preserved for you until everything checks out.

mickey2186 wrote: »

Thanks PSNI..

Double the intake gives eveyone a better striking chance!!
Good luck to everyone!

With regards to campaign 12 I was wondering if all the places have been allocated as yet. The last I heard in June this year was that the size of the merit pool was as yet undetermined and I would know by Feb 2008!!
I do know of others that got a NO letter in June. A bit confusing!!

Mickey2186

Ethan321

Hi all, firstly congrats to anyone who has passed their medical and are now in "the pool".
Have a question mainly for psni, was up for my medical on monday, they have said they require more info from my doctor on a time in 1993 when i had a prolapsed disc in my lower back, i had no surgery at the time and recovered, however in may this year i had some lower back pain and was off work for a week, have no problems since and had ran a 10k road race in june just 3 weeks after, i even printed off a couple of my results from road races this year to indicate to occup health of my current and recent fitness levels.
On the day of my medical i was 100% fit, not just able to touch my toes but touch my knuckles off the floor!
Do you think this could be a major problem for me in getting through? If so do you think it would be just for this years campaign?

Many thanks:)

Shield

Ohhh they are very careful with people coming in with back problems.

The answer to this one lies with your doctor. It all depends on what he writes down on paper. If he thinks it's likely to recur, or be aggravated by the robust duties of a police officer, then you either forget about it, or get yourself an appointment with a back specialist in the Blackrock Clinic, Mater Private, etc..

You'd basically be getting a second opinion from a specialist if your own doctor doesn't give you a favourable report. This might be expensive, especially if your specialist wants MRI scans AND charges you for a report.

Go and show your own doctor how flexible you are and see what he says. Medical reports are costly, even from a GP, and that's what you will have to produce to whoever seen you for your medical.

Best of luck with it!

Ethan321 wrote: »

Hi all, firstly congrats to anyone who has passed their medical and are now in "the pool".
Have a question mainly for psni, was up for my medical on monday, they have said they require more info from my doctor on a time in 1993 when i had a prolapsed disc in my lower back, i had no surgery at the time and recovered, however in may this year i had some lower back pain and was off work for a week, have no problems since and had ran a 10k road race in june just 3 weeks after, i even printed off a couple of my results from road races this year to indicate to occup health of my current and recent fitness levels.
On the day of my medical i was 100% fit, not just able to touch my toes but touch my knuckles off the floor!
Do you think this could be a major problem for me in getting through? If so do you think it would be just for this years campaign?

Many thanks:)

Ethan321

Thanks for the reply.
My own GP seems to think im in good shape, back etc, he has only had to sign me off sick once in 9 years, considering i work 12hr shifts in a busy production environment neither he nor myself think thats bad, my GP is willing to support me and says he will write a report for monday in regards to such, as he put it "you do not have a chronic back problem by any means"
Would be a shame to miss out on the oppertunity because of one incident, but then life will give you whats for you.

Thanks again mate.

Shield

Get that report back up to the doctor who seen you as soon as you can, and if it's as favourable as it sounds you might very well be in with a fighting chance.

I wish you well.

Ethan321 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
My own GP seems to think im in good shape, back etc, he has only had to sign me off sick once in 9 years, considering i work 12hr shifts in a busy production environment neither he nor myself think thats bad, my GP is willing to support me and says he will write a report for monday in regards to such, as he put it "you do not have a chronic back problem by any means"
Would be a shame to miss out on the oppertunity because of one incident, but then life will give you whats for you.

Thanks again mate.

smudge0580

hi FIACMAR

thanks for the update, only took my assessment day 2 weeks ago and already anxious to get my results. the biscuit thing sounds like entrapment, no one can resist a good quality bicky. surely the Consensia people know this??

best of luck mate

jim2001

Hi PSNI, did they contact your references that you put on the vetting form when you were going through?. Its been a month since I completed the form and just curious when they would contact them.

Thanks again

Shield

They never contacted my referees at all. I know a load of people who never had their referees contacted either. I really can't help you there. They are supposed to contact them though.

jim2001 wrote: »

Hi PSNI, did they contact your references that you put on the vetting form when you were going through?. Its been a month since I completed the form and just curious when they would contact them.

Thanks again

peza999

jim2001 wrote: »

Hi PSNI, did they contact your references that you put on the vetting form when you were going through?. Its been a month since I completed the form and just curious when they would contact them.

Thanks again

They didn't contact my references either

alanbelfast

To PSNI.i was vetted in 2004 and passed but unfortunatly was not offerd a place. I am now back to the vetting process of this campaign and was wondering is the process any quicker due to my history having been checked up untill 2004. Do they just check from 2004 to current? i was really looking forward to maybe getting in this feb.
Cheers

Shield

No mate. They do it all over again I'm afraid. They don't have the opportunity to say "vet this person from this date onwards". It's all just one process.

Hope you get good news!

alanbelfast wrote: »

To PSNI.i was vetted in 2004 and passed but unfortunatly was not offerd a place. I am now back to the vetting process of this campaign and was wondering is the process any quicker due to my history having been checked up untill 2004. Do they just check from 2004 to current? i was really looking forward to maybe getting in this feb.
Cheers

alanbelfast

PSNI
Thanks for your prompt reply. I recently got a tattoo on my lower left arm in chinese symbols. It's 5 symbols in total which mean 'baby clare'.
each symbol is about an inch running down inside of my forearm.
Do you think this will be a problem this time?

Shield

Not at all mate. It would be a different story if it said "Death to all Catholics" or something like that. Lots of people have tattoos, some of them are amazing looking. As long as it's not offensive you're fine.

alanbelfast wrote: »

PSNI
Thanks for your prompt reply. I recently got a tattoo on my lower left arm in chinese symbols. It's 5 symbols in total which mean 'baby clare'.
each symbol is about an inch running down inside of my forearm.
Do you think this will be a problem this time?

jim2001

We should be able to find out our merit pool number mid december, good luck everyone!

MartinC2006

Lucky you.

I don't even have a date for my medical yet :eek:

Ethan321

Dont worry about not gettin date for your medical yet mate, takes time for the process.

As for the issue of tattoos, ive one myself on upper arm, but its a simple black design, most tatoos will be fine.

Just await results now of my medical myself, good luck to all as to whatever stage you are.

MartinC2006

Any tips on what the medical entails?

I'm a fit guy so I'm not too worried but I have a few reservations.

Do they do any flexibility tests, touch your toes etc? I have 2 fused vertebra in my lower back which make it nearly impossible for me to touch my toes. Apparently it’s quite common and I’m flexible everywhere else so hopefully it doesn’t pose a problem. I also have a recurring shoulder injury from training but It’s never affected my work so again hopefully that’s grand.

Good luck everyone.

Martin.

alanbelfast

Does anyone know how long the vetting process is expected to take? I think it was about 12 weeks last time i did it. Here I am again at this stage of the process and excited but yet nervous to the outcome.......grrrrr

alanbelfast

..

MartinC2006 wrote: »

Any tips on what the medical entails?
Hi Martin

The medical i last did involved. eyesight test hearing bleep test in soundproof box. Lung capacity test. Height and weight bmi check.
I think then you stripped to the waist and they checked mobility, but i am not exactly sure if they got me to touch my toes. Not everyone can do that anyway.
Does anyone know have i missed anything from the medical??
O also they get you to bring a big check list for your doctor to decalre you as fit or unfit..
I'm a fit guy so I'm not too worried but I have a few reservations.

Do they do any flexibility tests, touch your toes etc? I have 2 fused vertebra in my lower back which make it nearly impossible for me to touch my toes. Apparently it’s quite common and I’m flexible everywhere else so hopefully it doesn’t pose a problem. I also have a recurring shoulder injury from training but It’s never affected my work so again hopefully that’s grand.

Good luck everyone.

Martin.

Ethan321

As for the medical, yes they get you to touch your toes, i spent 3 weeks on the run up to it doin yoga stretches to gain extra flexibility in the lower back.
Like you martin i have had lower back problems in the past, it has only meant one year off work in 9 years, considering i do a physical job i thought that wasnt bad, but what the doctor pus forward can have a say in what decision they make.

If this is your second time doin this Alan then i think you could have a good chance, most peoples marks go up a bit second time doin assessment centre so you may end up higher up the list mate.

alanbelfast

I am dreading this vetting business again and medical agin though.
Last time i got vetted i forgot to put in a driving offense 8 years prfevious. They failed me but i asked for a review and said it was a complete oversight .of which it was. Now i have to send off the papers in the morning and cant rem all my fixed penalty stuff etc.....so im afraid i might get the rej and have to appeal again........also my eyesight was not up to standard in the test so i had to pay 120 quid for an opthalmic surgeons report and test which proved i was accuratley above the req standard.........so if i do pass vetting.here comes another big note for the surgeon again lol.