PSNI Recruitment - Stage 4 - The Medical

JONNYKEEB

Cheers for that MBC, pretty comprehensive answer there! Ta very much. Another question, but first some background info. I already have a pretty good job, little or no stress, 0830 - 1700 3 miles to travel to work, would have to take about 5g pay cut to join (obviously this would be negated over years service / promotion) and have been told that the only two areas that are able to take probationers at the present time are L'Derry and Enniskillen, thing is I simply can't go to Enniskillen as I have too many roots etc here at home so L'Derry / Foyle is really the only option. If I were assigned Enniskillen I would have to leave. Does anyone know if there is anything that can be done to guarantee Foyle or perhaps another divsion such as Antrim / Ballymena.

Shield

You aren't guaranteed anywhere. You get to write down 4 choices in order of preference for where you'd like to be stationed.

You can also list places that you cannot be stationed at, and give reasons. For example, if the chances are high you'd be recognised there, it could have negative consequences for your family. That's something the organisation takes seriously, so they'd avoid placing you there.

Make sure you sort out all these little things now, because if you threaten to leave over something you could have sorted before you joined, they won't stand in your way.

JONNYKEEB

Thanks PSNI, this site is a wealth of info. I wonder if stating that you have some farm land that is let out, two houses one of which is currently let out and the other will be let out in the near future and a third being built now, so all that would be virtually impossible to sell in time to move to a station that was too far away, would that all be taken into account and then assigned a station close enough to allow not moving?

Sorry for going on about this but I would rather try to get this sorted now rather than have to face it when it is too late!

Shield

Unlikely. They will want 100% commitment from you and you will be expected to put all other interests aside until you get out of your probationary period (2 years after you pass out) and apply for a role near where you want to be.

Now if there was a real fear that you could be recognised, and you or your immediate family could be in danger as a result - now you're talking about reasons they will give favourable consideration to.

JONNYKEEB

Once again PSNI, thank you. I understand what you are getting at!

Delancey

JONNYKEEB wrote: »

and have been told that the only two areas that are able to take probationers at the present time are L'Derry and Enniskillen,

I'm surprised to hear that only 2 areas are accepting probationary constables at the moment. Is your source for this information reliable ?

JONNYKEEB

Well, my iformation came from a serving officer (15 years service if that makes a differecne) The officer does not work in HO or anything but he is my best mate and I believe his information is the word on the ground as it were. Of course it may not be totally correct but he did back up what he said by explaining the reason is that they [Enniskillen and Foyle] are the only places that currently has space for new officers. I think he mentioned Newry also being another place. Also that just about all other stations are over subscribed. He also said that at present the PSNI are top heavy in that they have too many high ranking officers and not enough ordinary beat officers at the coal face. I know this might sound a bit like a contradiction, but it all comes down to money. Basically the PSNI are having to pay high ranking officers and don't have the money for more new recruits.

Please let me know your thoughts or facts on this as this may only be his opinion but as far as I am aware it is fact based opinion.

Delancey

Thanks for the reply. It seems crazy to put all probabtioners in 2 or 3 areas - the idea is that on probabtion you learn the ropes from experienced officers but with all probabtioners in just a few areas that implies the pool of experienced Police will be stretched pretty thin ?

MustBeCrazy

JONNYKEEB wrote: »

Well, my iformation came from a serving officer (15 years service if that makes a differecne) The officer does not work in HO or anything but he is my best mate and I believe his information is the word on the ground as it were. Of course it may not be totally correct but he did back up what he said by explaining the reason is that they [Enniskillen and Foyle] are the only places that currently has space for new officers. I think he mentioned Newry also being another place. Also that just about all other stations are over subscribed. He also said that at present the PSNI are top heavy in that they have too many high ranking officers and not enough ordinary beat officers at the coal face. I know this might sound a bit like a contradiction, but it all comes down to money. Basically the PSNI are having to pay high ranking officers and don't have the money for more new recruits.

Please let me know your thoughts or facts on this as this may only be his opinion but as far as I am aware it is fact based opinion.

Hi there

This is probably true at this time but the options open to new probationers change from one squad to the next, so it's impossible to say what districts will be available in 2 months time never mind in 6-8 months when this campaign's new recruits are ready to hit the streets. There's a lot of change about at the minute so who knows what will happen...

HTH

MBC x

Melmummo

Hi, 1st time poster........As a single parent with a 1 year old, would they take that into consideration when sending us somewhere?

Shield

Not trying to be funny with you, but it's a 1 year old baby. What do you want them to take into account?

JONNYKEEB

MustBeCrazy wrote: »

Hi there

The urine sample is to check for urinary tract infections/sugar etc in the urine - not for drug testing. As far as I remember if you do not have 3cms of hair anywhere on your body you may not be able to proceed in the campaign. This may have changed, or if you have a specific medical reason for not having any hair they may perhaps be able to do blood tests but this isn't common place. I know at my medical there was a person in the same position as you and he had been told they felt they would not be able to conduct his medical. They did then ask him to wait and they would try and find out if there was anything else they could do. I had left before I heard what happened so can't tell you any more than that I'm afraid. They test 3 months back - 1cm = 1 month. If you have received your medical date I would give OHW a ring and ask them what they recommend.

MBC x

What part of the body do they take the hair from?

JONNYKEEB

delancey42 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. It seems crazy to put all probabtioners in 2 or 3 areas - the idea is that on probabtion you learn the ropes from experienced officers but with all probabtioners in just a few areas that implies the pool of experienced Police will be stretched pretty thin ?

Thats acutally another thing he mentioned, the fact that there are not that many experienced officers on the ground and that quite often a probationer is assigned an officer who has been out of thier own probationary period for a very short time.

cesc77

Your heid,where would you imagine they would take it from?
<mod snip>

JONNYKEEB

cesc77 wrote: »

Your heid,where would you imagine they would take it from?
<mod snip>

Well in the case of a lot of males they quite often have little or no hair on thier heid! I understand that most females will have hair on their head that is more than 3cm long but most of the males I know don't, so you guess is as good as mine. I am surprised you had to ask!

Maybe the armpit or the pubic region?

cesc77

From what I understand,that is the backup test for the baldies or those trying to hide something......either way we are all going to have to come up with a viable excuse for the shaven/bald patch to our colleagues and others who may ask...assuming we are fortunate enough to attend a medical.

JONNYKEEB

I am presently trying to grow my hair but I reckon it won't be long enough in time. I have been shaving my hair for years now, it hasn't been that long for the last 15 years. Way too much grey though it to keep it long!

Please tell me they are atleast a bit considerate when taking hair samples?? As in taking it from a bit underneath and not just whacking it off the top section... I know they expect full commitment and that for the job, but messing with a girls hair?? :eek: you gotta be joking!

JONNYKEEB

Deleted User wrote: »

Please tell me they are atleast a bit considerate when taking hair samples?? As in taking it from a bit underneath and not just whacking it off the top section... I know they expect full commitment and that for the job, but messing with a girls hair?? :eek: you gotta be joking!

This surely has to a problem for some, I mean most of the guys I know have really short hair or no hair on their heads, so the only place that they may have hair more than 3cm long has to be below their necks!

Furhter I know quite a few girls who also have short hair and am pretty certain that hair elsewhere on their bodies is much less than 3cms.

Surely they cant disciminate against someone with hair that is too short wether it is due to a medical reason or cosmetic reason. I for one have had a number 0 for 15 years (too much grey now to have it any longer). I also know quite a few cyclists who basically remove all thier body hair. So perhaps there is some suggestion that if you are a cyclist you cannot join the PSNI.

Perhaps they give you a chance to grow your hair to accomodate the test?

Please comment if you know anything about this

swl33t

id say if you want to join you shall have to grow 3cm of hair and thats pretty much it. Not really fair letting some people off with it just because they dont like hair.

cesc77

lol...so cyclists remove hair from their...ahem...nether regions to reduce wind resistance....I can understand the leg hair, but really!!Dont forget the swimmers who are discriminated against also!lol
I would imagine that unless you had a severe case of alopecia,there would be very ,very few exceptions to this test.

Delancey

To the best of my knowledge the main reason they will not take a sample of hair is if the candidate can demonstrate a pressing cultural or religious reason and in these instances they must be informed in advance.
So no point turning up on the day and saying '' Sorry , as a Jedi I am forbidden to allow mutilation of my hair ''

JONNYKEEB

delancey42 wrote: »

To the best of my knowledge the main reason they will not take a sample of hair is if the candidate can demonstrate a pressing cultural or religious reason and in these instances they must be informed in advance.
So no point turning up on the day and saying '' Sorry , as a Jedi I am forbidden to allow mutilation of my hair ''

Funny you mention Jedi as I know a couple of true Jedis. They put that down as thier religion on the last consensus. Apparently there were enough people who entered that on the form so now Jedi is a recogised religion. Further, the ones that I know all have much more than 3cm hair!

I am sure there are many other ways of drug testing than hair. Unless they use the fact that a fair percentage of the population have less than 3cm of head hair to get rid of a few more candidates? I have even started to notice how many people have short hair, both male and female. There are a lot of them! For example how many Policemen do you see with 3cm head hair? Garnerville must be full of hippies!

Does anyone have a majical hair growing solution?

VES86

eeeeem they dont take a chunk out of your hair. a letter i have from a previous campaign states they just need a decent hair sample with the root attached, its just a few strands of hair, it can come from head or somewhere a little lower...youre not going to be walking about like a jackass buzzcut victim never worry!

pma1983

Is armpit hair ok to test?

VES86

hair testing is the best way of a true drug test. drugs only stay in your blood stream for a short period of time. where as with your hair its recorded there until that hair comes out

say for example my hair is quite long, if i took drugs (i never have btw) the test would be able to tell what i took and how long ago, whereas a blood test wouldnt tell faff all unless it was very recent

VES86

pma1983 wrote: »

Is armpit hair ok to test?

just found my finger prints and samples letter although a couple of years old it states:

"sample means -
a) a sample of hair, other than pubic hair, complete with roots

(YEAH LOOKS LIKE YOU BOYS WILL HAVE TO LET YOUR HAIR GROW)

b) saliva
c) a swab taken from the mouth"

my mistake i guess it does have to come from the head

VES86

question: i dislocated my right kneecap when i was 17 playing football, now 7 years ago. ive got my old medical form out that i never got to use and it asks about breaks and dislocations. it happened twice again in rough tackles after that, i can feel a difference in my kneecaps.as if the tendons holding it in place are not quite a tight as the left knee however it has no effect on my running, balance or anything like that,

the injury wasnt treated by a gp, i just did RICE and recovered within 3 days. i wouldnt want to lie on my forms as they will test the joints and twist the knees so will probably pick up on it, but i wouldnt want to say yeah did this years ago, hasnt happen outside of football and for them to fail me

would this old injury be held against me?

JONNYKEEB

VES86 wrote: »

the injury wasnt treated by a gp, i just did RICE and recovered within 3 days. i wouldnt want to lie on my forms as they will test the joints and twist the knees so will probably pick up on it, but i wouldnt want to say yeah did this years ago, hasnt happen outside of football and for them to fail me

would this old injury be held against me?

I wonder if the hair test will pick up RICE?

My hair now looks like a big microphone as it has been so short for so long, I hate it grrrr!

JONNYKEEB

VES86 wrote: »

just found my finger prints and samples letter although a couple of years old it states:

"sample means -
a) a sample of hair, other than pubic hair, complete with roots

(YEAH LOOKS LIKE YOU BOYS WILL HAVE TO LET YOUR HAIR GROW)

b) saliva
c) a swab taken from the mouth"

my mistake i guess it does have to come from the head

Whats the fingerprint bit, do they take your finger prints too. Perhaps you could tell us all what they do at the medical. Many thanks!