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Life in the PSNI?

124

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭TheCub


    Rural vs Urban policing...

    Is there any major differences in day to day work and how things are done?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭majgreen


    The way you deal with calls shouldn't vary, it's all based on service procedures etc however the difference will be the volume of calls you attend. I've had colleagues in Ballymena attend 4 calls through the space of 4 night shifts, whereas in South Belfast each call sign could expect to attend anywhere between 5-15 calls a night! All depends on the time of year and what's happening...

    Each area is different but obviously the cities tend to be busier and you'll attend a huge variety of calls in one shift. From alarms to domestics to assaults to road traffic. Keeps you on your toes


  • Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭Clanman889


    With today's announcement of the NIFRS recruiting I thought it'd be interesting to see what people recognise the main lifestyle differences to be, aside from the obvious increased security threat facing our police officers. How do you imagine the appeal of one vs the other?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭Homer01


    Clanman889 wrote: »
    With today's announcement of the NIFRS recruiting I thought it'd be interesting to see what people recognise the main lifestyle differences to be, aside from the obvious increased security threat facing our police officers. How do you imagine the appeal of one vs the other?

    Getting to sleep on nightshift would be one. Also getting paid to maintain fitness. I'm guessing they finish their shifts bang on time too. They also get to pose for all those calendars ;)

    Personally I see it as a completely different profession. Yes part of the emergency services and while many skills overlap between police and fire there are also huge differences. For example fitness is more important in fire service and dealing with people is more important in the police.

    I would be more inclined towards the ambulance service but the career path is long and not well paid. Probably why they are on their knees every weekend :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭Clanman889


    I imagine you'd see much more carnage on a regular basis in the fire service. Road traffic collisions would be very hands on for the fire service, cutting people out of cars etc. A lot of downtime is probably the main draw. A drawback would maybe be salary nowhere near as competitive down the line I'd guess but could be wrong there.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 193 ✭✭takodah


    Clanman889 wrote: »
    I imagine you'd see much more carnage on a regular basis in the fire service. Road traffic collisions would be very hands on for the fire service, cutting people out of cars etc. A lot of downtime is probably the main draw. A drawback would maybe be salary nowhere near as competitive down the line I'd guess but could be wrong there.


    I read on the site 22k starting to 29k at the lowest level.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭majgreen


    Clanman889 wrote: »
    I imagine you'd see much more carnage on a regular basis in the fire service. Road traffic collisions would be very hands on for the fire service, cutting people out of cars etc. A lot of downtime is probably the main draw.  A drawback would maybe be salary nowhere near as competitive down the line I'd guess but could be wrong there.
    I don't think that would be necessarily true. Police are often first on scene for a lot of incidents. RTC's, house fires, sudden deaths, assaults.... When you're first on scene you have to be hands on and give first aid etc without the equipment that the fire service has. Both demanding professions and different in their own ways


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭Homer01


    When you are allocated your station is that where will you'll be for the next two years?

    Or will you move around the district/country as per operational need?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭majgreen


    You'll stay in the same station during probation. Most posts for other departments can't be applied for until 3 years of service. Only other way to move station would be a transfer request


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭Homer01


    majgreen wrote: »
    You'll stay in the same station during probation. Most posts for other departments can't be applied for until 3 years of service. Only other way to move station would be a transfer request

    Thanks as always maj!

    That's what I was hoping. I'd prefer to stay in the one spot to learn the ropes. Too many folk seem to want to be a dog handler or firearms as soon as they're in. Learn to crawl before entering the Olympics:)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭swl33t


    Do shift patterns vary across stations?


  • Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭dollasign


    swl33t wrote: »
    Do shift patterns vary across stations?

    Slightly but most places are on the same sort of shifts


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 scuba lad


    The retirement age for a constable is 60 right? Anyone know if you can opt to work past this age. Iam over 30 , so too old for a full pension.
    Just think retiring at 60 is a bit early and financially i would need to be looking for another job which i dont fancy at that age!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭Goonerdee


    scuba lad wrote: »
    The retirement age for a constable is 60 right? Anyone know if you can opt to work past this age. Iam over 30 , so too old for a full pension.
    Just think retiring at 60 is a bit early and financially i would need to be looking for another job which i dont fancy at that age!!

    I assume you will be able to work past it as long as you still meet medical requirements. Glad to know I'm not the only 'mature person' trying, though, I'm closer to 40 now than I am 30.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 scuba lad


    Ha ha....well being totally honest iam in the same age group as yourself!! As much as i want the job just working out if its finacially viable to take an intial wage drop for 3 years plus the early retirement age!


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭Life_On_Mars


    I joined in my 40s and was told you work to 60 then apply for any additional service after that. I know of a custody Sgt working well into 60s. Age is not really any barrier from the service. I put my own barriers in by trying to talk myself out of joining due to age. The service made me very welcome. Just go for it!


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 scuba lad


    That 'IS' good news! If you dont mind me asking. What age did you join at and what kind of pension do you expect to get on retirement?

    Thanks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭Life_On_Mars


    I joined at 42. They are predicting a 35 year pensions pays the equivalent of 24000 as a Con. I'm aiming for anything better than half of that if I go at 60. Hopefully won't be a Con by then. Us oldies need to hustle to get on as we have limited time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23 scuba lad


    Cheers Life_On Mars..appreciate the reply! You been in long?


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭Life_On_Mars


    Don't want to give too much away on open source, but short enough to be on new poor pay 😢


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  • Registered Users Posts: 23 scuba lad


    No problem totally understand...shouldn't have asked!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭Goonerdee


    What is the current pay rate? Hopefully higher than what I'm on in my job.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭Homer01


    Am I right in saying there is no tutor constable anymore?

    Do the newbies fresh out of GV have a kind of a tutor or someone to shadow or is it straight into the deep end?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭majgreen


    Homer01 wrote: »
    Am I right in saying there is no tutor constable anymore?

    Do the newbies fresh out of GV have a kind of a tutor or someone to shadow or is it straight into the deep end?

    Straight to the deep end. Our section will put newbies out with experienced cons for 5 weeks to shadow though I don't know about everyone else!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭Homer01


    Thanks maj :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 5 Homeward


    Hi all,

    I'm looking to get as much info as I possibly can from current/retired officers about there thoughts about the district/area they work in and where they would prefer to work? Reasons for this and so on.

    I am a serving officer for another force and when it comes time to put my choices in I want to put my best foot forward, so to speak!

    I understand that people may not want to speak freely on the forum especially if it comes to opinions about the job, their own district, station, other districts, etc, so feel free to PM me.

    Any info will be greatly appreciated, and a huge help!

    Thanks,

    Homeward


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭majgreen


    Homeward wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I'm looking to get as much info as I possibly can from current/retired officers about there thoughts about the district/area they work in and where they would prefer to work? Reasons for this and so on.

    I am a serving officer for another force and when it comes time to put my choices in I want to put my best foot forward, so to speak!

    I understand that people may not want to speak freely on the forum especially if it comes to opinions about the job, their own district, station, other districts, etc, so feel free to PM me.

    Any info will be greatly appreciated, and a huge help!

    Thanks,

    Homeward
    replying so that others can see too:
    Make your choices based on what you feel suits you best. 

    Inevitably, busy city districts such as Belfast and Derry/Londonderry are going to be busier than rural districts such as Dungannon and Cookstown. Do you want to jump right into the deep end and get going? or would you find it easier to go slower and slightly more methodical?

    Also take into account where you live, how far you will travel, and what kind of area you will be working and living in. I know of officers who drive over an hour each way to work. To me, thats insane and adds far too much time onto your working day, to others, they don't mind.

    Then consider what type of policing would you like to do. In the cities you get a good variety of work, but you will end up going from call to call with very little time in between to engage with the local community. Rural areas tend to have more 'down time' for lack of a better word, therefore they can be more pro-active in engaging with people outside of calls.

    There are a lot of factors to consider, but i don't feel as if one district would hand you an advantage over another. Each are unique and have their own challenges.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5 Homeward


    majgreen wrote: »
    Homeward wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I'm looking to get as much info as I possibly can from current/retired officers about there thoughts about the district/area they work in and where they would prefer to work? Reasons for this and so on.

    I am a serving officer for another force and when it comes time to put my choices in I want to put my best foot forward, so to speak!

    I understand that people may not want to speak freely on the forum especially if it comes to opinions about the job, their own district, station, other districts, etc, so feel free to PM me.

    Any info will be greatly appreciated, and a huge help!

    Thanks,

    Homeward
    replying so that others can see too:
    Make your choices based on what you feel suits you best. 

    Inevitably, busy city districts such as Belfast and Derry/Londonderry are going to be busier than rural districts such as Dungannon and Cookstown. Do you want to jump right into the deep end and get going? or would you find it easier to go slower and slightly more methodical?

    Also take into account where you live, how far you will travel, and what kind of area you will be working and living in. I know of officers who drive over an hour each way to work. To me, thats insane and adds far too much time onto your working day, to others, they don't mind.

    Then consider what type of policing would you like to do. In the cities you get a good variety of work, but you will end up going from call to call with very little time in between to engage with the local community. Rural areas tend to have more 'down time' for lack of a better word, therefore they can be more pro-active in engaging with people outside of calls.

    There are a lot of factors to consider, but i don't feel as if one district would hand you an advantage over another. Each are unique and have their own challenges.

    Cheers Majgreen, I work in a city at the minute and it's pretty much how you've described it! I'm moving back to N.I so I can move anywhere although would prefer Belfast or close to the same.

    How long have you been on the street? Can I ask you about training/depts? I've been lucky in my career so far and dealt with a wide variety of calls/incidents, but I'm keen to get further training in areas that interest me and would also like to know how hard it is getting into different depts? In my current force/service, it can be very difficult to get further training and into depts because we are so short on the frontline it's pretty much a no go due to staffing!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 193 ✭✭takodah


    Came across this the other day, a friend had liked the page (a reminder to cut people out if I get in).

    Various videos of PSNI stop and searching and the comment section is a thrill to read too. Risky having yourself on camera as an officer... but digital age why can you do.

    https://m.facebook.com/people/Junior-McDaid-House/100014035745130

    What are your thoughts as we will all be facing mebers if the public like this at some stage ?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,620 ✭✭✭Banterbus28


    You are accountable to the public, and if it is in a public area and not presenting a risk to life or property they can film all they want.


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