January 2020 Recruitment.

FairCop · 01-03-2021 1:55pm

CLC93 wrote: »

Hi FAIRCOP, I had my medical on 16/02, my result came through the following day (17/02) and my SMT results came through the following week on the 24/02

Hi CLC93, glad to hear they are working quickly.. is that you good to go now? I have ever

FairCop · 01-03-2021 1:57pm

CLC93 wrote: »

Hi FAIRCOP, I had my medical on 16/02, my result came through the following day (17/02) and my SMT results came through the following week on the 24/02

Hi CLC93, glad to hear you got yours so quickly. Is that you good to go now? I have everything else done so just waiting on both of these now.ðŸ˜°

CLC93 · 01-03-2021 6:48pm

FairCop wrote: »

Hi CLC93, glad to hear you got yours so quickly. Is that you good to go now? I have everything else done so just waiting on both of these now.ðŸ˜°

I’m still waiting on vetting coming through. Although I feel like we’re all pros at the waiting game now anyway lol. How long was your vetting away?

JC12250 · 01-03-2021 7:15pm

Anyone hear what was said today my the Justice Minister?

MrChew · 01-03-2021 7:24pm

JC12250 wrote: »

Anyone hear what was said today my the Justice Minister?

They didn't get to the question on recruitment and funding as they ran out of time. In another question she underlined that it was a flat budget and hinted that it was, in her view, now a matter for the Dept of Finance to find further money for. Not tremendously encouraging tbh.

Will have to see what is said at the Policing Board meeting on Thursday.

JC12250 · 01-03-2021 8:03pm

MrChew wrote: »

They didn't get to the question on recruitment and funding as they ran out of time. In another question she underlined that it was a flat budget and hinted that it was, in her view, now a matter for the Dept of Finance to find further money for. Not tremendously encouraging tbh.

Will have to see what is said at the Policing Board meeting on Thursday.

I feel like emailing the JM and finding out how it sits at the moment. The uncertainty is doing my head in.

MrChew · 01-03-2021 8:10pm

JC12250 wrote: »

I feel like emailing the JM and finding out how it sits at the moment. The uncertainty is doing my head in.

You probably wouldn't get much more beyond "I don't set the budget and its up to the CC how he spends it" tbh.

All we can do is wait and see what is said at the next PB meeting and then what shakes out budget-wise over the next couple of weeks. It has to be settled by the end of the month like.

FairCop · 01-03-2021 9:19pm

CLC93 wrote: »

I’m still waiting on vetting coming through. Although I feel like we’re all pros at the waiting game now anyway lol. How long was your vetting away?

I did mine shortly after the AC and it was back in a few weeks. I already am SC cleared so not sure if that had anything to do with it or not but it was a different company that did it for PSNI so don't know why it was so quick...

MrChew · 01-03-2021 10:06pm

FWIW, this is what the Minister of Finance said in the Assembly today regarding police funding:

"There is a much bigger range of issues, including the funding for increasing policing that we want to see, that have been difficult to address because we do not have the funding for them. Allied to that, we ended up with a flat cash Budget for this year that means, in effect, for the Department of Justice and other Departments a cut in their budgets for this year. As, I think, Linda Dillon pointed out, we could end up in the bizarre circumstance where we lose police personnel in the time ahead. Clearly, that is not what was committed to and certainly not what is deliverable in the time ahead, although we want to do that."

Make of that what you will!

Gda88 · 01-03-2021 10:10pm

MrChew wrote: »

FWIW, this is what the Minister of Finance said in the Assembly today regarding police funding:

"There is a much bigger range of issues, including the funding for increasing policing that we want to see, that have been difficult to address because we do not have the funding for them. Allied to that, we ended up with a flat cash Budget for this year that means, in effect, for the Department of Justice and other Departments a cut in their budgets for this year. As, I think, Linda Dillon pointed out, we could end up in the bizarre circumstance where we lose police personnel in the time ahead. Clearly, that is not what was committed to and certainly not what is deliverable in the time ahead, although we want to do that."

Make of that what you will!

That is not promising at all

JC12250 · 01-03-2021 10:14pm

MrChew wrote: »

FWIW, this is what the Minister of Finance said in the Assembly today regarding police funding:

"There is a much bigger range of issues, including the funding for increasing policing that we want to see, that have been difficult to address because we do not have the funding for them. Allied to that, we ended up with a flat cash Budget for this year that means, in effect, for the Department of Justice and other Departments a cut in their budgets for this year. As, I think, Linda Dillon pointed out, we could end up in the bizarre circumstance where we lose police personnel in the time ahead. Clearly, that is not what was committed to and certainly not what is deliverable in the time ahead, although we want to do that."

Make of that what you will!

What I get from that is that there won’t be any more money put forward for recruitment, am I correct or am I totally misreading this?

MrChew · 01-03-2021 10:20pm

JC12250 wrote: »

What I get from that is that there won’t be any more money put forward for recruitment, am I correct or am I totally misreading this?

Essentially, there isn't additional funding being provided to increase policing numbers in line with NDNA - it's up to the Chief Con to decide how he wants to spend the budget he is being allocated and how much of that he wants to put towards recruitment.

JC12250 · 01-03-2021 10:23pm

MrChew wrote: »

Essentially, there isn't additional funding being provided to increase policing numbers in line with NDNA - it's up to the Chief Con to decide how he wants to spend the budget he is being allocated and how much of that he wants to put towards recruitment.

Gutting after a COVID hit process for over a year for it to be essentially scrapped due to funding. Only hope is that they keep the merit list and work through it when demand/funding is there. I would say FT folk will be ok if they go with the predicted numbers that came out during the last PB meeting.

MrChew · 01-03-2021 10:39pm

JC12250 wrote: »

Gutting after a COVID hit process for over a year for it to be essentially scrapped due to funding. Only hope is that they keep the merit list and work through it when demand/funding is there. I would say FT folk will be ok if they go with the predicted numbers that came out during the last PB meeting.

Wait and see what the CC says next. He ultimately decides how the budget is spent and may have changed his view since the last PB meeting.

Paulo345 · 01-03-2021 10:46pm

Anyone still waiting on a rescheduled medical?

ASM1234 · 02-03-2021 12:03am

I would imagine if worse came to worse we would be put on a waiting list? The amount of money spent on this campaign and on the AC just to scrap it all again to start over wouldn't make sense when you have basically 31 people to finish the merit list. Also all I've heard is how they need officers so let's hope he funds it.

Xxx1234 · 02-03-2021 1:26am

The country still needs police Officers. They will always have to recruit. With the amount of officers retiring each month, even to be maintaining the numbers there will still have to be squads going into GV.
As previously said, there has been allot of money already spend on this campaign and they would not be wanting to finish the last few assessment centres if they were going to scrap this campaign. So to anyone who has passed AC, stay positive and get yourself ready for the next stage because it will come, all be it maybe a few months down the line.
Worst case is we have a longer wait longer but we are all pros at waiting after the last year we have had anyway.
Well done to all who passed the Assessment centre and to those have been FT

mariyapsni · 02-03-2021 9:47pm

I also think and pray that a year of anxiety and hopes for the desired career will be fulfilled for all of us who committed to the process and passed through the OST and AC and will hopefully pass all other psni managed stages - it would be heartbreaking if they don't give us a chance to get into GV because of funding / politics / pandemic, etc., especially in times of pandemic and brexit which highlightes the vital importance of the police force. Hopes are still there, good luck all xx

AWD188 · 03-03-2021 12:24pm

Whilst the funding news isn’t promising, hopefully we see some positive news at the next PB meeting!

In light of this, have any of you thought about or looked into mainland GB policing?

walkman2302 · 03-03-2021 1:22pm

After submitting your vetting forms, how long did it take you folks to receive a pca/ medical date?

MrChew · 03-03-2021 1:26pm

walkman2302 wrote: »

After submitting your vetting forms, how long did it take you folks to receive a pca/ medical date?

About two weeks!

RoboCop123 · 04-03-2021 8:37am

FYI, you can watch the NI PB meeting livestream on their YouTube channel www.youtube.com/nipolicingboardlive

Kick-offs at 12:30PM... Goodluck folks. I've a strong cup of coffee for this one!

walkman2302 · 04-03-2021 2:52pm

Chief Constables report to the policing board if anyone is interested.

https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/sites/nipb/files/publications/chief-constables-report-northern-ireland-policing-board.pdf.pdf

MrChew · 04-03-2021 2:53pm

walkman2302 wrote: »

Chief Constables report to the policing board if anyone is interested.

https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/sites/nipb/files/publications/chief-constables-report-northern-ireland-policing-board.pdf.pdf

Same doom and gloom projection, innit?

walkman2302 · 04-03-2021 2:56pm

MrChew wrote: »

Same doom and gloom projection, innit?

Yeah I believe there will be a budget plan later in March which should shed some more detail. However it would appear that recruitment will be halved.

RoboCop123 · 04-03-2021 3:00pm

Yes they are continuing with their plans from the previous PB meeting and talk about cutting recruitment numbers by 50%, but in watching the video and notes from the CC it's not completely finalised until they actually get their budget. Also notably and I'll quote below from the article, I believe the rest of the ACs will be completed online and results anticipated within the coming weeks?

"Since my last update, online interviewing has been successfully introduced for police staff external recruitment. Online interviewing is also being considered for specific internal promotion and selection processes. This is a progressive step forward in continuing to make appointments to operationally critical roles. It is anticipated that we will conclude our 2020 police officer campaign assessment centres in the coming weeks."

With all this said and the latest FOI available from the 2020 stats and 900ish passing the AC they might have a percentage threshold at the ACs in continuing to the PSNI managed stages, as with previous campaigns a few years ago. If the ACs do get finished shortly as anticipated then the merit list and everyone waiting will hopefully find out their position/score and be a bit more in the know.

MrChew · 04-03-2021 3:31pm

RoboCop123 wrote: »

Yes they are continuing with their plans from the previous PB meeting and talk about cutting recruitment numbers by 50%, but in watching the video and notes from the CC it's not completely finalised until they actually get their budget. Also notably and I'll quote below from the article, I believe the rest of the ACs will be completed online and results anticipated within the coming weeks?

"Since my last update, online interviewing has been successfully introduced for police staff external recruitment. Online interviewing is also being considered for specific internal promotion and selection processes. This is a progressive step forward in continuing to make appointments to operationally critical roles. It is anticipated that we will conclude our 2020 police officer campaign assessment centres in the coming weeks."

With all this said and the latest FOI available from the 2020 stats and 900ish passing the AC they might have a percentage threshold at the ACs in continuing to the PSNI managed stages, as with previous campaigns a few years ago. If the ACs do get finished shortly as anticipated then the merit list and everyone waiting will hopefully find out their position/score and be a bit more in the know.

Good post.

I think the online interviews refers only to internal promotion and police staff, rather than officer recruitment. Still, no denying that the CC anticipates the ACs will be completed soon, and that's good news.

Once folks have their merit list position and a better idea of how the budget will work out, it'll be easier to assess how things might play out.

JC12250 · 04-03-2021 3:42pm

With over 200 being FT I’d doubt the rest of us have much of a look in if recruitment does get halved.

AlphaBravoOut · 04-03-2021 4:05pm

MrChew wrote: »

Good post.

I think the online interviews refers only to internal promotion and police staff, rather than officer recruitment. Still, no denying that the CC anticipates the ACs will be completed soon, and that's good news.

Once folks have their merit list position and a better idea of how the budget will work out, it'll be easier to assess how things might play out.

Sooner the merit list is generated the better! Think you had mentioned previously that there’s a chance less than a 115 of us may be recruited this current year? So not even the 300 with a 50% cut! I can’t get my head around it anymore. It also doesn’t make sense to go ahead with rescheduled pca’s and medicals in the coming weeks for perhaps many people not to be called for another year and then having to repeat those processes over again..really difficult to remain positive, but it’s all we can do

MrChew · 04-03-2021 4:13pm

AlphaBravoOut wrote: »

Sooner the merit list is generated the better! Think you had mentioned previously that there’s a chance less than a 115 of us may be recruited this current year? So not even the 300 with a 50% cut! I can’t get my head around it anymore. It also doesn’t make sense to go ahead with rescheduled pca’s and medicals in the coming weeks for perhaps many people not to be called for another year and then having to repeat those processes over again..really difficult to remain positive, but it’s all we can do

Yeah, in the previous CC report to the policing board, he'd estimated recruitment of 114 officers in 2021/22. It's possible that the 600 planned officers for recruitment was going to be over 2 years, so half of 300 per financial year?

To be honest, it's hard to know how it will play out. There are monitoring rounds every three months that can identify underspends in one area that can be moved to another. The Treasury might offer additional funds later in the year etc etc.

The headline reduction of a 50% cut in recruitment is bad news no matter what way you slice it, though. Especially given that there are nearly 280 FTers, which would then be virtually the entire complement from the 2020 campaign.

January 2020 Recruitment.

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