In a nutshell, police personnel are responsible for the upkeep of law and order, the protection of the general public, the investigation of crimes, and the prevention of criminal activity.
If you choose a job in law enforcement, you will spend your days working to deter criminal activity, prosecute those responsible, and punish those found guilty. You never know what you'll be doing when you choose a profession in law enforcement since there are so many different avenues you might go.
You may be in charge of preventing horrible crimes and putting an end to dangerous criminal organizations like organized crime syndicates. Alternately, you may be participating in anti-terrorist actions or trying to reduce anti-social behavior. Another possibility is that you are working to improve public safety.
In addition, it's possible that you'll be in charge of conducting investigations into crimes committed against individuals and the property they own, as well as ensuring public peace and order during huge events, public meetings, and demonstrations.
Your typical workday will likely be filled with a wide variety of activities. After all, there is more to it than pinning bad guys to the ground, cuffing bad guys, and driving incredibly quickly while the sirens are wailing. Although it is just a minor portion of the job, you will also be expected to do a significant amount of paperwork, produce reports, attend court hearings, carry out research, and interview potential suspects.
Officers of the law do not only prowl the streets looking for criminals to apprehend; rather, they collaborate with a variety of other public service professionals, including those who work in the courts, community organizations, and local businesses.
Police officers are obligated to make certain that their conduct is in accordance with all applicable laws at all times. As a consequence of this, police personnel are required to remain current on the most recent innovations in the detection and prevention of crime.
The employee's salary and other perks
The starting salary for police officers is around $22,000 per year, however this increases as they gain experience. After completing their training, police officers often see a boost in their salary to somewhere about £26,000.
Your base pay will see a significant bump once you are promoted to a more senior position within the company. For example, if you advance your career to the job of a sergeant, you will earn between £34,000 and £40,000 per year, however if you advance your career to the post of an inspector, you will earn between £44,000 and £49,000 per year. If you work your way up through the ranks and become a chief inspector, your salary will be somewhere in the range of £49,000 to £52,000.
On the other hand, if you get job in London, you may anticipate earning up to 6,500 more pounds each year. This is to make up for the fact that the expense of living is much greater in the nation's capital.
In addition to this, police officers will be eligible for a generous pension, free transportation across London, and flexible working hours.
Time spent working
As I'm sure you're aware, being a police officer does not need you to spend your days seated at a desk from nine in the morning until five at night. You should expect to put in anywhere from 35 to 40 hours of labor per week on average; however, it is reasonable to expect that you will sometimes be needed to work early mornings, evenings, night shifts, and weekends.
In spite of the fact that they get more compensation for working overtime, police officers are required to remain on call around the clock. Since the work may be highly demanding even when everything goes according to plan, mental agility and physical health are also required qualifications.
Entry
People who desire to join the police force are not required to have any certain level of educational attainment. Participation is open to anybody, but you must be at least 18 years old to do so.
The position is accessible to applicants who are citizens of the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, the European Community or the European Economic Area (EC/EEA), as well as those who are nationals of other countries. There are no restrictions placed on residence or visa The procedure of hiring new officers is handled by the respective municipal police departments.
In addition to this, you'll need to be in excellent physical condition and able to complete a battery of security tests in order to be considered. There is no maximum height requirement, contrary to the widespread perception. Having said that, you are required to have strong eyesight, regardless of whether you use glasses or contact lenses.
There is no need that applicants have prior job experience; nevertheless, it is important to note that volunteering as a police community support officer or special constable will, of course, improve their chances of being hired.
Before a person can become a trainee officer for the police department, they are required to pass a battery of exams and evaluations. These include going through an evaluation center, which includes a series of verbal, writing, and numerical exercises; having an interview; and having their medical and physical fitness checked.
Instruction and advancement both
Within their first two years on the job, trainee police officers in England and Wales are obligated to finish the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP).
The curriculum is broken up into four distinct parts: the orientation, the community training, the fundamental police skills, and the autonomous patrol. After they have finished their training, those who are in the process of becoming police officers will have completed NVQ Levels 3 and 4 in the field of policing.
After you have attained the rank of full-fledged police officer, you will be expected to maintain your level of physical health, as well as your knowledge and abilities. As a direct consequence of this, you will be needed to take part in ongoing training sessions for the whole of your career.
After serving a probationary term of two years, police officers have the option of specializing in a specific aspect of law enforcement, such as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), fraud, narcotics, child protection, traffic and mounted patrol, etc.
After beginning your career as a police constable, you will eventually work your way up through the ranks to become a sergeant and, eventually, an inspector. At some point in the future, you may even work your way up to the position of chief inspector, superintendent, or chief superintendent.
Talented people who have the potential to advance quickly into senior positions are also uncovered via a program called as the Police High Potential Development Scheme, which is a fast-track program.