Did 30+ in the Met with the handicap of having an IQ of 156. I came to despair of many (not all) of the people who held positions of rank. Illogical, short sighted, stupid decisions littered their careers. To be 'too quick' or 'too clever' in their company was, lets say 'not optimal'. They scrambled to strategic ranks, away from the dangers of tactical decisions and their consequences.
Fortunately, the Met (like the Army) was actually run by sergeants, so the strategic incompetent's buffoonery could be somewhat mitigated. I wouldn't be surprised if those senior officers felt the same way about us, as the Politicians calling us Plod.
I like your point about the strategic being the home of those scared of tactical realities. It's true, dealing with one robbery, for example, is far more challenging than creating a policy designed to mitigate hundreds of robberies. No victims, offenders or witnesses. No house searches or exhibits. No complaints or arrests. No court appearances. Just PowerPoint presentations, conferences, passive-aggressive emails and... promotions.
DS. Any higher and I wouldn't be doing the work that I rather enjoyed. On the whole, I have a rather jaundiced view of those who rush to promotion. Met some lovely accelerated promotion types, fascinating conversations, not a copper's bone in their body.
You are correct. I do speak to new officers and remind them that we are the holder of the office of Constable. That means you stand in the middle and favour no-one. We are not on the victim’s side or against the perpetrators. We are neutral. But that means helping everyone. That might be helping to access justice or helping to be dealt with by justice.
So you are correct. Looked upon by suspicion from all sides. And unless you get it, Policing will be a mystery to most.
It's why the emphasis on social justice issues and virtue-signalling is so poisonous. It's not police business to dabble in such things. It's police business to serve without fear or favour. I genuinely don't understand the senior management who don't get it.
A new driver on Prot attended OST and demonstrated a degree of proficiency with handcuffs which the assorted SB officers found risible. The impressed OST instructor asked him he was a trainer to which he said “Nah, mate. 11 years on the front line at Carter Street does that for you”. From above the heads of the various bemused Branch ‘tecs a deep crystal clear and well enunciated RP came the thought most of them had kept to themselves “Well, perhaps one would like fuck off back there!” Posh cops can be bloody hilarious.
Like the very posh SB officer promoted to sergeant who found himself back in uniform and in charge of a custody suite. Handing over from nights, he was asked how many prisoners were in the bin. He looked up from his copy of the Telegraph and said "Hmmmm, somewhere between three and seven, I think."
...and, of course, we had a well-bred gentleman, a scion of the titled aristocracy, in the Branch (before your time), who took every opportunity to incur overtime and use the title for various schemes. He eventually went full Tonto, was eventually found after several days of enquiries by two dedicated and conscientious officers, prior to his resignation (ahead of a certain sacking) and subsequently appeared in the Assistant Commissioner's Consolidated Instructions, to be avoided at all costs.
All so very true and eloquently put. The only thing I’d argue with, is that 15 is much more diverse these days… BUT only at the, “grunts” (to extend your theme of classist delineation) end of the rank structure. I’m divided on the lack of necessity to have earned the letter, “D”, in front of your rank, in order to join.
I returned to SO15 eventually but we didn't get on. Back then, the CID cohort who took over brought the worst aspects of their culture with them; rampant nepotism and chronic bullying. They were caricatures of themselves. The only winner, really, was MI5. They got rid of the SB officers who knew how to work around them and got the tame coppers they wanted all along, except of course they weren't that tame.
Did 30+ in the Met with the handicap of having an IQ of 156. I came to despair of many (not all) of the people who held positions of rank. Illogical, short sighted, stupid decisions littered their careers. To be 'too quick' or 'too clever' in their company was, lets say 'not optimal'. They scrambled to strategic ranks, away from the dangers of tactical decisions and their consequences.
Fortunately, the Met (like the Army) was actually run by sergeants, so the strategic incompetent's buffoonery could be somewhat mitigated. I wouldn't be surprised if those senior officers felt the same way about us, as the Politicians calling us Plod.
I like your point about the strategic being the home of those scared of tactical realities. It's true, dealing with one robbery, for example, is far more challenging than creating a policy designed to mitigate hundreds of robberies. No victims, offenders or witnesses. No house searches or exhibits. No complaints or arrests. No court appearances. Just PowerPoint presentations, conferences, passive-aggressive emails and... promotions.
So why didn’t YOU apply for promotion? Or did you?
I also did 30+ years and would say that I recognise something of what you say… but then I did get promoted after 16 years as a PC.
I walked away from the first iteration of the workplace assessment process as a new sergeant, mainly for health reasons.
DS. Any higher and I wouldn't be doing the work that I rather enjoyed. On the whole, I have a rather jaundiced view of those who rush to promotion. Met some lovely accelerated promotion types, fascinating conversations, not a copper's bone in their body.
You are correct. I do speak to new officers and remind them that we are the holder of the office of Constable. That means you stand in the middle and favour no-one. We are not on the victim’s side or against the perpetrators. We are neutral. But that means helping everyone. That might be helping to access justice or helping to be dealt with by justice.
So you are correct. Looked upon by suspicion from all sides. And unless you get it, Policing will be a mystery to most.
It's why the emphasis on social justice issues and virtue-signalling is so poisonous. It's not police business to dabble in such things. It's police business to serve without fear or favour. I genuinely don't understand the senior management who don't get it.
A new driver on Prot attended OST and demonstrated a degree of proficiency with handcuffs which the assorted SB officers found risible. The impressed OST instructor asked him he was a trainer to which he said “Nah, mate. 11 years on the front line at Carter Street does that for you”. From above the heads of the various bemused Branch ‘tecs a deep crystal clear and well enunciated RP came the thought most of them had kept to themselves “Well, perhaps one would like fuck off back there!” Posh cops can be bloody hilarious.
Like the very posh SB officer promoted to sergeant who found himself back in uniform and in charge of a custody suite. Handing over from nights, he was asked how many prisoners were in the bin. He looked up from his copy of the Telegraph and said "Hmmmm, somewhere between three and seven, I think."
Initials CS?
...and, of course, we had a well-bred gentleman, a scion of the titled aristocracy, in the Branch (before your time), who took every opportunity to incur overtime and use the title for various schemes. He eventually went full Tonto, was eventually found after several days of enquiries by two dedicated and conscientious officers, prior to his resignation (ahead of a certain sacking) and subsequently appeared in the Assistant Commissioner's Consolidated Instructions, to be avoided at all costs.
All so very true and eloquently put. The only thing I’d argue with, is that 15 is much more diverse these days… BUT only at the, “grunts” (to extend your theme of classist delineation) end of the rank structure. I’m divided on the lack of necessity to have earned the letter, “D”, in front of your rank, in order to join.
I returned to SO15 eventually but we didn't get on. Back then, the CID cohort who took over brought the worst aspects of their culture with them; rampant nepotism and chronic bullying. They were caricatures of themselves. The only winner, really, was MI5. They got rid of the SB officers who knew how to work around them and got the tame coppers they wanted all along, except of course they weren't that tame.
Echoes my experience Dom