Brilliant and 100% spot on. I was a DC on MIT during the London bombings and was considering CT as my next move. I was sent on attachment and, as much as i enjoyed it, i realised the difference between CT and MIT. Firstly, on CT, every role went up a rank. So the SIO was a DSU not a DCI. On MIT we had weekly meetings where we discussed the job in hand, knew everything about the job and felt part of a team and were making a contribution. On CT the DCs role became no more than a messenger. “Take this statement” “What about?” “You don’t need to know, just take his statement “. As a detective who took pride in seeing a job through from start to finish it put me off.
Even DS’s were often in the dark. Mate of mine didn’t even realise his role in a CT job until the court case was on the news!
Another interesting read, amusing and worrying, our police service is being taken to pieces without any strategic plan in place. Home Sec, PCC’s and Chief Officers appear to be looking the other way whilst a vital public service is destroyed by a thousand cuts (££££’s)
The facts are, specialist departments are no longer seen as attractive, with poor remuneration (pay and overtime) it’s better to work shorter hours, enjoy home life and wait until a better career pops up. Policing is no longer a ‘job’ for life for many. Offering a role on CID or SO15 May attract some candidates, until they realise they have been mugged!
We need a Home Secretary and government that are interested in more than people on boats in the channel.
I was puzzled at the advert, that landed via Twitter and this I expect is a good explanation why the MPS has gone down this route. Can they insist "their" trainee must join SO15 after their first fifteen months? I noted if you are an existing constable (or have been) you cannot use this route. Thanks Dom.
Hi Dom, the debate about direct entry is not new. There is an episode of ‘The Sweeney’ (1980?) where a retired Inspector is telling Regan the Job needed direct entrant officers. Personally I never agreed with it and think it diminishes the status of uniform roles. That argument is lost and I fear that genie will never go back in the bottle but as with residential training, money, I fear, talks.
However, having served in SB in its old incarnation I harbour no fond memories of it at all. Personally, I found many officers seemed to me personally rude, elitist, and ready to throw a new entrant (me) well and truly under the nearest bus if they thought it would give them an advantage. Intelligence became a commodity and it wasn’t shared, because shared it lost its value and ability to make them look good. I was ‘in charge’ of a desk for a year with the biggest w⚓️ I ever met in 32 years, and had no training for it. Many didn’t strike me as particularly good officers, who had gone into SB after virtually their probation and remained there for the remainder of their careers. Personally, I thought a number were hiding from, and in mortal fear of, returning to borough, but evinced a condescending and disdainful attitude towards their erstwhile colleagues. They weren’t even particularly good at ‘political’ gameplay and were out foxed by SO13 and an .. ahem.. other government agency, which is why SO15 was born. Another lost argument that is useless to replay.
So I am showing a unique perspective here which ex-Branch diehards who have the tie and go misty eyed at mere mention of rooms 1817 and 1820 May decide need to be avenged in blood. Apologies if any feel insulted by my view.
As ever, others will have had longer tenures, and better experiences, so I only say I speak as I found, so it may just have been me, but I never had problems like I did in SB anywhere else in my MPS career.
Since its inception SO15 has BLOATED and having been on Borough after the merger, it definitely had issues. As Community CI at a large, ethnically diverse, socially challenged London Borough in the time of a major enquiry, they could be particularly cavalier about liaison with us, at times when we might have been helpful to them… sorry I digress here.
The point is that actually, the life of a DC on SO15 was in comparison to a busy borough, very much easier with much less day to day risk. We had a gang stabbing where the victim was left brain crippled and physically incapacitated for life. A big, complex enquiry with loads of ongoing risk, safety and safe guarding issues. Had the victim died, a whole MIT team would have swung into action and taken it on. Had the suspect cried ‘alluhar Akbar’ or something, SO15 would have been all over with amazing resources of their own PLUS the .. ahem.. other government agencies they deal with. As neither was the case one TDC had to deal with it all on their own… whilst juggling 20+ other CRIS reports a borough DC gets. Impossible but as always, we could NEVER give lack of resource as an excuse.
Therefore I am going to controversially suggest that actually, SO15 might, in the main, be a great place to start, dealing with a few low level HOLMES actions which is possibly all many ever do. Also, your point about the ‘Police Now’ cohort driving a wedge between CT and borough, seriously, do you think those who went in at 2.5 years as ‘Branch DCs’ and emerged 28 years later as Commanders or DACs did any better?
Great article. Thanks. I shall await the fireworks…😜
I am beyond fixing bayonets for SB, like everywhere else in the Job it had its stars and it had its tossers. I rather enjoyed it, and besides 'tis ancient history now. I'm glad I moved elsewhere and did different stuff though.
Brilliant and 100% spot on. I was a DC on MIT during the London bombings and was considering CT as my next move. I was sent on attachment and, as much as i enjoyed it, i realised the difference between CT and MIT. Firstly, on CT, every role went up a rank. So the SIO was a DSU not a DCI. On MIT we had weekly meetings where we discussed the job in hand, knew everything about the job and felt part of a team and were making a contribution. On CT the DCs role became no more than a messenger. “Take this statement” “What about?” “You don’t need to know, just take his statement “. As a detective who took pride in seeing a job through from start to finish it put me off.
Even DS’s were often in the dark. Mate of mine didn’t even realise his role in a CT job until the court case was on the news!
Another interesting read, amusing and worrying, our police service is being taken to pieces without any strategic plan in place. Home Sec, PCC’s and Chief Officers appear to be looking the other way whilst a vital public service is destroyed by a thousand cuts (££££’s)
The facts are, specialist departments are no longer seen as attractive, with poor remuneration (pay and overtime) it’s better to work shorter hours, enjoy home life and wait until a better career pops up. Policing is no longer a ‘job’ for life for many. Offering a role on CID or SO15 May attract some candidates, until they realise they have been mugged!
We need a Home Secretary and government that are interested in more than people on boats in the channel.
I was puzzled at the advert, that landed via Twitter and this I expect is a good explanation why the MPS has gone down this route. Can they insist "their" trainee must join SO15 after their first fifteen months? I noted if you are an existing constable (or have been) you cannot use this route. Thanks Dom.
Hi Dom, the debate about direct entry is not new. There is an episode of ‘The Sweeney’ (1980?) where a retired Inspector is telling Regan the Job needed direct entrant officers. Personally I never agreed with it and think it diminishes the status of uniform roles. That argument is lost and I fear that genie will never go back in the bottle but as with residential training, money, I fear, talks.
However, having served in SB in its old incarnation I harbour no fond memories of it at all. Personally, I found many officers seemed to me personally rude, elitist, and ready to throw a new entrant (me) well and truly under the nearest bus if they thought it would give them an advantage. Intelligence became a commodity and it wasn’t shared, because shared it lost its value and ability to make them look good. I was ‘in charge’ of a desk for a year with the biggest w⚓️ I ever met in 32 years, and had no training for it. Many didn’t strike me as particularly good officers, who had gone into SB after virtually their probation and remained there for the remainder of their careers. Personally, I thought a number were hiding from, and in mortal fear of, returning to borough, but evinced a condescending and disdainful attitude towards their erstwhile colleagues. They weren’t even particularly good at ‘political’ gameplay and were out foxed by SO13 and an .. ahem.. other government agency, which is why SO15 was born. Another lost argument that is useless to replay.
So I am showing a unique perspective here which ex-Branch diehards who have the tie and go misty eyed at mere mention of rooms 1817 and 1820 May decide need to be avenged in blood. Apologies if any feel insulted by my view.
As ever, others will have had longer tenures, and better experiences, so I only say I speak as I found, so it may just have been me, but I never had problems like I did in SB anywhere else in my MPS career.
Since its inception SO15 has BLOATED and having been on Borough after the merger, it definitely had issues. As Community CI at a large, ethnically diverse, socially challenged London Borough in the time of a major enquiry, they could be particularly cavalier about liaison with us, at times when we might have been helpful to them… sorry I digress here.
The point is that actually, the life of a DC on SO15 was in comparison to a busy borough, very much easier with much less day to day risk. We had a gang stabbing where the victim was left brain crippled and physically incapacitated for life. A big, complex enquiry with loads of ongoing risk, safety and safe guarding issues. Had the victim died, a whole MIT team would have swung into action and taken it on. Had the suspect cried ‘alluhar Akbar’ or something, SO15 would have been all over with amazing resources of their own PLUS the .. ahem.. other government agencies they deal with. As neither was the case one TDC had to deal with it all on their own… whilst juggling 20+ other CRIS reports a borough DC gets. Impossible but as always, we could NEVER give lack of resource as an excuse.
Therefore I am going to controversially suggest that actually, SO15 might, in the main, be a great place to start, dealing with a few low level HOLMES actions which is possibly all many ever do. Also, your point about the ‘Police Now’ cohort driving a wedge between CT and borough, seriously, do you think those who went in at 2.5 years as ‘Branch DCs’ and emerged 28 years later as Commanders or DACs did any better?
Great article. Thanks. I shall await the fireworks…😜
I am beyond fixing bayonets for SB, like everywhere else in the Job it had its stars and it had its tossers. I rather enjoyed it, and besides 'tis ancient history now. I'm glad I moved elsewhere and did different stuff though.
Roger that, Dom!
Nail struck firmly on the bonce once again!
Hi Dom, many congratulations on an excellent piece. All the best, Peter Bleksley