One week before I start my training. I have just driven to the area I could potentially be policing, thought I better check it out as I have never really been to that part of the country before. There seems like some nice place, and some not so nice places.
I am getting really excited now, and nervous to. The information pack I was sent included a list of things to take for the first day, I have spent the last two weeks trying to find a proper clothes brush - now where seems to sell them! I ended up buying one off a guy in a small suit shop, his own one, he said he had 2 more at home he could use. Also black boot polish, yellow duster, selotape, an A4 folder, stationary, loads of forms of ID and photocopies OH and gym kit - for the dreaded fitness tests. I have certaininly put on weight since my fitness test last year so I pray i can at least get to level 7 on the fitness test.
I cannot believe it is all happening now, after all the waiting it has come about so quickly!
01 June 2008
12 May 2008
One Sunny Weekend in May!
Totally out of the blue I get a letter – from the police. ‘We would like to conditionally offer you a place on the police training course starting in 1 months time.’ Oh yippy. I am over the moon, but then read on, the division they have assigned me to is the furthest area in the county away from my family and friends, and obviously even further from where I am now living. I am not sure if I should laugh or cry, so I do both! It has been such a long time coming and I have only just got a new job and I worked so hard to get the new job and now finally after over a year of waiting the police want me just as I have started a new job.
Obviously I have a lot to think about, getting myself ready to move and so far from my boyfriend and friends I have here. I decide that I have been through too much not to accept the position and that the new job will just have to survive without me. I calm myself down with a BBQ and a few 'lemonades'. Then decide to start filling in all the forms they have sent me - yes yet more forms! They must be trying to get me into practice for the paperwork side of the police job.
Come Monday I have finally worked up the guts to tell my new employers that I will be leaving. They take it surprisingly well. Fingers crossed they will let me stay till the end of the month and pay me too!
I have applied for police accommodation for the 1st 4 weeks of the training course. Due to the fact I am applying from outside of the county I should get it for free - yippy a month rent free!! Then I have ti find somewhere to live for real. The rental prices are bound to be much higher than I am used to and I don't know anyone in the area I could share with - but maybe it will be fun to have a flat on my own.
So a real mixture of feelings going on right now - excitement, apprehension, nerves and looking forward to new beginnings.
Obviously I have a lot to think about, getting myself ready to move and so far from my boyfriend and friends I have here. I decide that I have been through too much not to accept the position and that the new job will just have to survive without me. I calm myself down with a BBQ and a few 'lemonades'. Then decide to start filling in all the forms they have sent me - yes yet more forms! They must be trying to get me into practice for the paperwork side of the police job.
Come Monday I have finally worked up the guts to tell my new employers that I will be leaving. They take it surprisingly well. Fingers crossed they will let me stay till the end of the month and pay me too!
I have applied for police accommodation for the 1st 4 weeks of the training course. Due to the fact I am applying from outside of the county I should get it for free - yippy a month rent free!! Then I have ti find somewhere to live for real. The rental prices are bound to be much higher than I am used to and I don't know anyone in the area I could share with - but maybe it will be fun to have a flat on my own.
So a real mixture of feelings going on right now - excitement, apprehension, nerves and looking forward to new beginnings.
14 April 2008
Spring Time Madness
What a crazy month! March I was told I was to be made redundant, the business was closing and everyone was getting made redundant, a sad time but equally a great opportunity to find a job I enjoy doing.
So I immediately start looking for another job. The usual Admin jobs there are plenty of them, but boring! An interesting role with the local police force as an intelligence administrator, now that’s not boring! Logistics management job, marketing, business development -Via the local paper and agencies I am going mad applying for everything I know I can do (and that has a half decent wage). I also write to the recruitment department at the police to see if they have any space for me as I am not sure if I want a permanent job or a temporary one. They obviously say they cannot fast track me and I should keep waiting to hear from them around August time!
So I go off to a few interviews for permanent jobs (temporary ones are so insecure). I even apply again for a job as an immigration officer at Stansted Airport.
After a few weeks I am finally offered what could possibly be my dream job. It is business development for a new brand of sports clothing. Perfect with my sales skills and Sport Science degree, rugby experience and general love for sport. So I am all excited and happy I have a start date for the end of April, which gives me time between the old job and the new one. I have also been offered an interview for the immigration job and as a just in case I am going to go to the interview as I know it could take a few months to come through, which will give me chance to suss out the new business development role.
So I immediately start looking for another job. The usual Admin jobs there are plenty of them, but boring! An interesting role with the local police force as an intelligence administrator, now that’s not boring! Logistics management job, marketing, business development -Via the local paper and agencies I am going mad applying for everything I know I can do (and that has a half decent wage). I also write to the recruitment department at the police to see if they have any space for me as I am not sure if I want a permanent job or a temporary one. They obviously say they cannot fast track me and I should keep waiting to hear from them around August time!
So I go off to a few interviews for permanent jobs (temporary ones are so insecure). I even apply again for a job as an immigration officer at Stansted Airport.
After a few weeks I am finally offered what could possibly be my dream job. It is business development for a new brand of sports clothing. Perfect with my sales skills and Sport Science degree, rugby experience and general love for sport. So I am all excited and happy I have a start date for the end of April, which gives me time between the old job and the new one. I have also been offered an interview for the immigration job and as a just in case I am going to go to the interview as I know it could take a few months to come through, which will give me chance to suss out the new business development role.
28 December 2007
New Year and New News!!
At Last, I finally got a letter to tell me that the County Police which I have applied to have made some changes in their in take proceedure. I am currentlly in the Vetting stage of my application and they will contact me again when they are ready to make a conditional offer. HOWEVER, numbers of new trainees they can take on each month has been reducedwhich means the waiting list has increased. They are now expecting a waiting time 7-8 months or more!
I must admit I cried when I read this, not sure if it was good or bad news or just relief that they had got in touch. At least now I have 8 months to make plans, maybe go on holiday some where hot and help plan the next charity ball. Even better I will be able to concentrate at work without wondering when I might get a letter and have to move county. I have 8 months to enjoy myself and relax in the knowledge that the police are still aware of my existance and I haven't been forgotten!!
Happy New Year and best of luck for 2008!
I must admit I cried when I read this, not sure if it was good or bad news or just relief that they had got in touch. At least now I have 8 months to make plans, maybe go on holiday some where hot and help plan the next charity ball. Even better I will be able to concentrate at work without wondering when I might get a letter and have to move county. I have 8 months to enjoy myself and relax in the knowledge that the police are still aware of my existance and I haven't been forgotten!!
Happy New Year and best of luck for 2008!
05 November 2007
Still No News!
I have had ups and downs in this waiting game. Still No News. Seems to be the only sentence I can keep telling people when they ask if I have heard anything more from the police yet!
I have heard that the force may have stopped recruiting, which could mean at least a 6 month wait. If this is true or false I have no idea. But it does give some reason behind this long and frustrating gap of nothingness!
I have decided to try and forget about my application into the life changing career of the Police and keep my head down in my current job. Enjoy the time I have with my boyfriend and other friends here. As I have no idea how much notice I will get if this all comes about. It could be a mad rush to relocate nearer to the job, which could mean not a lot of time to see all my friends here before I go.
So Christmas is on its way and I feel I am should make the most of it this year especially as it could be the last opportunity I get to spend a whole week at home with the family around a Christmas tree. I doubt I will be seeing Dad as he has had all leave cancelled over Christmas, at least I can stay at Mums and eat home cooked food for a week though!
I have heard that the force may have stopped recruiting, which could mean at least a 6 month wait. If this is true or false I have no idea. But it does give some reason behind this long and frustrating gap of nothingness!
I have decided to try and forget about my application into the life changing career of the Police and keep my head down in my current job. Enjoy the time I have with my boyfriend and other friends here. As I have no idea how much notice I will get if this all comes about. It could be a mad rush to relocate nearer to the job, which could mean not a lot of time to see all my friends here before I go.
So Christmas is on its way and I feel I am should make the most of it this year especially as it could be the last opportunity I get to spend a whole week at home with the family around a Christmas tree. I doubt I will be seeing Dad as he has had all leave cancelled over Christmas, at least I can stay at Mums and eat home cooked food for a week though!
06 October 2007
October 2007 - Medical Examination
Finally the medical test day comes round. My two hour drive ahead of me I leave off early just incase there may be traffic or I get lost.
However, it turns out not to be early enough. I get stuck in traffic, apparently the whole road has been closed off both ways because of a fire and possible risk of a gas explosion! I am only 20 miles away from my destination. I move around 8 miles in 1hr 20mins. My 2 hour journey takes 4 hours!!! Luckily I have the doctors telephone number and have called to tell them I am going to be late, they are very understanding and tell me to get there by 3pm as the 'water' samples have to be collected by then.
An hour later I emerge from the doctors feeling thoroughly checked over. Hearing test, eye sight test, height and weight measured, lung capacity, drugs screening and urine sample taken. Oh and not forgetting being poked and prodded by the doctor to see if I had something else wrong with me. All Clear!! Now I guess I just have to WAIT to hear from the police again.
Well what a day of waiting my patients has been tested to its limits, I am now stuck in returning traffic because of the road closure. I pull over and try to read a map of the back roads which I skilful get lost on and then find my way again. All in all 7 hours driving in one day. Most moving at 2 miles an hour behind cars full of screaming children or business men talking on their mobiles (without hands free, tut tut). All I want by the time I get to my Mums is a home cooked meal and a bed!!!
Medical examiniation now over with and a good nights sleep had, I wake up o my mobile phone rining. 'Hi mate, anychance you can play rugby tomorrow, we are really short and really really need you?' Great, I cannot help but say yes, I might as well. I haven't played all season with fear of getting injured before my fitness or medical test. I could be waiting ages to hear anything more from the police and all the tests are now over with. So I squeeze onto the mini bus the next day with 16 of my team mates (yes only 16, and the sub is a back). That means I have to play a full game!
We lost, lots to nothing, not great! I got kicked in the face and have a lovely black eye, my shoulders hurt from scrumaging But at least England beat Australia in the World Cup, shame we don't have a female Jonny on our team!
However, it turns out not to be early enough. I get stuck in traffic, apparently the whole road has been closed off both ways because of a fire and possible risk of a gas explosion! I am only 20 miles away from my destination. I move around 8 miles in 1hr 20mins. My 2 hour journey takes 4 hours!!! Luckily I have the doctors telephone number and have called to tell them I am going to be late, they are very understanding and tell me to get there by 3pm as the 'water' samples have to be collected by then.
An hour later I emerge from the doctors feeling thoroughly checked over. Hearing test, eye sight test, height and weight measured, lung capacity, drugs screening and urine sample taken. Oh and not forgetting being poked and prodded by the doctor to see if I had something else wrong with me. All Clear!! Now I guess I just have to WAIT to hear from the police again.
Well what a day of waiting my patients has been tested to its limits, I am now stuck in returning traffic because of the road closure. I pull over and try to read a map of the back roads which I skilful get lost on and then find my way again. All in all 7 hours driving in one day. Most moving at 2 miles an hour behind cars full of screaming children or business men talking on their mobiles (without hands free, tut tut). All I want by the time I get to my Mums is a home cooked meal and a bed!!!
Medical examiniation now over with and a good nights sleep had, I wake up o my mobile phone rining. 'Hi mate, anychance you can play rugby tomorrow, we are really short and really really need you?' Great, I cannot help but say yes, I might as well. I haven't played all season with fear of getting injured before my fitness or medical test. I could be waiting ages to hear anything more from the police and all the tests are now over with. So I squeeze onto the mini bus the next day with 16 of my team mates (yes only 16, and the sub is a back). That means I have to play a full game!
We lost, lots to nothing, not great! I got kicked in the face and have a lovely black eye, my shoulders hurt from scrumaging But at least England beat Australia in the World Cup, shame we don't have a female Jonny on our team!
28 September 2007
September 2007 Waiting (a more appropriate title)
Throughout the whole of September I was getting frustrated and fed up with waiting. I had found out at my friends wedding that her Brother-In-Law had already had his medical assessment, 2 weeks after his fitness test. I was so annoyed that my appointment was so much later, 6 weeks after his. Well I guess it serves me right for being so fussy and wanting a Monday or Friday assessment date, just so I didn't have to book an odd day off from work in the middle of the week. At least with it being on a Friday I could have a long weekend visiting my family for a change! The only good news I have had this month is a letter from the bank; I have at last paid off one of my student debts, I am therefore a Not So Skint Graduate now!!
It is around here that all the news about police officers blogs come about. Yes, I am obviously a copy cat, but at least this blog focuses more on application to the police, in my still naive and innocent state of pre police officer training. Not like many of the sarcastic and grumpy police officers who already have blogs. Spending my time waiting in the run up to the medical I have time to look through some of the other police officers blogs and even read ‘Diary of an on call girl’, which I find very funny and insightful. I then create this little piece of online blog space, not sure if anyone will ever read it, but at least it helps me vent some frustration with all the waiting I have been doing. According to PC Bloggs, waiting is an art best learnt quickly as a police officer. I think I may have cracked it already!!
It is around here that all the news about police officers blogs come about. Yes, I am obviously a copy cat, but at least this blog focuses more on application to the police, in my still naive and innocent state of pre police officer training. Not like many of the sarcastic and grumpy police officers who already have blogs. Spending my time waiting in the run up to the medical I have time to look through some of the other police officers blogs and even read ‘Diary of an on call girl’, which I find very funny and insightful. I then create this little piece of online blog space, not sure if anyone will ever read it, but at least it helps me vent some frustration with all the waiting I have been doing. According to PC Bloggs, waiting is an art best learnt quickly as a police officer. I think I may have cracked it already!!
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