AboutBruce Fyfe Expertise Scottish Criminal Law - any area. NOT IMMIGRATION ISSUES. I am a serving, operational Police Officer with 25 years` service. As well as my own knowledge and training, I can draw on many other resources in the Scottish criminal justice system and welcome the challenge.
NB Scottish, not English; criminal, not civil or immigration;
Expert: Bruce Fyfe Date: 10/21/2001 Subject: applying for police officer
Question dear mr Fyfe,
can i ask you what main items do you believe makes a good modern police officer?
i am applying for the police force having spent 10 yrs in the prison service, and just looking for some hints.
thankyou for your help john .
Answer John
I'm biased, but other than the obvious ones such as honesty, sense of fairness,
desire to help, patience, tact and the abilities to persevere, quickly assess
characters/situations and make decisions, I think that you already have one
essential quality - experience of life.
I used to hate seeing young cops who had left school, joined the Police cadets
and then joined the regulars and I still hate seeing young cops who have left school
or university and joined straight up.
I much prefer someone, like yourself, who has done at least some other things in
their life.
To me, it's the same with teachers.
The main question you're going to be asked is why you are changing careers after
ten years in the job. If you've done that once, will you do it again? Is it a sign of
lack of commitment or dedication?
In my area, a lot of P.O.s have done the same thing over the last 2-3 years. You
probably know one or two yourself and could contact them. You know why - you
just have to be able to explain it to someone else.
The only other points I would raise are the amount of academic work (a group of
teachers visiting Scottish Police College literally could not believe the amount of
coursework expected to be covered by probationers) and the separation from any
partner/family whilst at SPC - shiftwork shouldn't have an effect, assuming you're
doing it/have done it already!
Read up on and think about current policing issues - have an opinion, whatever it
might be - and get yourself fit, if you're not already.
Think I've burbled enough.
Good luck
