(Apologies if this is long winded, wanted to let you know a bit about my background and education on the first entry. The next entries won't be as long winded!)
I applied for the role of a CPO around a year and half ago, when i worked for a news agents and had left college at 18 after two years studying Uniformed Public Services with some of the most successful members of Police, Fire, Ambulance, Prison, Paras, Army, Marines and Navy. This course confirmed my passion to get into the forces, and believe if it wasn't for the course i'd have gone a completely different way. I failed the first application and forgot all about this role until i was casually looking for another full time job this year for a change when i stumbled upon the advert for the CPO role again (Now 19 years old). I wrote the application during my dinner break at work as that week i had little time off and on the 28/ 08/12 i received an email the night before i left for my holiday to say i was invited the the first stage (made the holiday even better!).
And so I passed that stage and kept getting emails through every couple of days to say i was successful again, which felt great! And so after all the stages had been completed, i was told i had the job and the relevant checks were done and passed. I took three weeks off work and have spent it in the gym to give me the best possible start when i go out on patrols.
I recently picked up the Uniform and it feels great to wear it as it feels like the next step will be into the career of my dreams as a full time Police Officer. My training starts the 19/11/12 and will be updating this blog as i pass through the training and eventually go out onto the streets over Christmas and New years shadowing officers before i start as a full time CPO within Nottingham in January.
People believe this role is just doing pointless things whilst looking like Police, however most of the CPO's role is unseen as they deal with a lot of Anti Social Behavior, theft, fixed penalties, public disturbances whilst on foot patrols and carry out the stuff that members of the public want police to deal with but they simply haven't got time for. We have to complete the same type of paperwork and witness statements etc which proves great for the Police role later on. We have access to Police radios while on duty and provide support to the Police whilst being able to ask for assistance from them too, which makes us a valuable asset to the public in order to improve their way of living and the area they live in.
I have spoken to a number of serving Police Officers for Nottingham who i personally know, and all of them said they'd rather have an Officer who has served as a CPO or PCSO before the regular force as they know how to talk themselves out of most problems!
Stages completed so far:
Fitness: Bleep test to level 5 over a 20m course.
Assessment: This involves,
-Role Play= You will be briefed on what to expect before entering a room and then you have to deal with it as a CPO.
-Written= You will be given two situations in which you have to explain what you'd do and why.
-Observation= You will be shown a short video in which you have to make notes about time, date etc and then answer 10 questions on it.
Interview:
You will be asked six questions by a panel (I had three people) in which you have to answer and give evidence how you meet the criteria.
If you pass this you will be offered a conditional offer and all you checks will be done before being asked to collect the uniform ready for the start date.
And so that's it for now, the next post will be on my induction day of training next week. Hope this helps anyone interested in the role as there isn't a lot out there about the job or the training! Please feel free to contact me on advice for the role or just for a chat!
Thanks for reading!
Matt.
I applied for the role of a CPO around a year and half ago, when i worked for a news agents and had left college at 18 after two years studying Uniformed Public Services with some of the most successful members of Police, Fire, Ambulance, Prison, Paras, Army, Marines and Navy. This course confirmed my passion to get into the forces, and believe if it wasn't for the course i'd have gone a completely different way. I failed the first application and forgot all about this role until i was casually looking for another full time job this year for a change when i stumbled upon the advert for the CPO role again (Now 19 years old). I wrote the application during my dinner break at work as that week i had little time off and on the 28/ 08/12 i received an email the night before i left for my holiday to say i was invited the the first stage (made the holiday even better!).
And so I passed that stage and kept getting emails through every couple of days to say i was successful again, which felt great! And so after all the stages had been completed, i was told i had the job and the relevant checks were done and passed. I took three weeks off work and have spent it in the gym to give me the best possible start when i go out on patrols.
I recently picked up the Uniform and it feels great to wear it as it feels like the next step will be into the career of my dreams as a full time Police Officer. My training starts the 19/11/12 and will be updating this blog as i pass through the training and eventually go out onto the streets over Christmas and New years shadowing officers before i start as a full time CPO within Nottingham in January.
People believe this role is just doing pointless things whilst looking like Police, however most of the CPO's role is unseen as they deal with a lot of Anti Social Behavior, theft, fixed penalties, public disturbances whilst on foot patrols and carry out the stuff that members of the public want police to deal with but they simply haven't got time for. We have to complete the same type of paperwork and witness statements etc which proves great for the Police role later on. We have access to Police radios while on duty and provide support to the Police whilst being able to ask for assistance from them too, which makes us a valuable asset to the public in order to improve their way of living and the area they live in.
I have spoken to a number of serving Police Officers for Nottingham who i personally know, and all of them said they'd rather have an Officer who has served as a CPO or PCSO before the regular force as they know how to talk themselves out of most problems!
Stages completed so far:
Fitness: Bleep test to level 5 over a 20m course.
Assessment: This involves,
-Role Play= You will be briefed on what to expect before entering a room and then you have to deal with it as a CPO.
-Written= You will be given two situations in which you have to explain what you'd do and why.
-Observation= You will be shown a short video in which you have to make notes about time, date etc and then answer 10 questions on it.
Interview:
You will be asked six questions by a panel (I had three people) in which you have to answer and give evidence how you meet the criteria.
If you pass this you will be offered a conditional offer and all you checks will be done before being asked to collect the uniform ready for the start date.
And so that's it for now, the next post will be on my induction day of training next week. Hope this helps anyone interested in the role as there isn't a lot out there about the job or the training! Please feel free to contact me on advice for the role or just for a chat!
Thanks for reading!
Matt.