Tonight is the night!!

[speedbird591]

He did say he was taking the good wife out this arvo and wouldn't clock in until late afternoon or evening. So don't report him missing just yet

[Garry Russell]

I think he may have gone to the hospital they took that nice young man he met last night to see if they've manage to retrieve his truncheon..just hope they give it a good rinse :roll:

Garry

[Nigel H-J]

I'M BACK!!!

What a night!! though have to say unfortunately I was supposed to have gone out in the IRV (instant response) mobile with an officer I have known for well over ten years from being in my job but he was committed in custody and said he will pick me up in 10 minutes but the sarge wanted me out to get as much experience as possible so went in one of the divisional cars, the officer I was with has only been with us for a few weeks (up from the Met) so had not been blue light cleared by the force!! :-(

Went to a number of incidents but one thing that is the most time consuming and unproductive part an officer has to contend with and Eddie will no doubt agree, is the amount of paper work that has to be completed, I won't go into detail but to say a lot of productive time is 'wasted' is an understatement, rules and procedures all come into it. :doho:

One high-light for me was that we went to an ambulance to give assistance and the female technician on board (I have not seen her for well over two years) welcomed me with a kiss......Should have seen the officers face!!

All very innocent I have to add but that is the person she is and therefore well suited for her role as (currently) Ambulance Technician. A very caring soul for people........And no, I'm not going to identify her just so that you lot come up here and complain of all sorts of ailments!! :roll:

All-in-all it was an experience and has given me a greater insight into the work of an officer away from the prying eyes of cameras equally, from that perspective you do not get to feel the atmosphere of an incident, the shouting, swearing and drunken slur of some-one you have just picked up from the floor only to nearly end back on it through drink...I had to grab hold of him three times (he fell my way and not the officers') in order to stop him going over with the risk of ending up with a head injury if he contacted the ground (drunks never put their hands out as we would to cushion the fall).

All too soon it was time to hand back the body armour which incidentally and contrary to my previous post was not heavy, the one I tried on belonged to an officer with all his kit attached, mine was just simply the vest.......rather like wearing a corset you know, and certainly kept the bulge in!!

Left the nick at 03.45hrs but spoke to the officer I was supposed to go out with in the IRV and he said I can come out with him next time maybe in six months. I am certainly going to speak to the sarge again to see if that can be arranged.

Finally, for all those who watch-fly-on-the-wall documentaries of Police in Action, just remember that what they show is only what they want you to see, they don't consider that other policing duties are important or interesting enough to keep the viewer entertained. If they did show everything including the dreary side of paperwork then the public perspective of the police would change overnight.

Kind regards
Nigel.

[Garry Russell]

H Nigel

Glad you got the experience you hoped for first hand. It's a shame that society has got to this stage but we're all grateful to those officers that see that is is far less trouble to us than it otherwise would be. :prayer:

I've personally known officers that have spent all their shift in what the media would call exciting duties, but then he spends hours doing the paperwork before he goes home.

Really is a different world at times :-(

Glad you're safe

Garry

[Nigel H-J]

Thanks Garry and it is really nice and humbling to know that so many here showed concern for my safety.

Thanks guys.

Regards
Nigel.

[Steve M]

Nigel
Pleased you enjoyed your night out on the beat. We are always pleased to take comms staff and other non front line staff out to get a picture of what goes on and conversely it is useful for us to visit places such as the comms room to see what goes on at the other end of the string connecting the bean tins. Something we should do more often as we're all in it together.
Despite the picture the telly paints of Police work i.e dealing with drunks and the dregs of society 24/7 I've enjoyed 26 years of front line police work and haven't tired of it yet. We do as you mention have our frustrations such as paperwork but it isn't usually as bad as seen on TV. They only pick the worst bits. As for cameradery, you can't beat it.

Steve M

[thehappyotter]

I've got a massive pile of paperwork on my desk if you want to come and 'experience' it I keep putting it off!

Glad you had a good time, it's a different world isn't it!!

[Filonian]

:And no, I'm not going to identify her just so that you lot come up here and complain of all sorts of ailments!!
Nigel.

I've got a sore elbow needs looking at Nigel, any chance?

Graham

[Garry Russell]

I'm sure Nigel will get you sorted straight away Graham

BTW it's Doris on tonight

Garr

[VEGAS]

Hi Nigel,

Glad you enjoyed the 'night out'. Albeit not in the capacity that you had expected, but as with a job of this nature anything can and often does happen at the most unexpected hour. Shift work really does go quickly when its busy and I'm glad you have experienced some of the frontline policing work from this perspective to see first hand the burdon & politics that is lay upon all operational police officers.

Despite that, it also has its good points and rewarding moments, which, when they do come, make for a fulfilling and satisfying role.

Hopefully you'll be out again soon!

ATB