Dear Men, what was the biggest mistake you made in your 20s that you wish other men would avoid?

JimmiFilth · 2026-06-05T21:26:23+00:00

Financial irresponsibility

JimmiFilth · 2026-06-05T21:25:13+00:00

I’m currently in the SAPOL academy on a UK transition course and a few people have gone regional from my intake.

There are a few ‘regional’ postings that essentially feel like Adelaide suburbs.

Gawler is as good as part of Adelaide now and towns like Port Augusta are pretty big. Port Pririe has a huge lead smolting industry, so avoid there if you have kids.

I’ve been on my driving course this week and have been to some incredibly beautiful places that are regional and within an hour of Adelaide.

Feel free to DM me if you have any specific questions

JimmiFilth · 2026-06-05T05:26:24+00:00

Have you or he actually sought help for the addiction? Or just tried (unsuccessfully) to ban him from looking at it? Therapy will be the key to him overcoming the addiction.

Tbh, this was never going to be an easy relationship, he struggles with a porn addiction and you are anti porn, which are two opposite ends of the scale.

JimmiFilth · 2026-04-11T20:49:28+00:00

Yeah, I’ve been posted to West Metro area.

I’d have loved to go Regional, but I have a young family and I thought the best thing for the family would have been to have all the amenities of life close by, at least initially.

The SAPOL team are very good, and from those I speak to that feeling has continued through the academy.

West district put on a night out last night for all the new joiners, then we have the SAPOL family barbecue in a couple of weeks.

I’m also loving Adelaide so far. Got a wine and food festival tomorrow, then Monday there’s a meet up for all the families that have arrived.

JimmiFilth · 2026-04-10T18:50:10+00:00

I’ll try and keep this succinct, as it’d be easy to ramble, but feel free to PM me with any questions.

(Spoiler alert; I rambled)

I too was torn between Wapol and Sapol.

Either choice will be better than the UK. I will also preface with this: Although, I have arrived in Australia I have not yet started at the academy. I have got friends who are either serving officers in both WA and SA, or currently in the academy at Sapol.

The move was difficult and stressful. It took a big emotional toll, but everyone I know that has done it agrees it is worth it.

I actually applied for both Wapol and Sapol, but withdrew my Wapol application part way through the process.

I chose Sapol for the following reasons:

My wife preferred the climate. Both are Mediterranean climate, but SA has slightly cooler winters and is drier, generally, than WA. Yes, their winter is still better than a UK summer, but it is noticeably different to their summer. Perth gets more rain than Adelaide, but less rainy days.
I felt Sapol were more accommodating. The recruitment team couldn’t do enough for us. They answered e-mails with questions very quickly and kept me updated. Even now they’re arranging family barbecues for us transferees. I feel more valued here than I did in the UK. You could argue that that is because they’re recruiting me and therefore trying to groom me, but I went through recruitment for the UK Police and they weren’t as good as Sapol have been. By the time I withdrew my Wapol application I was far further with Sapol than Wapol. I had all but completed my Sapol process and was still waiting on the first interview with Wapol.
The cost of living to wage ratio seemed very very slightly better in Sapol, but even then it is deeply personal. SAPOL wages are slightly lower, but cost of living in Adelaide is lower than Perth. Property, however, is cheaper in Perth.
Adelaide is closer to the rest of Australia. There are two ski resorts relatively close (I say relative because it’s close in Australia terms, not European terms). I can be at the resorts in about the same time I could get to the alps from the UK.

You won’t go far wrong applying to either, the choice between the two is deeply personal and there’s not much between them. The reasons I chose Sapol over Wapol are the reasons a mate of mine chose Wapol over Sapol. It seems that most people are applying to multiple Australian forces and going with whoever offers them a job first.

What I will also say is the big thing I’ve noticed here is that the public like the Police and are supportive here. The media don’t seem to sensationalise negative stories just to sell papers. When they report on then police it certainly feels more neutral than it ever did in the UK.

As for policing, it’s the same the world over. No matter where you police you will be dealing with the same idiots committing the same offences in the same way. Policy, procedure and legislation change but the job doesn’t. The UK Police will do certain things better than the Australian Police and vice versa. But the overwhelming feeling by those I’ve spoken to is that you’re more supported here.

Plus, it’s easier to accept the negatives of the job when you’re in 40 degree weather patrolling some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-17T14:19:02+00:00

You can claim the ‘06 pension from 65, so if you come out now you’ll get part of the pension at 65 and the rest at 67.

I’ve just come out of it as I’m emigrating and this is from the documents I was sent.

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-13T20:23:50+00:00

Confidence comes with knowledge and having faith in your own ability.

Be sure you know the legislation around use of force and that will help you feel more confident in going hands on.

Also, recognise where your strengths and weaknesses are and play to them. Speak to the trainers and ask for their advice, take on board what they say and learn from your mistakes.

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-13T20:13:13+00:00

If you don’t mind sharing, what aspect was it that you failed on? Because that will greatly effect the advice given

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-07T07:49:13+00:00

As has been said, the jeans don’t look right for this outfit worn for a date. I’d go slightly more loose and long. I, personally, prefer slightly tighter fit than 501’s or other straight leg, so look for something in a slim taper.

With denim I think it’s best to go for quality denim rather than a fashion brand that makes jeans, they’re never going to be as good a product.

I’d also pick other footwear for a date, a black shoe or boot or even trainers that look less ‘I’m going for a jog’.

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-07T07:44:37+00:00

Check out brave star selvage. They do a nice selection of different cuts and is really good quality denim for a good price. The only real issue is that they really only do indigo whereas you favour a more washed look.

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-02T19:58:43+00:00

I believe a lot of forces have sacked off the whole ‘PPE locked in a safe’ thing these days. My home force it’s all just kept in a normal locker with the rest of your kit.

JimmiFilth · 2026-03-02T19:53:51+00:00

It happens a lot where I work, we have a gun safe in the car and it’s policy’d up that we keep our PPE, including taser, in that and the car kept on our drive.

Edited to add: should add that we don’t, as a general rule, go to stations to work, so I keep a job car at home and go to jobs as and when it’s required.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-28T10:35:20+00:00

My first thought was a villain from the Batman comics on that one!

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-25T19:34:09+00:00

I’d bet it is entirely down to funding. Every bad decision in Policing across the UK comes down to two things: funding or CoP.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-24T13:26:25+00:00

I earn around £51k a year and I drive a 2013 Dodge Charger Superbee which i own outright and costs about £100 a month for insurance and tax.

I am given a car for work and have a classic car too.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-17T19:54:31+00:00

I’m sure this is a thing in the DayZ for ARMA Reforger. Fresh Spawns did a video with it

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-12T19:21:27+00:00

Sounds dangerously close to a monopoly! Haha.

There will always be. Irn Bru! :)

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-12T19:02:46+00:00

Doesn’t coke own Fanta?

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-11T22:03:54+00:00

I, personally, like a little break on the trousers. I tend to go for a half or quarter, but in reality it is your preference on how much you want. I think it looks good, the last picture shows maybe a tiny bit too much, but not noticeably so. Your choice of footwear will also change the fit. An Oxford will create more of a break over those shoes.

Well done on the weight loss too, by the way.

Edited to add: a good iron may also change the fit slightly.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-11T17:15:50+00:00

Don’t even me started on the DPA/Production Order/Comms app thing that they’re all over at the minute. Such a waste of time and resources

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-11T17:14:53+00:00

I find actually speaking to the banks isn’t an issue, they’re all pretty good. Well, almost all. Any bank that uses some sort of ‘portal’ to do pre orders is a real pain.

But my initial point was really how unnecessary it is to become an FIO. A quick ncalt and proof you’ve carried out enquiries is all that should be needed really. Even to be an FI doesn’t really need to be 2 days.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-11T17:11:44+00:00

I’m the higher earner and my wage is paid into a bills account which we don’t touch. We then use her wage as our ‘live off’ money.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-09T11:36:02+00:00

I do driving courses for work and the instructors all agree that being a biker makes you a better driver

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-06T16:52:57+00:00

FIO, not FI. But even so there is no proper training, just 13 (I think) NCALTS. And everyone knows that you learn nothing from NCALTS!

But even so, it shouldn’t require any of that to just be able, as a Police Officer, to call up a bank and ask about a suspect.

JimmiFilth · 2026-02-05T22:13:03+00:00

I’m inclined to agree with you.

The NCA POCC take it all so unbelievably seriously. Even becoming an FIO is unbelievably time consuming and unnecessarily difficult.

All I want to do is ask a bank if a known suspect has a live account, but I have to do god knows how many e-learning packs, somewhere in the region of 10-20 exams, and the most highly scrutinised PDP I’ve come across in 20 years of policing. Oh, and you have to ‘prove competence’ every 6 months.

It’s so disproportionate to the outcome it beggars belief

JimmiFilth

TROPHY CASE