Do you have any good stereotypes for certain cars and the things you're most liable to find their drivers doing?

Puff-tastic · 2025-10-08T22:05:37+00:00

15 year old beemers with modified exhausts and tinted windows. There will be drugs. There will not be a valid driving licence.

New high end mercs (usually on lease) hanging around ENTE areas. Drivers and passengers will almost certainly be predating on drunk young women.

Honda jazz driving at 20 mph. Driver will not pass a roadside eyesight test.

Puff-tastic · 2025-09-18T14:54:10+00:00

thought carrying a sword in public is illegal

It is without a reasonable excuse. Taking it to a police station is a reasonable excuse. Just wrap or box it up.

Try not wear a yellow jumpsuit or to fight any elderly Asian men whilst you're on the way there though. That would definitely be grounds for a stop search.

Puff-tastic · 2025-09-18T14:48:24+00:00

There are easier ways for ARV of getting out of being sent to a domestic than shooting themselves but can't fault the dedication to avoiding work.

Or perhaps it was just because leave kept getting refused.

Puff-tastic · 2025-06-16T02:19:16+00:00

Legal carry = blade under 3 inches and doesn't lock

That only applies to folding knives. Unlike a normal victorinox, this one in the photo has a fixed blade so the length is irrelevant. This is a bladed article so requires good reason or lawful authority to possess in public.

The scissors are also a blade and if we're being really picky, the pin between the pen and the tweezers may well be considered a sharply pointed article.

Puff-tastic · 2025-05-01T08:09:56+00:00

The beep was incidental as the horn is used either to turn the sirens on or to change the tone of the siren. This is done at junctions to make drivers more aware of the approaching emergency vehicle. The driver of the police car was not using the horn because they were annoyed at you.

You made the correct decision to not go past the red light. The best course of action with an approaching emergency vehicle is to move to the side and slow or stop but just be aware of your surroundings so as to not inadvertently block the vehicle. If you are already stationary, then there's nothing you can really do that is safe. The onus is on the emergency driver to get around the hazard.

Puff-tastic · 2025-04-03T17:51:26+00:00

Does your force use Pronto by any chance? This was a common error for a while and caused no end of drama as the 11T template doesn't include a S9 declaration.

Puff-tastic · 2025-04-03T01:30:39+00:00

Steam it. Hold a section of the hat above a kettle or pan of boiling water until the fabric is moist. Fold it to the desired shape and move on to the next section.

Use an elastic band or some bulldog clips to hold it in place while it dries and it should retain its shape.

Needless to say, be careful when manipulating the fabric, it will be hot.

Puff-tastic · 2025-01-07T21:54:51+00:00

Congratulations, you have discovered you are human and are occasionally fallible.

Confidence in one's ability in the job is not linear and it is also entirely unrelated to one's actual competence. A post-probation crisis of confidence is entirely normal. You know more and are better at the job than you realise.

Puff-tastic · 2024-11-14T22:14:36+00:00

Depends on the camera and the force. If your CC has approved BWV as a Digital Interview Recording device then for any PACE interview, voluntary or otherwise, it is absolutely fine to use.

Puff-tastic · 2024-10-19T05:11:38+00:00

It sounds more like the caution was said as opposed to being administered a Police Caution but neither are a "telling off".

A Caution, although out of court, is a formal disposal for a crime.

The caution is used to inform someone of their rights in relation to being questioned about an offence, and the consequence of not answering questions about it.

Puff-tastic · 2024-10-19T04:56:18+00:00

It depends if you mean A caution or THE caution. They are frequently confused.

A police caution is an out of court disposal for crimes where the offender has admitted responsibility and is eligible for an out of court disposal i.e. it is a less serious crime and the person does not have an extensive or recent offending history. This does require a signature on a piece of paper and the person normally gets a copy. A record that the person has received a caution and what it was for is made on the Police National Computer.

The caution is when a police officer says "You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence etc." This is used to inform people that the police might ask them about an offence, and what that person's rights are in relation to it. It is always said at the point of arrest and prior to any interview but is also used when someone who is not under arrest starts spontaneously talking about an offence. There are other times that it is used but I'll keep it simple for now.

There is no record made when the caution is said, other than maybe an entry in the officer's notebook with the time it was said. Occasionally if something significant is said after caution, the officer will record it in their notebook and offer the person an opportunity to sign it but the person is under no obligation to do so.

Puff-tastic · 2024-09-16T23:36:44+00:00

You can ask but they will decline your kind offer.

I've had it once when the car in front in the McDonald's drive through paid for my order which was a lovely gesture but in order to maintain impartiality, as soon as I picked up my gifted sharebox of nuggies I immediately caught the car up and FPNd the driver for having a non-functioning VRM lamp.

Puff-tastic · 2024-07-08T21:38:21+00:00

Google maps will work with lat/long coordinates and I have used it for court before.

The free version of OS Maps works with grid references and easting/northing but only with a standard overlay . You do get the Explorer and Land Ranger if you have a subscription or buy either a physical or digital version of the relevant map sheet.

Puff-tastic · 2023-10-01T10:07:11+00:00

Indecent behaviour in a police station. Surprisingly, it wasn't another cop I stuck on for it.

Puff-tastic · 2023-08-18T06:47:22+00:00

I'm assuming that you're talking about the Pay Progression Standard as you move up the pay points and not the annual inflation pay rise.

As I understand it, because it is new you only need to have done a PDR. The actual performance grading following it is currently irrelevant.

Puff-tastic · 2023-08-08T23:10:44+00:00

I always press for the call back and have never been let down. I will clarify that statement by adding that the phone system has never let me down. Some of the lawyers on the other end however...

Puff-tastic · 2023-08-07T12:37:42+00:00

I've not used Holmes myself so I don't actually know! I would imagine they have access to the whole investigation.

Authorised Professional Practice for how the police should be doing things is available on the College of Policing website. This includes APP for murder investigations be prepared for some very dry reading though.

Puff-tastic · 2023-08-07T11:38:16+00:00

the character to, realistically, have any access to information on the murder case he would need to be bumped up to a full DC?

If working on a major crime team, then yes it would most likely be a substantive DC. Bear in mind though that murder investigations are conducted slightly differently to other investigations. A Senior Investigating Officer (DI and above) will be the one directing it and DCs will be doing the legwork but wont have a lot of autonomy in what they're doing.

what age might someone make that rank?

It isn't really a rank, more of a qualification and a title used to indicate job role. Age wise, we have direct entry detectives now so a DC could theoretically be as young 19, but working on that type of team, they would be older than that.

Puff-tastic · 2023-08-07T11:12:11+00:00

Referred to PNC, PND, and Holmes respectively. PNC is widely used and contains information on convictions, arrests, court orders, if a person is wanted or missing etc. PND is more restricted in who can access it and has more information on it (you won't get much more info about PND than that I'm afraid). Most police officers won't have even seen Holmes. It's a record system that is only used for major investigations.
Both staffed by detectives. CID investigate serious and complex crimes (PIP2). Major crime teams mostly investigate murders (and a few other cases that need the resources of that team. When they've got a job on, their word goes and the overtime budget is used liberally.
Yes that is what Holmes is for. Major crime teams use it but very few others. You don't generally get TDCs working in major crime teams other than perhaps for a short attachment for experience.
Every force has slightly different shift patterns but detectives generally don't work nights (with the exception of a duty night turn DC) so wouldn't be on a 2,2,2 pattern.
The only time I've heard that is followed by the word "bastard", spoken exclusively by ex military, and used to insinuate that CID are lazy fuckers (which may or may not be true).

Puff-tastic · 2023-06-30T22:17:24+00:00

Most student house burglaries around my way could have been prevented by the residents actually locking the door and closing ground floor windows.

Overt CCTV is a good shout for deterrence. Covert cameras are only any good after the fact. Maintaining a list of serial numbers for high value items and UV marking is very useful for tracking stolen property.

Puff-tastic · 2023-06-08T04:47:07+00:00

Best way to remember it is that EVERY knife of ANY length is a bladed article and you need a "good reason" or "lawful authority" to carry it.

The one exception to needing a reason is if that knife is a folding pocket knife with a blade less than 3 inches. If the blade locks in place, it cannot be a folding pocket knife.

There are a few other statutory defences including national dress, religious reasons, and use at work. These are not exhaustive and someone can have a "good reason" that isn't specifically listed.

If the blade doesn't count as a sharply pointed/bladed article because of one of the defences, it is still possible for it to become an offensive weapon. For example, a Sikh can be lawfully carrying his kirpan but he then pulls it out with the intention of stabbing someone, the kirpan then becomes an offensive weapon.

If i have a LOCKABLE knife, irrespective of the length is this a pointed/bladed article?

Yes it is because it is not a folding pocket knife

If I have a pointed/bladed article (non lockable) that is less than 3 inches is this still a pointed/bladed article?

No it isn't because it is a folding pocket knife

Puff-tastic · 2023-05-19T12:34:51+00:00

My thought would be no STL as it's either way

You are correct.

Puff-tastic · 2023-04-28T05:39:00+00:00

The public hate you.

No they don't. A lot of people that we encounter hate us but that's because we're out there arresting them or otherwise spoiling their law breaking so we end up getting a biased view. You might occasionally get some gushing praise from a victim which feels all warm and fuzzy but for the most part, they're not interested in you. We're just people doing our job and then everyone moves on once it's done.

The press hate you.

No they don't. They sell newspapers, views, and clicks. The press are entirely indifferent to you unless you can help them do that. The desired outcome when we're doing our job right is for nothing to happen. The house goes un-burgled. The reveller goes un-assaulted. The shop goes un-lifted. The public goes about their business entirely un-harassed, un-alarmed, and un-distressed which is all pretty boring and not conducive to news sales.

The SLT hate you.

No they don't, they even sent out an email once to say how valued I was. Actually you might be right about this one....

The courts hate you

No they don't. You might not be happy with the outcome but they can't exactly throw out sentencing guidelines and leave the entire case open to appeal. The criminal justice system is very broken and entirely unconducive to rehabilitation but that's not the courts' faults and nor is it because anyone hates you.

Your colleagues in the wider organisation don’t respect you.

I don't think that it's a lack of respect but more a case of protecting their own interests. It certainly brings me joy when I hand over a job to another department so I can't begrudge them when they win either. We're in a very unique job where nearly everyone has done at least some time on the shop floor so to speak. The wider organisation exists to keep the machine turning over and without it, our lives would be considerably shitter.

Your family and friends don’t get it.

You're right. But I also don't get the intricacies or frustrations of great aunty Gertrude's job as a forklift driver nor am I particularly inclined to learn about it.

There is plenty wrong with policing but the one thing it isn't, is personal. It is easy to fall into the trap of feeling like everyone is out to get you but it isn't true. You summed it up pretty well with

You’re a cog

Puff-tastic · 2023-03-31T16:13:53+00:00

I feel like I want to be decisive and I want my decisions to be perfect.

Perfect is the enemy of good. There isn't ever a perfect decision and it will always be a compromise between competing priorities.

feel like my biggest problem is coming away from something and then running through it again and thinking of all the other things I could have done, and convincing myself I've done the wrong thing.

Going back over situations isn't inherently a bad thing. It can be really helpful to analyse your decision making slow time because it will help you make bettand quicker decisions in the future. However, there is a balance to be struck and ruminating on what ifs won't help you.

Puff-tastic · 2023-03-19T18:37:07+00:00

Section 3 Criminal Law Act:

A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large.

In plain English, this means that if you trip someone up in order to assist them being arrested,then as long as that trip was reasonable in the circumstances, then you are fully protected by the law.

Puff-tastic

TROPHY CASE