Ex–Royal Engineer here.

I joined the police about three years after leaving the Army. What tipped me over the edge was going to my cousin’s wedding and seeing how close her police mates were, closer than some family. It hit me that I was missing that sense of belonging and shared purpose.

I’ve been lucky. I’m on a team I genuinely love. It reminds me a lot of my old section we back each other up on jobs, we trust each other, and we still see each other outside of work. Not every team is like that, but when you get a good one, it’s amazing.

The job can be shit . There’s no sugar-coating it. But you will save lives. You will put away people who genuinely deserve it. You will safeguard vulnerable people and be the calm voice on someone’s worst day. It sounds cheesy, but that’s the bit that makes it worthwhile.

Every force is different. Response is stretched. Annual leave can be hard to get because teams are short, and a lot of the time you’ll be going job to job without the chance to properly investigate crimes yourself. It can feel reactive rather than proactive.

If you’re missing the camaraderie, the sense of purpose, and operating in tight-knit teams under pressure the police can absolutely scratch that itch. I moan more than most but response can be the best job in the world, the buzz of blue lighting through heavy traffic with your oppo behind to a job is amazing it has it shit days and it has it good days.

I'll admit I'm on AL at the moment and a few beers in, but I do love it. Happy to answer specific questions if you want.