So annoyed

[JCrakers]

Sorry...Long , but I am so fuming right now!!!!!!!!

DS has to do work experience this year and so we had to write to a few businesses. He wants to join the police so we wrote to the local police station which is only small. He got a reply in January it said ' I am very pleased to be able to offer you a one week placement commencing on (date inserted)'

Then underneath it went on to say 'Please note that this placement is provisional at this time and is subject to a satisfactory security vetting check'

So we all read it as 'you have a place but you will need a clean background check, If it comes back ok then the place is yours' .....or are we all a bit stupid?

So, we were all so pleased, we've told family and friends and he's was looking forward to it. The letter went on to say that once your check is complete I will make contact with your school and send you further correspondence with your parents. I will create an itinery for you to work to....etc...etc. this will include patrolling with officers and also response officers.

DH rang the PC and made a time to go to the station with DS's passport and filled in form (3.45pm) but when they got there he had gone home, the station closes at 3.30pm...So after hanging around for a while in the pouring rain he spotted 2 PC's coming out of the back so he explained what he was doing and they photocopied his passport and took the forms to pass on.

Fast forward 3 weeks and yesterday he received another letter telling him he hadn't got a place. So we were confused and obviously DS feels let down.
DH rang the PC who stated that the letter said it was provisional and was very rude to DH. DH said although it did say provisional, the way it was worded wasn't good.
I rang the school and complained and was told that 6 other students had also been let down in this way, she apologised and said they had tried to get extra weeks and even half term but the Police had said no, so they are tring to get something else for hime.

DH has rang the PC back and asked if he met any of the boys, as he thought maybe he'd managed to interview the others and DS missed his as the PC had gone home. He said no one had been interviewed and basically snapped at DH that he'd chosen 4 boys out of 10 and that was that. He wasn't friendly, polite and didn't apologise for the confusion but just snapped at him and basically made DH feel quite intimidated.

DH was fuming and I cant believe that someone who is supposed to be part of the community can act like this towards a parent of a student. DH wasn't a criminal he was just trying to ring up and ask a few questions and give him some advice about how to write the letter so other students don't feel let down this way. DH told him the DS felt crushed and the PC couldn't give a toss.

SO, I don't want DS joining the police if this is the way they talk to people.....I'm feeling pretty ****** off right now.

Even if we did mis-interpret the letter just a simple sorry would have been nice from him. Plus, my son is 15yrs old.....you don't send a letter stating that at the top. and you don't send a letter to a 15yr old telling him what he's going to be doing, like going out on beat and then let him down like that

[cathtee]

I can totally understand why you are fuming, there is no reason to speak to you dh like that, I hope that your ds can find somewhere to do his work experience and that it hasn't put him off going into the police most PCs are polite and helpful x

[emma04]

Sorry...Long , but I am so fuming right now!!!!!!!! DS has to do work experience this year and so we had to write to a few businesses. He wants to join the police so we wrote to the local police station which is only small. He got a reply in January it said ' I am very pleased to be able to offer you a one week placement commencing on (date inserted)' Then underneath it went on to say 'Please note that this placement is provisional at this time and is subject to a satisfactory security vetting check' So we all read it as 'you have a place but you will need a clean background check, If it comes back ok then the place is yours' .....or are we all a bit stupid? So, we were all so pleased, we've told family and friends and he's was looking forward to it. The letter went on to say that once your check is complete I will make contact with your school and send you further correspondence with your parents. I will create an itinery for you to work to....etc...etc. this will include patrolling with officers and also response officers. DH rang the PC and made a time to go to the station with DS's passport and filled in form (3.45pm) but when they got there he had gone home, the station closes at 3.30pm...So after hanging around for a while in the pouring rain he spotted 2 PC's coming out of the back so he explained what he was doing and they photocopied his passport and took the forms to pass on. Fast forward 3 weeks and yesterday he received another letter telling him he hadn't got a place. So we were confused and obviously DS feels let down. DH rang the PC who stated that the letter said it was provisional and was very rude to DH. DH said although it did say provisional, the way it was worded wasn't good. I rang the school and complained and was told that 6 other students had also been let down in this way, she apologised and said they had tried to get extra weeks and even half term but the Police had said no, so they are tring to get something else for hime. DH has rang the PC back and asked if he met any of the boys, as he thought maybe he'd managed to interview the others and DS missed his as the PC had gone home. He said no one had been interviewed and basically snapped at DH that he'd chosen 4 boys out of 10 and that was that. He wasn't friendly, polite and didn't apologise for the confusion but just snapped at him and basically made DH feel quite intimidated. DH was fuming and I cant believe that someone who is supposed to be part of the community can act like this towards a parent of a student. DH wasn't a criminal he was just trying to ring up and ask a few questions and give him some advice about how to write the letter so other students don't feel let down this way. DH told him the DS felt crushed and the PC couldn't give a toss. SO, I don't want DS joining the police if this is the way they talk to people.....I'm feeling pretty ****** off right now. Even if we did mis-interpret the letter just a simple sorry would have been nice from him. Plus, my son is 15yrs old.....you don't send a letter stating that at the top. and you don't send a letter to a 15yr old telling him what he's going to be doing, like going out on beat and then let him down like that

I would forward this your post to your local mp and the county constabulary!
Some police officers can be such to553rs!! Yet others will bend over backwards to help.
Feel very sorry for your son. What a let down!

Good luck in finding another placement!

[kellyskidz!]

How mean of them!
Don't let one rude man put you or your son off the police force though, I'm sure its like any profession, you get bad apples everywhere
I'd write a letter of complaint and also speak to your local MP or council and explain why you feel so annoyed, I think you're right they're public servants and to intimidate your oh for asking a simple question is not on.
I hope your son finds a placement he enjoys and does well with his work experience, what a start to working life eh.. This should be a positive experience for him!

[sing-low]

What a shame for your DS when he was looking forward to it. The letter was badly worded. If it had been made clear that there were a limited number of spaces, then there wouldn't have been all this disappointment. I would complain to the PC's line manager. It's not on for the police to behave like this.

[Emra81]

I can't believe that they would get his hopes up like that and then let him down so harshly...poor lad. I agree with Kellyskidz though, don't let one rude man put your ds off joining the police altogether if it's what he really wants. You'll find rude, incompetent people in every profession but I must say, my dh joined the police last year after literally years of being in the application process and he really does absolutely love it. The majority of officers he's met/worked with diy far are really lovely people who are very good at their jobs and I've never seen him enjoy a job as much as he enjoys this one. It'd be all the more satisfying for your ds to metaphorically sick 2 fingers up to the jobsworth at your local station and go after what he wants. Good luck to him on his placement though, wherever he end up!

[JCrakers]

Thanks all for reading my ramblings...I had steam coming from my ears this morning and had to open the door with a big smile as usual to parents when inside I could have punched someone...lol


I would have been fine if the initial letter had said no or explained that they were still choosing. Then he wouldn't have been excited about it. I am bothered about him being let down but more angry about how its been dealt with, The PC on the phone had no thought, concern or anything to say to my husband other than to speak to him like he'd just rang up to tell him he'd robbed a bank.


I was going to complain but now I'm feeling a bit scared actually of the response I could get ......my impressions of the local Police are that they are not approachable.

I've only been involved with the Police once at the age of 18yrs when myself and a friend were walking through a park in Sinfin, Derby and a man shot at us. We rang 999 and they found the man and the gun and from what I remember they were pretty friendly and calmed us down but the experience of local police here isn't good and we live in a very low crime area.

[sarah707]

Crikey that's unnecessary and unfair I would be furious too. I hope he finds a much nicer work experience. Hugs xx

[bunyip]

First mistake: trusting the police.

A lesson well-learned before pursuing that particular career path.

[FloraDora]

How disappointing for your son.
My own son went to Uni with the idea of becoming a policeman but the job situation is so poor at the moment that when he finished last year he decided to follow another avenue. He did some work with Manchester Met whilst at Uni, their advice was to get as much experience in working with the public because that is what they are looking for, people who are able to transfer skills when talking with the public etc.. So he worked in a youth centre, old folks home, school, law offices, soup kitchen and joined they special constabulary. Any experience with the public I am sure would be good work experience for the future for him.
For his school work experience, years ago, he did a week with an army band ( he is quite musical) . They paid for him to spend a week studying music and preparing for a passing out parade and doing army type activities, manoeuvres, night games etc.. And in the dorm they were looked after by two squadies who made him make bed, keep his area clean etc - just like if they were in the army.great fun..he got an award at the end...he loved it, but didn't want to join the army ( thankfully) but I recommend it as a good work experience, they paid all expenses, travel, and gave them tshirts and hoodies to wear and keep...the experience looked good on his CV too.

https://www.facebook.com/armyjobs/posts/409095345791586

[smurfette]

First mistake: trusting the police. A lesson well-learned before pursuing that particular career path.

That's a bit generalised .. My hubby is a policeman and yes there are some like. That out there but most aren't! Same as every job

Awful way to treat your dh I agree though totally unnecessary, whole thing badly handled cos yes it did sound like you said and then the rudeness to your dh was inexcusable

Poor Ds can be go to another police station or are they too far?

[bunyip]

That's a bit generalised .. My hubby is a policeman and yes there are some like. That out there but most aren't! Same as every job

Awful way to treat your dh I agree though totally unnecessary, whole thing badly handled cos yes it did sound like you said and then the rudeness to your dh was inexcusable

Poor Ds can be go to another police station or are they too far?

It's specific to my experience, though I take your point that some are OK. Yes, good and bad in every job. Problem with the police is they have a lot of power, so when they close ranks to "look after one of their own" a lot of harm gets done.