General Thread

Gee-22

The PSNI has rejected Police Federation claims that the force is under-resourced, amid the development of a contingency plan to draft in officers from UK forces in an emergency.

Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris recently told UK police chiefs that the force may need assistance from officers to work in investigation, custody and back office duties so that PSNI officers can be freed up for riot control and counter-terrorism. Terry Spence, the chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland, said the short notice mutual-aid contingency plan clearly demonstrates that the force does not have enough resources and is "pushed to the limit".

"With the recruitment process frozen, this initiative is seen as the best way forward in filling an immediate gap with experienced police officers."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/psni-were-not-overstretched-16033690.html

gigity gigity

Anybody checked out bbc news ni today?

The PSNI are offering a number of Land Rovers to help colleagues in England deal with rioting.
In a statement the PSNI said they could not provide any officers, but were reviewing other ways to offer support.

So basically we PSNI arent overstreched but if needs be will call upon other UK officers, but they cannot officers to help in England. hmmmm

cesc77

gigity gigity wrote: »

Anybody checked out bbc news ni today?

The PSNI are offering a number of Land Rovers to help colleagues in England deal with rioting.
In a statement the PSNI said they could not provide any officers, but were reviewing other ways to offer support.

So basically we PSNI arent overstreched but if needs be will call upon other UK officers, but they cannot officers to help in England. hmmmm

Are PSNI allowed to go over an help with civil disturbances?

I would think not.How many riots have broken out over here recently?

We have a different way of dealing with these situations which the English are hesitant to use due their nervousness concerning the race issue.

Water cannons are not exactly plastic bullets yet they are fearful of having a black casualty and what may be inferred or may ensue.After what happened with Ian Tomlinson,cops appear to be petrified of forceful removal.

Boris did a sterling job earlier,though.

Delancey

I agree that something seems to be paralysing the Police response to the trouble across the water and fear of being accused of racism , heavy-handedness , etc , would be high on my list of suspects.
Regarding the Police response in London I have to wonder if the fact that the Commisioner has tendered his resignation following the News of the World scandal has not left something of a ' vacuum ' at the top and this is perhaps affecting decision making ?

That the PSNI cannot send officers is not all that surprising when you consider that marching season isn't yet over and the Apprentice Boys are marching later this month.

And the PSNI aren't under resourced... :rolleyes:

I'm sure there's probably good viable reasons as to why the PSNI can't actually physically help and send over a riot squad or two, but it sounds rather hypocritical to me for the PSNI to say they are not under resourced yet have plans to call on support from other forces in emergencies, yet when it's the other way round and the other forces require support they can't/won't.

Riots are what the PSNI do, it comes with the territory so ofcourse they're going to be somewhat expert at it. In an ideal world where money and resources are no issue it makes sense to send in whoever's the best at it to go and finally sort the mess out. Except resources are an issue...but wait then again their not apparently :rolleyes:

Real reason the PSNI can't physically help out...the English bobbies don't want to be shown up when a few dozen blokes in green rock up in a couple of bruised and battered land rovers and finally sort this mess right out :P

Dietcoke1

gigity gigity wrote: »

Anybody checked out bbc news ni today?

The PSNI are offering a number of Land Rovers to help colleagues in England deal with rioting.
In a statement the PSNI said they could not provide any officers, but were reviewing other ways to offer support.

So basically we PSNI arent overstreched but if needs be will call upon other UK officers, but they cannot officers to help in England. hmmmm

Do you believe that if the time ever comes that the PSNI need the assistance from British police forces they will be rushing over the Irish sea to help??

I think not!

Not to mention the overtime that would have to paid out by any force that made the journey.

dixie33

dixie33 wrote: »

Was goin to apply for NIFRS but I've been told you have to have unaided 20/20 vision. I've read the spec on the NIFRS website about eye sight but I'm not sure what it means exactly.
Anyone know if you have to have unaided 20/20 vision?

Was anyone else thinking of applying also?

Dude, unaided 20/20 or 6/6 is reading to the 4th from bottom line of a Snellen chart (usual eye test chart). Unaided for the NIFRS means without glasses - I had laser surgery back in 2001 and passed this in 2002. It's not that rare.

Delancey

I note with interest the report in todays press that some 6,000 people applied for just 24 positions in the NIFRS.
Works out at 250 applicants per slot available , kinda puts the competition for PSNI places in perspective :rolleyes:.

cesc77

Delancey wrote: »

I note with interest the report in todays press that some 6,000 people applied for just 24 positions in the NIFRS.
Works out at 250 applicants per slot available , kinda puts the competition for PSNI places in perspective :rolleyes:.

I disagree,Del.

These positions which were up for grabs were ones where someone needed necessary skills gained in the field.They were looking for specifically skilled individuals.The man on the street would not be able to apply.The man on the street was able to apply to the last campaign as long as they could complete an application form.

The job in question is important.

I know you were trying to make us feel better but it isnt comparable.

Delancey

I think we may be at cross purposes cesc - I wasn't referring to the Civilian PSNI roles but rather that as I recall the competition for PSNI Officer places is something like 23 applicants per vacancy , NIFRS seems to be 10 times as popular .

Processing all those applications must be a huge expense especially when you consider all for just 24 positions.

cesc77

Delancey wrote: »

I think we may be at cross purposes cesc - I wasn't referring to the Civilian PSNI roles but rather that as I recall the competition for PSNI Officer places is something like 23 applicants per vacancy , NIFRS seems to be 10 times as popular .

Processing all those applications must be a huge expense especially when you consider all for just 24 positions.

Agreed,we may be talking about different things,Del.

10,000 applicants for PSNI for roughly 200 spots equates to 1 in 50,not 1 in 23 as youve quoted.If my figures or wrong I will apologise

From my understanding,you quoted 6k going for 24 places,which equates to 1 in 250 roughly.

Same hymn sheet,Im sure just reading it differently:)

Dammit,you started this with the wee post about comparing applications to posts available.:D

weepete

Did anybody on here apply, or even see (as i havent seen it mentioned) the position of assistant investigator a civil support role for the psni, advertised through grafton?

Shield

weepete wrote: »

Did anybody on here apply, or even see (as i havent seen it mentioned) the position of assistant investigator a civil support role for the psni, advertised through grafton?

It was discussed in this thread for a while.

gigity gigity

Well folks, what is happening? Anyone any information or rumours to get my wee brain excited during these miserable evenings?

Anyone had any contact with people just finished garnerville? Are all the trainers back out and about?

Delancey

gigity gigity wrote: »

Well folks, what is happening? Anyone any information or rumours to get my wee brain excited during these miserable evenings?

Anyone had any contact with people just finished garnerville? Are all the trainers back out and about?

Yeah Gig , my information from the folks just finished training ( Aug 19th ) was that they were going to have been the last group trained in Garnerville.
Trainers were in the process of being re-deployed to other duties.

Sorry I have no ' uplifting ' rumours to report.

gigity gigity

sure we shall nail it next time then, a couple more years life experience could stand us in good stead for the next time I guess is the best way of looking at it! This may be absolute non sense but I heard some where along the line that the next move the PSNI could make may be to recruit more trained officers from the UK which could hold any of would be cops back a bit further. I remember this being the case lately but its possible that they could do it again, makes sense if they already have the trainers out of there already. How have you been keeping anyway Delancey?

Goonerdee

gigity gigity wrote: »

sure we shall nail it next time then, a couple more years life experience could stand us in good stead for the next time I guess is the best way of looking at it! This may be absolute non sense but I heard some where along the line that the next move the PSNI could make may be to recruit more trained officers from the UK which could hold any of would be cops back a bit further. I remember this being the case lately but its possible that they could do it again, makes sense if they already have the trainers out of there already. How have you been keeping anyway Delancey?

I have decided to pass the time trying to make my CV more appealing. And my driving licence, just incase the Ambulance Service looks like the route I may go down. Though this loan will have to be paid off first.

gigity gigity

Class, I always wanted to get every class on my licence, I recently got my bike test! Its awesome would recommend it to everyone!
You could be waiting a while on the ambulance service as well!

Gee-22

I was talking to fefe5 tonight.

He didn't have any news or rumours to report.

Looks like the end of the road tbh.

Hard to take when you've completed every section.... But maybe 2013 will be 9 time lucky.

Goonerdee

gigity gigity wrote: »

Class, I always wanted to get every class on my licence, I recently got my bike test! Its awesome would recommend it to everyone!
You could be waiting a while on the ambulance service as well!

Yeah, I was well obsessed with the PSNI for a while, but I have been forcing myself to look at other areas of emergency and security services....... slightly. Was gutted I missed out on the fire service, I was too busy grabbing all the overtime I could get that by the time I had finished and thought about the Fire Service recruitment I was two days too late, so it will probably be a long wait before they think about recruiting again.

quickcatch

The fire service are recruiting 24 people from an application pool of 6500. I am not being too optimistic with those figures, although a fair few failed the bleep test, which frankly should have been tougher.

I am hearing extremely pesimistic rumors of it being 8 years before the PSNI recruit again. Surely this is far too long with retirements etc factored in.

I think its just a case of get into something you can cope with doing until the new training college is built and then there might be more word but its looking like a few years anyway.

Gee-22

quickcatch wrote: »

I am hearing extremely pesimistic rumors of it being 8 years before the PSNI recruit again. Surely this is far too long with retirements etc factored in.

.

Hi
Where did you hear that?

Gee-22

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14943010

Last Night -Two police officers have been injured after a bomb was thrown at them as they responded to an alarm call at business premises in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14920281

14 Sept - A senior police officer blames the Real IRA for bomb attacks targeting a police officer and a doctor in County Lononderry.

Activity stepping up again.... might need more feet on the ground sooner rather than later?
Lets hope so.

DesertCreat_15

Gee-22 wrote: »

Activity stepping up again.... might need more feet on the ground sooner rather than later?
Lets hope so.

Lets hope so indeed!

Is G'ville still available and capable of training students?

gigity gigity

DesertCreat_15 wrote: »

Lets hope so indeed!

Is G'ville still available and capable of training students?

I suppose it probably is but the word on the street is that all the trainers have been/or are being (not 100%) redeployed to other duties.

Im sure the trainers would quite like to be staying!

heffomike54

DesertCreat_15 wrote: »

Lets hope so indeed!

Is G'ville still available and capable of training students?

Following on from this, has any work started on the new college at all?

Gee-22

Gee-22 wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14943010

Last Night -Two police officers have been injured after a bomb was thrown at them as they responded to an alarm call at business premises in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14920281

14 Sept - A senior police officer blames the Real IRA for bomb attacks targeting a police officer and a doctor in County Lononderry.

Activity stepping up again.... might need more feet on the ground sooner rather than later?
Lets hope so.

17 sept -
Police have urged people in the Craigavon area to be vigilant, after reports that dissident terrorists launched a rocket at a PSNI patrol.

The alleged attack was said to have been carried out by the Continuity IRA in the early hours of Saturday.


http://www.u.tv/News/Device-launched-at-police-in-Craigavon/77a77ecd-bd71-46fa-89ea-232e758efbc1

Gee-22

heffomike54 wrote: »

Following on from this, has any work started on the new college at all?

Work is not due to start until October 2012!!

quickcatch

Gee-22 wrote: »

Hi
Where did you hear that?

fortunately not from a PSNI officer so probably unreliable gossip!!

Delancey

While the idea of an 8 year hiatus in recruitment seems ridiculous at first glance , I would remind everyone that it is likely that for the next number of years there probably won't be all that many retirements from the Police.

An awful lot of those who might have been expected to retire will have left under the Patten severance scheme so I can't see a big drop in Police numbers for the next few years at least.
Allied to this is the heavy recruitment over the last 10 years or thereabouts which will have doubtless reduced the PSNI ' age profile '.

Having said all that I would think ( and I certainly hope ) 8 years without recruitment is too long .