boshwaggle

Hi I actually came the other way and am Canadian who for reasons too complicated has ended up in UK police.

I am now planning to go back to Canada ASAP, as this country UK is just getting worse and worse. It is unbelievable. No way I want my kids growing up here.

I am applying to Toronto Police Service and Calgary, and at least my UK police experience in the North (GMP) should stand in good stead.

However the fish and chips you can get in certain parts of UK is undoubtedly superior, the TV has less shite, and I prefer the British style of baked beans.

And that's about it.

If there are any ex-UK officers in Toronto I'd like to hear their experiences.

rae

oh you are potentially my saviour, please join EPS and tell them about GMP,(i worked the C, M and A.) they don't believe me, they all think i sat on a village green watching cricket drinking tea, thats of course when i was not cycling around with the tit on me head.

Pompeyboy

Of course thats not true..you were drinking ginger ale..

Doylie

hey,
have you thought about joining the OPP. I did 15 years with the Met as a DC then came over a few years ago. They alowed me to do all my testing and interviews over a 3 day period whilst over on a trip. There is no official policy on hiring uk cops but there seems to be a couple in every class.
I also thought about joining the TPS, but decided against it. I came to Canada for the same reasons as you, my kids future, so why swap one big city for another with the exact same social problems.
Whilst the OPP don't officially recognize your British service, most of the guys I know have been made up to 1st class within a year or two.
I've now got 2.5 years on, I earn $80,000 a year, my house is paid off, I'm working crime again and the chicks can't get enough of my accent. Life is sweet.

Pompeyboy

Where is OPP??

ann m

Ontario Provincial Police?

Pompeyboy

Of course, thanks Ann, I am a dinlow (Pompey terminology)...

boshwaggle

thanks, OPP is a very good force. GMP is definitely no walk in the park, the volume of crime is staggering. I think also that Uk officers face a greater level of physical abuse and threats that would simply not be tolerated in Canada.

The reason I am interested in TPS is because I like Toronto very much as a city as i am from there, and also because I like thier shift system a lot, plenty of days off. As has been noted, in canada they unfortunately follow the US system of only giving a max of 3 weeks paid vacation, although i believe this is being addressed in parliament now.

But due to the generous overtime system in place in the police, you can work this and get time off in lieu.

Doylie

you're right about the time off, 3 weeks per year. It doesn't seem like a lot but we work 4 on 4 off, so if you take one set of shifts off you get 12 days leave.

Obviously you can do this 3 times a year.

Also the OT is time and a half so if you work 8 hours OT you can take a whole day off (12 hour shifts, nights do drag by after about 2am).

The other thing worth thinking about is stat time. At the start of the year you are given a number of stat hours to compensate for public holidays. If you don't use them you get a pay out. If you want you can take the hours off. If you are really stuck you can get another officer to work a shift for you and have the stat hours transfered to his account.

I was really worried about the apparent lack of leave before I came over but it's not an issue.

minihaha

As of Sep my hubby in the CPS will be going onto the 4 on 4 off. So we are looking forward to the extra days off that gives us too. Its a good shift pattern for the family and we are defo looking forward to it loads better than the crap shifts they have now lol.

mrs minihaha