nige1521

I think I know lol!!!!

rae

you are very welcome. i think you have made a very sensible decision made after careful consideration. no you have not tried it, but you have done just about everything you could do apart from actually living here. some would argue this is the deciding factor, but i think its different for everyone.

its a huge huge thing this lark, i underestimated it. long term for us who knows, one day at a time at the moment.

i wish you and your family all the best, don't have any regrets now, i'd delete everything and put it behind you and down to experience, no second thoughts, you have made your decision stick to it and move on. all the best, rae.

StuArc

Well, first day back today and I have repeated my experiences in Canada to about 20 different colleagues.

Anyway, here is the mentality of my home force, SWP.

I have one PC long term sick and another has now been transferred to another shift. 6 PC's in total.
The area I cover is 54 sq miles, with a population of about 58-60k people.
About 10,000 per Officer.

I have about 120-140 occurrences on my workload, MISPERS to sort out, correspondence, sick, etc, etc, etc.

I am sure many of you can empathise with my position which is reflected over the UK.

The reason I mention all this is because I truly believe joining the EPS would be the decision I have made in a long time. Not withtstanding the opportunities it would present my children and fiancee, but policing there seems to be in line with attitude and style.

However, it won't be an easy ride and I agree with RAE, this is a MASSIVE decision and commitment. That said, I firmly respect those who, on revisiting their decision, deem it woud be unwise for them.

I had several discussions whilst over there and I was left in no doubt, it is NOT going to be easy.
It will be hard and certainly I will reach several peaks and troughs in my first year or two, but I am one who stays the course. Whatever.

Best wishes to those who are going and those who are staying here.

stewie_griffin

Yesterday at work I:

remanded a shoplifter,
did some surveillance on a drug house,
investigated a burglary,
Submitted two intelligence reports after speaking to known crooks,
had a vehicle towed,
wrote 5 traffic tickets (no insurance, no licence, no registration etc),
spent half an hour talking about a Russian POW camp with an old German guy,
assisted a colleague with a harassment investigation.

I was in the station to remand the shoplifter (2 hrs), the rest of the time I was out and wrote all the reports and answered all my emails from my car.

I stopped for coffee for half an hour at Starbucks with the dog man and a colleague and has Subway for lunch.

There were 12 on my squad.

I have ONE ongoing investigation.

I'm probably not coming back to the UK any time soon.

PC ANDY

I am currently a serving Police Officer with 17 years experience in the UK . I am hoping to come to the EPS as a new recruit in December 2009 . As regards pensions can anyone recommend the best persons to speak to ? Also what is the retirement age for the EPS ?

Hoping someone can offer advice .

StuArc

Cheers Stewie. That's what I needed after another mental day in Merthyr Tydfil!!! Damn you, damn you, damn you

My start date cannot come soon enough and it would be great to learn the ropes from you and Rae and the other ex-pats there, who will be old sweats by the time I graduate

Ashleyg

My thoughts exactly, it seems we are both in the background stage which I hope goes well and maybe we would be in the same class....

LisaandSteve

Hay all..

Diggler, sorry to hear that mate, i am sure that was a very tough decision..yet a wise one..Hope all works out for you in the UK..

Stu..that is awesome mate and the reasons why i want to join you. Love that statement..lol..so funny..

Guess what I did yesterday?

Spent 8 hours doing a full file for crown court. usually this would have taken 3-4hours..due to new systems in place, which was brought in to reduce paperwork and make the process faster..it took me 8 hours..lol..1 hour spent at the photocopier, copying all the exhibits for the CPS. Apparently the cant have the originals case they lose them, and the department who used to do this have stopped doing it..lol..CAN YOU BELIEVE IT lol..I didnt leave the station..ha ha..Talk about wasting Police time..It only gets worse..I dont think any management have any idea of real sense..

Steve

Diggler

Thanks Steve,

Thankfully im lucky enough to not have to do files (just arrest statement usually and thats it), but i know where your coming from. All the best with your future.

StuArc

LENGTH OF SERViCE AND PENSiONS

Can any serving member of EPS advise on this is

i have just read on the EPA Collectie Agreement that EPS members will NOT be retained past their 60th birthday.
if i join (hopefully) next year, at 36/37, i will only be able to complete 23/24 years thereabout. Members can be retained past 25 years.
How will i fare with that level of service and will a financial penalty be imposed (such as over here).

Makes no odd, but i would interested to find the answer on this matter.

rae

you are starting exactly as i did. you work till 60 and get a reduced pension, no penalty, simply not as much. the difference i am hoping will be easily offset by the uk pension being invested here and the return that will give.

tim010

I am starting my testing in Edmonton on 15th August and was just wondering if I was successful in all the tests how long would it be until EPS started calling up my references. I have not told some of them of my intentions and was wondering if applicants get a week or so after testing to warn their references of the impending phone call.

I would prefer my referees to know of my intentions prior to them being contacted but do not want to make my application general knowledge at the moment.

Tim

StuArc

Cheers RAE,

I'd rather do an extra 5 over there as the way it is here, I honestly don't think I'll live long enough to see my pension

I have sent you a few PM's too. Did you get them?

rae

welcome. last one i had from you was this one, Jul 12th 2009, 11:08 am, so possibly not?

rae

yes, a week or so, there will be a short delay, difficult to predict how long, but they won't start ringing the next day, not to my knowledge anyway.