29 replies to this topic

[Bobbychuck]

Really great insight to the training to expect at Slaugham. Thanks...am about to attend my 2nd weekend there.

[elloelloello]

Hi to all of you that I met last Sunday (27th March 2011) who were having their 'Scenario' day. I was Radio controller for teams 'Tango Romeo 08 to Tango Romeo 13'


Was great to see so many eager faces.

I must confess, It was a learning curve for me, I've never been a controller before! On one hand, my radio 'speak' may not have been technically correct, but then on the other, it really isn't in the real world either.

There were a few people that were excellent.

I apologise to a few people that asked me to read back some details to them..... I couldn't, as I wasn't taking any notes!.... Basically I was making up a number of PNC results up (I was wondering around the grounds of Slougham Manor with the other radio controller as it was such a nice day!

As the day progressed everyone got much better. For most (including me) it takes a bit of nerve to talk over the air for the first time knowing everyone is listening in.

A couple of pointers for any other intakes on their scenario day (Sussex, not sure for other forces): Now bear in mind, this isn't official, The following are just my pointers and I have only been doing this for just over a year which in the grand scheme of things isn't long at all....


The key thing you are told is 'ABC' (Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity) which pretty much everyone was good at.

I would keep in mind that during the scenario day A/ almost everyone is new at this and B/ the radio controller is human too, so if you cant remember the correct 'speak' just say it as it is!

Write your call-sign in your PNB (You should do this anyways), Quite a few people didn't know and had a bit of a guess resulting in all sorts of random call signs, but I managed to make out what they meant in most cases.

If you are asked "Stand by" or "stand by, unless urgent" then don't speak until you are spoken to again... unless of course it is urgent. Most people ignored this request. Usually controllers have to log in to other systems for PNC, address checks etc, or are in the middle of resourcing a 'job' which means they cant do anything until they are ready.

Listen out for your call sign. This is actually harder than it sounds as you get engrossed in job and it takes while to naturally have one ear on the radio and the other on whats going on around you. This actually comes in time.
Quite a few times I tried calling units that didn't respond (particularly where they had requested an ambulance and I was calling back for further details/updates).

The best goes to Tango Romeo 09. It went something like (again Scenario Number was used in place of a 'serial' number):

TR09: "Tango Romeo Zero Nine to Tango Oscar"
TO : "Tango Romeo Zero Nine, go ahead"
TR09 : "Can you show us en-route to scenario six, over"
TO: "Certainly Zero Nine"
TR09: "Do you have any further information for me?"
TO: "Standy by, I will have a look for you"
TO: "Zero Nine, There is intelligence that suggests that the suspects have been involved in the supply of drugs from a vehicle"
TR09 "Thank you"
TO: "Can you provide an early update please" (This is so the controller can asses if other units need to attend if the situation is volatile)
TR09 "Yes Yes"
TR09 "On scene"
TO: "Tango Oscar to Tango Romeo Zero Nine"
TR09 : "Tango Romeo Zero Nine, Go Ahead"
TO: "I have further information for you, The suspect are known for weapons and concealment of weapons in a vehicle".
TR09 : "Received, We have three in custody can you arrange a Van please"
TO: "Yes Yes, Stand by"
TO: "I have resourced three vans for you, they will be with you shortly, I have requested them on the 'hurry up'"
TR09 : "Received, Thank you"

What I thought was great was that 09 asked for further information so they could prepare for when they get there (it meant I had to dig out my notes and actually read something from that scenario). Not many done this.
Ok, technically speaking there was a lack of 'Over's, no early update etc etc, but the ABC was there in bucket loads and is more 'real world'.

One thing that most people didn't understand is 'So far?' This is used when passing larger chunks of information. The reason being is that usually one party has to write what they are being told into their PNB/Computer. Blabbing out an r/o (Registered Owner) of a motor vehicle and their address and the make, model which is usually too much for people to remember when writing it down, or the officer going on about what has happened that would take even the most nimble fingered typist half an hour to type. So, we break it in to chunks, a bit like:

Controller : "The r/o is a mr ben Jakeson, last name Juliet, Alpha, Kilo, Echo, Sierra, Oscar, November, So Far?"....
You : (After writing it down) "So Far!"
Controller : "Address.... 123 New Road...." etc etc

Also... Remember that : If you don't have full details for a PNC check, you can ask for one with 'partial' details, if missing date of birth you could estimate an approximate age, or last name with similar spelling etc etc, If you have the address, you can ask for an address check.
Another thing: Ask the suspect/offender if they have been in trouble with the police before... strangely most people are honest about this! If they say they have and the controller cant find any details, it is quite likely you don't have the correct details! or... if they so 'no they havnt' and the PNC check comes back with previous history, then you know they are not being straight with you!
You can also ask if there is any previous history on an address (usually when dealing with violence or specifics relating to the job you are attending).
There are a number of things that you can ask for, most controllers are obliging (finding out telephone numbers for departments or informants, checking details/systems further etc), but in most cases it wont be offered to you if you don't ask!

One thing I though odd was that, in the real world, after a PNC check where there is details on the subject, you need to ask for the PNCID (and write it in your PNB, you may need it later). We didn't do this on the day, not sure I was supposed to just give it out! oops!

Anyways, was good to meet everyone and good luck, hope you have a great time out there on section/PDU!

Edited by elloelloello, 31 March 2011 - 01:05 AM.

[Bobbychuck]

Brilliant scenario weekend....Great Radio controllers!!!

The scenarios were really realistic and in some cases you really felt the adrenalin get your heart racing when your subjects became a little unpredictable. By the time we got to the end we just wanted more, everyone improved with every scenario.

Although we are all heading off to our individual PDUs and getting to the next stage of the training (on the beat), we will all miss the Slaugham weekends together.

Thanks to my 2 team members in TR06.

See you all on the streets.

Hi to all of you that I met last Sunday (27th March 2011) who were having their 'Scenario' day. I was Radio controller for teams 'Tango Romeo 08 to Tango Romeo 13'


Was great to see so many eager faces.

I must confess, It was a learning curve for me, I've never been a controller before! On one hand, my radio 'speak' may not have been technically correct, but then on the other, it really isn't in the real world either.

There were a few people that were excellent.

I apologise to a few people that asked me to read back some details to them..... I couldn't, as I wasn't taking any notes!.... Basically I was making up a number of PNC results up (I was wondering around the grounds of Slougham Manor with the other radio controller as it was such a nice day!

As the day progressed everyone got much better. For most (including me) it takes a bit of nerve to talk over the air for the first time knowing everyone is listening in.

A couple of pointers for any other intakes on their scenario day (Sussex, not sure for other forces): Now bear in mind, this isn't official, The following are just my pointers and I have only been doing this for just over a year which in the grand scheme of things isn't long at all....


The key thing you are told is 'ABC' (Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity) which pretty much everyone was good at.

I would keep in mind that during the scenario day A/ almost everyone is new at this and B/ the radio controller is human too, so if you cant remember the correct 'speak' just say it as it is!

Write your call-sign in your PNB (You should do this anyways), Quite a few people didn't know and had a bit of a guess resulting in all sorts of random call signs, but I managed to make out what they meant in most cases.

If you are asked "Stand by" or "stand by, unless urgent" then don't speak until you are spoken to again... unless of course it is urgent. Most people ignored this request. Usually controllers have to log in to other systems for PNC, address checks etc, or are in the middle of resourcing a 'job' which means they cant do anything until they are ready.

Listen out for your call sign. This is actually harder than it sounds as you get engrossed in job and it takes while to naturally have one ear on the radio and the other on whats going on around you. This actually comes in time.
Quite a few times I tried calling units that didn't respond (particularly where they had requested an ambulance and I was calling back for further details/updates).

The best goes to Tango Romeo 09. It went something like (again Scenario Number was used in place of a 'serial' number):

TR09: "Tango Romeo Zero Nine to Tango Oscar"
TO : "Tango Romeo Zero Nine, go ahead"
TR09 : "Can you show us en-route to scenario six, over"
TO: "Certainly Zero Nine"
TR09: "Do you have any further information for me?"
TO: "Standy by, I will have a look for you"
TO: "Zero Nine, There is intelligence that suggests that the suspects have been involved in the supply of drugs from a vehicle"
TR09 "Thank you"
TO: "Can you provide an early update please" (This is so the controller can asses if other units need to attend if the situation is volatile)
TR09 "Yes Yes"
TR09 "On scene"
TO: "Tango Oscar to Tango Romeo Zero Nine"
TR09 : "Tango Romeo Zero Nine, Go Ahead"
TO: "I have further information for you, The suspect are known for weapons and concealment of weapons in a vehicle".
TR09 : "Received, We have three in custody can you arrange a Van please"
TO: "Yes Yes, Stand by"
TO: "I have resourced three vans for you, they will be with you shortly, I have requested them on the 'hurry up'"
TR09 : "Received, Thank you"

What I thought was great was that 09 asked for further information so they could prepare for when they get there (it meant I had to dig out my notes and actually read something from that scenario). Not many done this.
Ok, technically speaking there was a lack of 'Over's, no early update etc etc, but the ABC was there in bucket loads and is more 'real world'.

One thing that most people didn't understand is 'So far?' This is used when passing larger chunks of information. The reason being is that usually one party has to write what they are being told into their PNB/Computer. Blabbing out an r/o (Registered Owner) of a motor vehicle and their address and the make, model which is usually too much for people to remember when writing it down, or the officer going on about what has happened that would take even the most nimble fingered typist half an hour to type. So, we break it in to chunks, a bit like:

Controller : "The r/o is a mr ben Jakeson, last name Juliet, Alpha, Kilo, Echo, Sierra, Oscar, November, So Far?"....
You : (After writing it down) "So Far!"
Controller : "Address.... 123 New Road...." etc etc

Also... Remember that : If you don't have full details for a PNC check, you can ask for one with 'partial' details, if missing date of birth you could estimate an approximate age, or last name with similar spelling etc etc, If you have the address, you can ask for an address check.
Another thing: Ask the suspect/offender if they have been in trouble with the police before... strangely most people are honest about this! If they say they have and the controller cant find any details, it is quite likely you don't have the correct details! or... if they so 'no they havnt' and the PNC check comes back with previous history, then you know they are not being straight with you!
You can also ask if there is any previous history on an address (usually when dealing with violence or specifics relating to the job you are attending).
There are a number of things that you can ask for, most controllers are obliging (finding out telephone numbers for departments or informants, checking details/systems further etc), but in most cases it wont be offered to you if you don't ask!

One thing I though odd was that, in the real world, after a PNC check where there is details on the subject, you need to ask for the PNCID (and write it in your PNB, you may need it later). We didn't do this on the day, not sure I was supposed to just give it out! oops!

Anyways, was good to meet everyone and good luck, hope you have a great time out there on section/PDU!

[Basil the Rat]

Great post.
It's good to see that training has gone back to residential weekends at Slaugham.
I remember Bodiam block at Lewes and for those that chose to stay overnight I'm sure they will agree it was quite an experience.

And I remember definitely not getting lost in Lewes one night.

[Jake CE]

Hiya, thank you very much for this post. It has eased my nerves about training so so much!