39 replies to this topic

[Marty McFly]

Your still representing the police. you wouldn't want to give information to the public about crime looking like a paramedic?

since when do paramedics wear berets?

and i think what VPCdan was getting at, is that its all very good looking like the police while you are "representing" the police and "giving information", until an MOP mistakes you for a real police officer and wants you to deal with something/intervene in a potentially dangerous situation.

Especially at the olympics where we will have a sudden influx of visitors from all over the world who may not necessarily speak english as a first/second/third language or even at all; im sure you'd regret looking like a police officer when someone starts screaming at you in a foreign language you don't understand because he's just been a victim of [insert any crime you fancy] and they are getting agitated at the fact that you can't understand them (and of course they also can't understand "i'm a cadet, not a police officer").

but of course, as he pointed out, remarking on the silly combination of a beret and high vis is entirely different.

[JKPlod]

Hi all,

I have been told by my Sargent that we (cadets) are going to help with the Olympics. shouldn't we be issued with hi-viz jackets and radio as we are currently not issued with them? Not sure what our role will be but am presuming security? anyone else in the Met police cadet?

Considering you dont have any powers or any PPE, I myself cannot see them expecting you to do any type of security as that would be a health and safety nightmare waiting to happen. I suspect that you will be out handing out leaflets or assisting the public with directions something along those lines. And as you will be with a officer that has the powers and what not he will have a radio so there will be no need for you to have one.

[Lucas North]

Personally i don't like the beret. it looks to militaristic
and looks even more stupid with a hi-viz

Nothing wrong with berets and hi-viz...

[MrKguy]

Nothing wrong with berets and hi-viz...

I would beg to differ

[Lucas North]

I would beg to differ

Why? I used to wear the same kit, as in the photo and so did my collegues. We looked professional.

It's not the kit, it's the way you wear it.


Back when CO19 (formerly SO19) was originally formed, they used to wear berets (they were nicknamed "The Blue Berets") and they looked the bee's knees!

[HarryB]

Nothing wrong with berets and hi-viz...

Indeed, although there is something wrong with his beret A snowdrop?

[Lucas North]

Indeed, although there is something wrong with his beret A snowdrop?

Lol, not quite - MPGS

[HarryB]

Lol, not quite - MPGS

You are or the bod in the phot? I never realised any RAF airmen other than rockapes and snow drops (especially TPW!) wore their berets in as gash a way as that! Even my oppo on TPW manages (just) to have his look ok haha

[Lucas North]

You are or the bod in the phot? I never realised any RAF airmen other than rockapes and snow drops (especially TPW!) wore their berets in as gash a way as that! Even my oppo on TPW manages (just) to have his look ok haha

Nah I'm not, but I did have to wear the hi-vis when doing gate duty in the TA (hence the "me and my colleagues" comment I made earlier). The photo was from a press realease about MPGS in Scotland.

Yeah it does look a tad rubbish, but it was the only photo I could find


Edit: Spellings

Edited by Lucas North, 13 January 2012 - 11:57 PM.

[HarryB]

Nah I'm not, but I did have to wear the hi-vis when doing gate duty in the TA (hence the "me and my colleagues" comment I made earlier). The photo was from a press realease about MPGS in Scotland.

Yeah it does look a tad rubbish, but it was the only photo I could find


Edit: Spellings

Ahh, ok guy in the photo is RAF, just before MPGS took over airmen getting pinged for gate duty. Hi vis and beret (and combats) isn't too painful, although seeing what looks to be just a torso wandering about on exercise can be strange haha (for civvy road control, not h&s gone mad )

[TallGuy]

Airmen, well the RAF technicians I work with still get rotated through gate guard duties, though to be honest I'd rather have the gate guarded by Gurkhas any day. Right proper gents they are. Know how to wear their uniform properly, call you sir and you just know they will have you on the floor kissing tarmac in the blink of an eye.

[Giraffe]

What on earth does this have to do with cadets at the Olympics? Back on topic please!!

[Tom72]

Im a civilian insturctor with the Air Training Corps and one thing I can not stand is a beret that is not properly shaped (or shaped at all). It is dead simple to do, and looks very professional when done properly, and worn properly.

Though I must say our police cadets in Dyfed-Powys wear flat caps and have a very similar uniform to officers, but they wear green and silver reflective bands, and white shirts with green ties. They also get issued hi vis

Bit off topic, but just like to add that the ATC and police cadets in Carmarthen's memorial service in November were brilliant! Wish I could say the same about the Army's lack of discipline in the march mind!

On topic: I wouldn't of thought the cost of radios would be warranted to cadets :/

Edited by boodeny, 16 January 2012 - 01:44 AM.

[Transducer09]

For some AID we use high-vis (non Met branded) and might have one of the old radios so that we can keep in contact with our staff/organise duties and rest periods with other cadets. To be honest I hate wearing a HV, and would only want to wear one if I was doing a leaflet drop when it's dark so that cars can see me. I know some people might want to wear as much police related uniform/equiptment as possible so that they feel like they're in the job, but as mentioned before we have no OST, no powers whatsoever - if we see a crime happening we can't intervine, we leave it to our staff/officers. At an event like the olympics we shouldn't need anything apart from our uniform - this itself shows we represent the Met. Yes the beret is a tad annoying, but it's something we agree to wear when we sign up.

To be honest I think the mere fact that we're going to be helping at the olympics is fantastic (even if it is marshalling) , and you wouldn't get to do some of the things we do elsewhere. I've met some of the most fantastic people through the VPC and had some great laughs and experiences - that's why I recommend it to anyone, even if they don't want to go on to join the job (althought it helps massively with certain elements). See you all at the olympics in a few months

[PapaOscar]

If anyone here is at Croydon VPC then could they please PM me.