76 replies to this topic

[legsxyz]

1327973351[/url]' post='2191703']
you never know... your ears feel cold for the first while since your hair doesnt cover them anymore, but apart from that the 3 on the back and sides is actually alright

i rose from my bed at 2 in the afternoon so im wide awake unfortunately, i've been trying since 10 to get to sleep... haha, i'll go have another attempt at sleep... good luck for your medical!

It's alright I'll leave the cold ears to the men, us girls like it long thanks again for all the info, really really really helpful! Night x

[ewanmclean]

Sorry to barge in on the thread but is anyone else on the late SET session on Tuesday? I'm wondering how on earth they are expecting to get people through interview etc by march :/

[Marty McFly]

Sorry to barge in on the thread but is anyone else on the late SET session on Tuesday? I'm wondering how on earth they are expecting to get people through interview etc by march :/

in all honesty, i would brace for being put back to the september intake... if the start date is early march, theres no way you can do interview, vetting, drugs test, medical and of course the all important uniform fitting in a 3 and a bit week period.

Edited by andyfofo, 03 February 2012 - 03:00 AM.

[The Globe]

That's me got my dates through for my medical and drugs test now.

Can anyone give any info or advice on what to expect, what to bring etc?

Thanks in advance.

[Marty McFly]

That's me got my dates through for my medical and drugs test now.

Can anyone give any info or advice on what to expect, what to bring etc?

Thanks in advance.

drugs test is dress as you please, personally i wore a suit back when i did it, same as every other stage... basically they just cut a clump of your hair and stick it in a sealed signed bag.

medical test, go in smart (suit) and bring Shorts and T-shirt to change into... you will be shown where the changing rooms are when you arrive.

What happens at the medical the list can be found Here


this list leaves out the BMI check though, over 30 is an automatic fail for the whole medical

[JAYKAY]

Who's all set for Sun 4th? Looking forward to it?

[The Globe]

Cheers for that Andyfofo.

Got them next week, so just the wait now.

[pipes90]

I'm pretty much all set. Just need to get uniform fitted and drugs test on the 23rd.

[Marty McFly]

Who's all set for Sun 4th? Looking forward to it?

Miscellaneous/First Day Advice

you may look at this list and have this expression on your face... , but trust me, this is EVERYTHING i could think of, hence why its so long, you don't need to follow it all, but its just pretty much every tip/hint/useful info i could think of


Uniform Standards

• Haircut - short for guys, tied back into a bun with no loose hair or fringe for girls, and not dyed un natural colours for either
• Do not put in hair styling products (guys!) as you will be getting your pictures for your warrant card taken and WILL be made to wash your hair in a toilet sink and then attempt to dry it with toilet paper/rubbish hand dryer, trust me
• Girls - No Make Up (you will get shouted at, you will be made to take it off for the photo)
• Guys - Clean shaven (you will get shouted at, and made to buy disposable razors from the SPRA shop and shave for the photo)
• Suit means suit - with a suit jacket.
• Learn to iron properly and bull your boots, your saturday night will soon be spent ironing and bulling, so you might as well learn now
• You will recieve your issued uniform on the first day (except your body armour), if anything is wrong or doesnt fit, etc make sure and tell them so you can get it changed! and check everything as, for example, the wicking top you try on may be the correct size but the other one in your bag may not be, and you dont want to discover that at OST when one is in the wash and the other is 4 inches too small in chest size!

What to Buy/Bring

• Wooden Ruler, its on the list of things to buy (it wasnt on ours, but you will be told on the first day, its for ironing)- hard to find anywhere, but the SPRA shop in jackton sells them for 50p or so if you live close (none of the supermarkets do, and i ran around glasgow -whsmith, art shops, etc. before finding a stationary shop in hamilton which does them for £1.50, SPRA is the cheapest)
• Bring your bank details, you will need it for the award forms/SPRA sign up, etc.
• Black pens -not blue, red or green; black is all thats allowed. (sainsburys basics do them 20 for 50p , tesco own make is about £4 for 50 as the tesco value come in red, blue and black instead of just black like sainsburys)
• Bring a Ruler, you will need it to underline the date in your notebook
• Bring a notepad, you will be writing alot of stuff down
• Boots- as im sure you know by now, you dont get issued them so you need to get them... you dont need them for the first day and if you want advice you can ask the staff on the first day, Patrol Store always have good sales on for boots (current examples - £150 down to £75, £60 down to £38.95, etc, not as good as the deal i got mine on, but thats life, and they're still good discounts!) , its where i got mine from and i can definately recommend them!
• The SPRA have an interest free credit facility for members (so only if you join) who buy at their shop, so if you want to look into that for buying your boots you can ask them on your first day
• You should recieve or have recieved a list of stuff (contained in your induction pack) to bring... check it over, and check it over again.
• Bring something for lunch (as the canteen is closed on sundays), you will get to sit in the canteen to eat it!
• Bring water - Its all thats allowed in the lecture theatre
• The £30 boots rebate is retrospective i.e. you wont get your first one till next year

What to do/Not do

• When someone (sergeant, etc. NOT fellow course members) enters the room shout "COURSE"
• When someone shouts "COURSE" jump up and stand to attention
• DO NOT skip ahead on the forms (there are bits which you would think "oh thats obvious, i'll just fill that in" only to find either your wrong or you've not to fill it in at all as its only for regulars/staff - You will require a new form, and thus, you will get shouted at.), you will fill them out bit by bit as a group, and will be told not to skip but theres always someone who does...
• If you recieve a speeding/parking ticket, or any involvement with the police during training (which you shouldnt, of course)... inform the staff ASAP!

Other

• First Day - Its very hectic, theres alot to squeeze in and you probably won't finish at 5 (we finished at half 6) but it does get better, so don't think it will always be that bad

• Have a think about what division you want, you get to choose the division but not subdivision, so be aware if you live in NA for example, and you pick N you may be posted to NA, which for me would be too close for comfort as you may have to deal with neighbours, family, friends, etc. if you have no clue of which division you live in, or which the area you want to work in is under (which by now you should!) feel free to PM me and i'll help you out
• Your choices are A,B,G,K,L,N,Q, or U (i.e. you will not get to pick T or V, or H for that matter)
• Turn your phone off
• Get talking to each other! there will be an awkward silence outside the lecture hall at the start... but you are allowed to talk!
• Breakfast club - possibly arrange to meet at mcdonalds for breakfast in the morning with other forum members, gets you to know a few people beforehand and will make you less nervous!
• Most of all - Enjoy yourself! you'll make some good friends, and have some good laughs, particularly at OST! (where you will be exposed to CS, which is really really fun! )

if you require any help or advice, feel free to PM me, im always happy to help!

P.s this list is by no means complete, and if anyone wants to add anything to it feel free.

Edited by andyfofo, 10 February 2012 - 01:51 AM.

[pipes90]

Fantastic mate Really detailed and certainly helpful!

Can't wait to start training

[mitzjess2465]

Hi All,

Had my medical today and passed, so got my drugs test and uniform fitting tomorrow, looking forward to starting course and meeting rest of course on the 4th March.

[mcshana]

Hi guys....I will be joining u also on 4th.


What time do we start? I've to pick up my conditional letter tommorow, get medical on mon, uniform fitting on tue and drug test on thu! Last minute as I had my final for regulars this wk but didn't make it.

[kevmch]

breakfast club is a must, we (sep 2010) started one in mcd's and its became a ritual since i believe.



good luck to all starting March.


kev

[Marty McFly]

this intake has been surprisingly quiet...

how'd everyone get on the first day?

[legsxyz]

1330965737[/url]' post='2212274']
this intake has been surprisingly quiet...

how'd everyone get on the first day?

Tbh everyone on the day was pretty quiet which I found a bit unusual bt still I enjoyed it tons,can't wait for next week!!! ......Even though I got pulled up for not having polished shoes bt thy were better than the random pairs of grey and yellow coloured slip ons that some chicks had on lol x

Edited by legsxyz, 05 March 2012 - 08:27 PM.

[Marty McFly]

Tbh everyone on the day was pretty quiet which I found a bit unusual bt still I enjoyed it tons,can't wait for next week!!! ......Even though I got pulled up for not having polished shoes bt thy were better than the random pairs of grey and yellow coloured slip ons that some chicks had on lol x

its not unusual tbh, in our intake alot of people didnt come out of their shells until OST... as thats a real bonding experience, particularly if you do the week one

i'm sure you and others wouldn't be silly enough, and no doubt it was expressly explained to you during your first day of training, just in case (although no doubt everyone will be sick of all my advice already)...

• do not post any pics of you in uniform to social networking sites

• put any reference e.g. changing your employment to "Police Officer at Strathclyde Police" on your facebook twitter, etc. profile

• most importantly don't leave your kit bag in the boot of your car all week till the next training day

again not that you would, but for example there have been cases on this forum where specials in training from forces down in England have had "trainee police officer" on their twitter, and had to be told what im telling you after the fact after other forum members noticed it, etc. I can only advise you not to do that in the strongest possible terms!


well i warned you in the advice post to bull your boots/shoes, so you have no excuses but yellow shoes? really? haha

glad you enjoyed your first day though, the second week is much less hectic and thus more fun!

Edited by andyfofo, 05 March 2012 - 11:58 PM.

[legsxyz]

1330990938[/url]' post='2212602']
its not unusual tbh, in our intake alot of people didnt come out of their shells until OST... as thats a real bonding experience, particularly if you do the week one

well i warned you in the advice post to bull them, so you have no excuses but yellow? really? haha

Well I'm doing week 2 timetable but I'm sure il manage through the weeks just fine either way (I hope ha) and I had no idea how to do that until yesterday but will be wearing my boots next Sunday so will have them very shiny btw... Are u in div N? Just out of curiosity since u mentioned it in ur other post x

[Marty McFly]

Well I'm doing week 2 timetable but I'm sure il manage through the weeks just fine either way (I hope ha) and I had no idea how to do that until yesterday but will be wearing my boots next Sunday so will have them very shiny btw... Are u in div N? Just out of curiosity since u mentioned it in ur other post x

no im not... relatively near N division, i just used that as an example

however, i do have a very good mate who is a serving special in N division so if you need any advice regarding N division i can have him pass it on to you

Edited by andyfofo, 06 March 2012 - 12:10 AM.

[Trolleys]

Well I'm doing week 2 timetable but I'm sure il manage through the weeks just fine either way (I hope ha) and I had no idea how to do that until yesterday but will be wearing my boots next Sunday so will have them very shiny btw... Are u in div N? Just out of curiosity since u mentioned it in ur other post x

I'm doing week 2 as well, the full week of OST? I thought that's what andyfofo meant in his post of "especially the week one".

To answer andyfofos original question, the intake was really good and I enjoyed the induction. Really looking forward to next week and the following weeks .

Went a whole lot quicker than I was expecting and I enjoyed getting to know the other members on the course (although not all of them as by lunch everyone had sort of fallen into little groups based on where we were sat in the lecture hall) and I cannot wait to get talking to everyone else

Been looking at this forum since around december but haven't joined - this seems to be the view of many of the other recruits on sunday. Lots of eyes on the forum but no one joining so I thought I'd just go ahead and do it . So let this post serve as my offical "HIYAR EVERYONE" thread.

Out of interest legsxy, what group where you in on Sunday? I may have spoke to you

-Mark

[legsxyz]

1331049932[/url]' post='2213022']
I'm doing week 2 as well, the full week of OST? I thought that's what andyfofo meant in his post of "especially the week one".

To answer andyfofos original question, the intake was really good and I enjoyed the induction. Really looking forward to next week and the following weeks .

Went a whole lot quicker than I was expecting and I enjoyed getting to know the other members on the course (although not all of them as by lunch everyone had sort of fallen into little groups based on where we were sat in the lecture hall) and I cannot wait to get talking to everyone else

Been looking at this forum since around december but haven't joined - this seems to be the view of many of the other recruits on sunday. Lots of eyes on the forum but no one joining so I thought I'd just go ahead and do it . So let this post serve as my offical "HIYAR EVERYONE" thread.

Out of interest legsxy, what group where you in on Sunday? I may have spoke to you

-Mark

Yeah timetable 2, the full week of OST. I think I read fofo's post wrong - he probs did mean that! I was like alone at lunch haha took my kit out to the car and then my wee mum phoned so just chatted to her the full time (I forgot my lunch, I was in a hurry that morning plus the people I sat next to in the lecture theatre just disappeared so I didn't know anyone else eeeeek!) anyways I was in group 3, what group were u in? I spoke to a few people but it felt like pulling teeth thy were so shy :-/ my name is Anissa if u remember by chance u might have spoken to me? :-) what div u going into Mark? X

1330992249[/url]' post='2212624']
no im not... relatively near N division, i just used that as an example

however, i do have a very good mate who is a serving special in N division so if you need any advice regarding N division i can have him pass it on to you

Yeah defs that would be great... I'm going into N division, not any advice in particular just interested in finding out more and how he is liking it etc?? I only got a chance to speak to regulars in N division when I was doing my pre-interview research :-P x

[Trolleys]

I forgot my lunch too! Thats a shame you were alone at lunch, the people at my table would have been more than welcoming. I don't think I remember speak to you Anissa as I was in group 1. Right at the front!

You'll know who I am though, remember when we have the lecture after lunch and one of the officers (not the CCU Det. Sgt, the guy after him) asked who was in first and I raised my hand and he asked what time, to which I replied, SEVEN OCLOCK . He looked at me, paused and was like, okay maybe taking that a little far. Haha!

Yeah there were quite a few shy people however I was quite lucky because I got in first and so got to talk to most people as they started appearing in. One of which was actually in my group so I knew I would have at least someone to talk to. My group was actually pretty confident though and everyone spoke especially nearer the end of the day which was good!

I'm going into L division by the way

[legsxyz]

1331052239[/url]' post='2213052']
I forgot my lunch too! Thats a shame you were alone at lunch, the people at my table would have been more than welcoming. I don't think I remember speak to you Anissa as I was in group 1. Right at the front!

You'll know who I am though, remember when we have the lecture after lunch and one of the officers (not the CCU Det. Sgt, the guy after him) asked who was in first and I raised my hand and he asked what time, to which I replied, SEVEN OCLOCK . He looked at me, paused and was like, okay maybe taking that a little far. Haha!

Yeah there were quite a few shy people however I was quite lucky because I got in first and so got to talk to most people as they started appearing in. One of which was actually in my group so I knew I would have at least someone to talk to. My group was actually pretty confident though and everyone spoke especially nearer the end of the day which was good!

I'm going into L division by the way

Lol its not a shame, I wasn't alone cause I had no-one, it was by choice so don't worry I'm very confident so if my mum hadn't been on the phone I'd have been right back in the canteen sitting with everyone I didn't know haha :-P I defs know who u are, u were super early - I was the 2nd last person in, that won't be happening next week though! U wanna do breakfast club next week since ur majorly keen?! :-) PM me ur number if u fancy it! It'd be good to get to know more people and spesh since you're doing timetable 2 also :-D x

[Trolleys]

Lol its not a shame, I wasn't alone cause I had no-one, it was by choice so don't worry I'm very confident so if my mum hadn't been on the phone I'd have been right back in the canteen sitting with everyone I didn't know haha :-P I defs know who u are, u were super early - I was the 2nd last person in, that won't be happening next week though! U wanna do breakfast club next week since ur majorly keen?! :-) PM me ur number if u fancy it! It'd be good to get to know more people and spesh since you're doing timetable 2 also :-D x

Haha well okay then .

Yeah I was, not by choice ... Darn public transport. Oh? What time did you get in at then? You weren't late were you?! Yeah I read about that breakfast club on the forums and I'm defo up for it. I hadn't eaten that morning AND forgot lunch... Fml. I'll pm you my number and we can sort something out next week. I got another guys number (the one who offered me a lift) so I could fire him and text and see if hes interested too? More the merrier to be honest

[legsxyz]

1331053683[/url]' post='2213062']
Haha well okay then .

Yeah I was, not by choice ... Darn public transport. Oh? What time did you get in at then? You weren't late were you?! Yeah I read about that breakfast club on the forums and I'm defo up for it. I hadn't eaten that morning AND forgot lunch... Fml. I'll pm you my number and we can sort something out next week. I got another guys number (the one who offered me a lift) so I could fire him and text and see if hes interested too? More the merrier to be honest

I got in at 25 to 9, I didn't think I was late, I thought it started at 9 but defs wanna be there earlier next week to get changed and every thing! I was the exact same, I had 2 apples and thought I might die off by the time 5 o'clock rolled round ha yea u are from Clydebank, I would have offered you a lift bt I'm from Motherwell so completely opposite direction I'm sure! Defs sort something out and of course the more the merrier ;-) x

[Trolleys]

I got in at 25 to 9, I didn't think I was late, I thought it started at 9 but defs wanna be there earlier next week to get changed and every thing! I was the exact same, I had 2 apples and thought I might die off by the time 5 o'clock rolled round ha yea u are from Clydebank, I would have offered you a lift bt I'm from Motherwell so completely opposite direction I'm sure! Defs sort something out and of course the more the merrier ;-) x

Oh, not too bad then. I think I saw somewhere it was 8:30 on induction day, I think its just ready and in our uniform every other day from now on unless instructed otherwise.

You managed to get the police emblems (think thats what they are) on your uniform yet? Had a bit of a hassle with it Sunday night but refused to let anyone take a photo of me without them on

I am yeah, haha no I understand. I really wasn't expecting a lift from anyone to be honest and it was really nice of people to offer, especially after the first day.

I've shot you a PM with my number so we'll see what happens. Where would be a good place to go? I don't know East Kilbride very well . Maybe other specials that done the 12 weeks can offer some input here

-Mark