57 replies to this topic

[Chewie]

You can also turn this round - why are your SCs not coming in to work? Are the duties on offer unrewarding, do they feel exploited, do senior management value them, what retention procedures are in place - have senior management set the right strategies in place to encourage SC to parade. It's easy to 'blame' volunteers for becoming disaffected but equally they may not be coming because of the way they are being managed.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.

If you kicked out every under performing Special, in some stations there'd be none left at all...

[very special]

Read my reply earlier in the thread, apart from door to door service i dont think we can do much more! Maybe we are sometimes too soft?

[rosco]

If you kicked out every under performing Special, in some stations there'd be none left at all...

Though would that necessarily be a bad thing?

[Chewie]

Read my reply earlier in the thread, apart from door to door service i dont think we can do much more! Maybe we are sometimes too soft?

Sometimes, maybe.

But other times, I think it's as crunchybits has said - if the management aren't managing the team well (or at all), then motivation takes a dive and people will stay home.

For example, we (Specials) used to do all manner of taskings and jobs, from your typical fete or carnival type duty to working alongside Response officers dealing with anything the night threw at us. It was great fun, we were allowed and trusted to take control of a task and run them, and we did, and very well. Then around 12 months or so ago, certain aspects of management changed, and slowly but surely the interesting and fun jobs have disappeared, leaving what appears to be a requirement for Specials to cover only the most basic, boring, and repetitive duties.

An op, that in previous years has been run solely by Specials (with occasional input or support from the duty sarge) has been changed so that each Special has to work with a reg. They also have to be on what amounts to a static posting on foot, for up to 10 hours at a time, in the centre of town in all weathers. Now, having been a regular attendee on almost every Friday evening for the last 5 or 6 years, I too did these duties initially... the op was a success (ASB/violence/etc dropped significantly in town), but after a few weeks there was nothing to do - you covered your little patch of the street until the end of the shift week-after-week, with no excitement whatsoever. A Reg might well moan and groan at this, but they're getting paid to be there - but Specials aren't. Now, I'm happy to do a cruddy shift occasionally, but every week? Not on your nelly. I, along with countless others that regularly turned up, now haven't worked on a Friday for months - the one that still does (because that's one of the few times they can make a duty) confirms that things haven't changed.

I've also witnessed situations where a reg and Special are at the same traumatic job - supervision have arrived when everything's finished, and instructed the reg to go back to the station for a cuppa and a break "to get their head clear". The Special, on the other hand, has been left to man a cordon without anyone asking as to their wellbeing. If the Special continues to be treated as a second class officer for a few more jobs or shifts, is it any wonder if they then stop coming in?

[very special]

I agree with all points in the above post. In my area we still have great flexibility in our role ans specials led operations are encouraged by the District Commander. We get to do all of the fun stuff and are not tied down to NPT or response. The eegs are very supportive and the specials are treated with as much respect and support as the regs.

[General Purpose]

Sometimes, maybe.

But other times, I think it's as crunchybits has said - if the management aren't managing the team well (or at all), then motivation takes a dive and people will stay home.

For example, we (Specials) used to do all manner of taskings and jobs, from your typical fete or carnival type duty to working alongside Response officers dealing with anything the night threw at us. It was great fun, we were allowed and trusted to take control of a task and run them, and we did, and very well. Then around 12 months or so ago, certain aspects of management changed, and slowly but surely the interesting and fun jobs have disappeared, leaving what appears to be a requirement for Specials to cover only the most basic, boring, and repetitive duties.

An op, that in previous years has been run solely by Specials (with occasional input or support from the duty sarge) has been changed so that each Special has to work with a reg. They also have to be on what amounts to a static posting on foot, for up to 10 hours at a time, in the centre of town in all weathers. Now, having been a regular attendee on almost every Friday evening for the last 5 or 6 years, I too did these duties initially... the op was a success (ASB/violence/etc dropped significantly in town), but after a few weeks there was nothing to do - you covered your little patch of the street until the end of the shift week-after-week, with no excitement whatsoever. A Reg might well moan and groan at this, but they're getting paid to be there - but Specials aren't. Now, I'm happy to do a cruddy shift occasionally, but every week? Not on your nelly. I, along with countless others that regularly turned up, now haven't worked on a Friday for months - the one that still does (because that's one of the few times they can make a duty) confirms that things haven't changed.

I've also witnessed situations where a reg and Special are at the same traumatic job - supervision have arrived when everything's finished, and instructed the reg to go back to the station for a cuppa and a break "to get their head clear". The Special, on the other hand, has been left to man a cordon without anyone asking as to their wellbeing. If the Special continues to be treated as a second class officer for a few more jobs or shifts, is it any wonder if they then stop coming in?

Indeed. Some forces only allow specials to go out with Neighbourhood, performing (quite frankly) a job where you complete other people's paperwork. I know of a special that hasn't arrested anyone for 4-5 years and he does 60-70 hours per month...

Specials do need to be recognised more as "We are volunteers, but..."

[999MSC]

At the my borough people do not feel motivated and the only emails we receive from our MSC managers seem to be ones that scold us like little children.

Emails go ignored and a once great team have more or less gone now.

I have gone from doing 100 hours per month to the required 16 and no more. Who ultimately suffers? The people we serve, the ones we are looking after day in day out.

The previous MSC supervisors, and I mean pre MSC managers did a better job and for free. So there's always reasons why people don't do there hours it works both ways.

[Derf]

Indeed. Some forces only allow specials to go out with Neighbourhood, performing (quite frankly) a job where you complete other people's paperwork. I know of a special that hasn't arrested anyone for 4-5 years and he does 60-70 hours per month...

Specials do need to be recognised more as "We are volunteers, but..."

It's not necerssarily a forcewide thing, My station is probably no more than 2 or 3 miles as the crow flies from Chewie (same force) and it's the total opposite. Everyone from the Inspector downwards is absolutely pro-special and we pretty much have free range to do our own thing. I have to admit we did have issues with previous Specials management, but we've all worked hard to turn it around.
Alot of it stems from the attitude of Regs and reg supervision as well as indoctorined opinions of Specials from past regimes. Granted it is unacceptable, however it needs the support from those higher up the chain to want to make a difference.
From an observational perspective, it would seem there are cases whereby supervision (Reg and special) tend to favour the appointment of specials supervision that tow the line (Yes men if you will), those that tend to want to try and improve things will be overlooked in favour of others, thus the status quo is maintained and nothing ever changes when change is what's required.
In the Kingdom of the blind...

Edited by Derf, 25 June 2012 - 07:15 AM.