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[Noonin]

Well Saturday night was an experience! Was a really busy night, but not with the usual smaller groups being drunk and noisy and daft…..oh no, this time we had a mass brawl outside one of the clubs!! But that’s for later on!

Just after the briefing, we had a phone call from the control room saying they had received a call from a guy working at one of the theatres who had taken a card skimming device off one of the cash points in town….so off we went to go and collect it. It was put together with old plastic top up cards and you could see how some MoP or anybody could not notice it attached to a cash point.. The guy had only been suspicious because he had seen one before in the city centre a few months before!!
As we were walking back with it wrapped in newspaper (didn’t want to sweat it out in a plastic bag!) we saw a guy sat at the bus stop rolling a cigarette. But as I glanced at him, he was just emptying the leafy green contents of his grinder into his roll up, right in front of our eyes! So I gave him a street caution for possession and filled out the paper work, trying to get this guys details all the while trying not to be disturbed but an old homeless man on a harmonica who kept playing tunes over our shoulders……………!!!

When we eventually got back to the station, we spent over an hour doing all the necessary papers and filing to do with the street caution and the skimming device, which we bagged up for SOCO.

So we then went back out and did our usual Security badge checks etc on our given micro beat. The drugs dog was out doing drugs searches of a few of the premises in the centre, and was picking up a good few people with amphetamines and speed which was a really good haul.

All the trouble started when a couple of lads got chucked out of one of the larger clubs for being disorderly, and weren’t too happy about it and started to have a go at the door staff. Cue angry bouncers vs., MoP vs. bouncers-from-club-next-door vs. police vs. bouncers vs. bouncers!! It was totally mad.
We tried to split the bouncers up from the group of lads, but neither group were having none of it, so we just had to stand in the middle of the road physically trying to hold them apart, or do what I did and just hold onto their shoulders and just keep walking them backwards!
Eventually they all went their separate ways, but none of us were impressed with the behaviour of the door staff especially, seeing as we are all meant to be working together to stop disorderly behaviour yaada yadda yadda……….so in goes a lovely Gen40 and a complaint to the manager from the duty inspector hehe and that will hopefully let them know we won’t tolerate it again.

Were loads of idiots out Saturday night though, just thinking they could be abusive to everyone and get away with it without at least a warning, but oh yeah we apparently were “just picking” on a group of lads who “weren’t doing anything’ wrong” who then went on to start another fight on the other side of the city centre. These people!!!

Obviously because of the clocks going back, I worked an extra hour, so was absolutely bloody shattered when I got home! My feet hurt really bad too!!

Oh yeah, been requested to go to court in December…(see post on screaming Irish Banshee woman many posts above) she is being charged with drunk and disorderly, resisting arrest and assault police. So so scared what if my PNB isn’t as detailed as it should be? What if my statement isn’t right!?!?!?!?

Panic!!!

[Noonin]

Whooooooops! Haven't written for a while, so best tell you about my last two shifts.

Halloween; Well this was definitely a completely different experience! Myself and my tutor were asked to go in by the Inspector to try and help out with ASB that night, including criminal damage, illegal use of fireworks, assault, and generally doing things they shouldn’t do!
Got to the station about half 6 as I usually do, sat down checking my emails when my tutor comes in…”Oh by the way we are going out on bikes tonight, the shift sergeant reckons it will show a better presence and it means you can get to jobs faster.” No optimism of a quiet Halloween then!!!
So got the bikes ready, got the lights all attached in the right places (with the help of some rather attractive brown parcel tape !
Got the helmet, stocked up on £30 fines (hehe!) Stop Search forms and £50 and £80 fines, and we are ready to go! No sexy tight lycra cycling shorts for me tonight, its too bloody cold for that!

Start off cycling around an estate close to the river, lots of known drug users and anti social behaviour go on around here. Lots of lovely friendly people though, especially the kid, who come up and ask about our bikes and what we’re doing, and the normal kid stuff like "Have you got a gun!?” or “Can you handcuff me!?” Or “What does that do!?” (pointing to Pava Spray) and the usual interested kids. And of course the ones just being little gits (Uh, I mean angels! ) screaming and shouting and generally wanting to be the centre of attention.
Anyway, was nothing going on around there so we rode further along out of the city centre for a bit into another area of Oxford. Just riding around a corner, we saw 2 kids aged about 11 wearing Halloween scream masks in a skip on the side of the road, picking out a few choice bricks and bits of broken concrete…soon as they saw us, they started to clamber out and tried to walk away (compete with bricks still! ) we soon caught up with them, and after taking the stuff away from them and giving them a bit of a serious talking to, we let them go. Much better than trying to fine them me thinks!

The night went about pretty much without anything major happening, though on the other side of Oxford (too far for us to get by bike!) a couple of cars on an estate were upturned onto their roofs !!! But down our way, all was quiet!

We manage to come across a large lake just behind an estate we never even knew existed before, so that was a bonus. Were asked to go check on a recurring Misper at her address, she was only 14 and not a very nice young lady, totally plastered on half a bottle of whiskey (self confessed!!!) I really did feel for her mum, getting all this verbal abuse off her!

The last job we were called to was a “fight outside a bail hostel, males have metal bars and are swinging at each other” we were literally only around the corner so there we were cycling along as fast as we could, (my legs really hurt, they felt like they were going to fall off) batons out dropped bikes on driveway and we were the only ones stood there. No males. So we went inside and it turned out that 2 of the guys staying there had started on each other, they had it al on camera, they had never got outside to fight and it turned out the metal bars was a plastic Hoover attachment hehe!
So we got all the witness statements written up with a couple of other officers, the guys were took away because their fighting was a breach of the bail conditions and the assistanmts were worried it would all kick off again if they were left there.
By this time I was feeling pretty rubbishy, was just starting to get a cold which my tutor had so kindly passed onto me (the weekend before he had sneezed in my direction and said “I have a cold, you can have it now” Git.
So just before 12 I decided to call it a night, was too tired and feeling too rough to care if anything else came in.
I was ill for a week after that, Still got to get my tutor back for it!


Remembrance Day, Sunday 12th November.

This was my first shift in daylight, which was something different. Was at the nick by half 8 after having to park my car mile away at the Park and Ride (I was so not going to pay the stupidly hiked up prices of the indoor car park across the road from the nick, would have cost me about £15 for the whole day!!!)
We were each given an order from the serg about where we would be standing or doing when we got to where the parade was going to take place.

Lucky me, I would be standing next to a “Road Closed” sign, which meant lots of hassle from annoyed drivers trying to drive to North Oxford, and having to ask cyclists firmly but nicely to "please dismount their cycles as the parade is starting soon". This didn’t go down well with too many cyclists. "Well, if you don’t want to walk your cycle then Sir then I suggest you take the detour, following the diversion signs, as if you cycle down here you will only get stopped by every single police officer down there" Argh, some people.

Anyway, the parade was lovely, went without a hitch, apart from me and another special having to move a barrier of cones quick time just as the parade was nearing them, because someone had written the parade route wrong on the info sheets! D’oh!

I couldn’t believe how many people, especially Americans (no offence!) didn’t know what the Remembrance Parade was, or the poppy, or why people were wearing them, or why all these people sang hymns and placed wreaths at a War memorial. Surely you could come to some conclusion that its something to do with War!?!?

The barriers were meant to be gone by 12, but were still up at 2 because the highways people only sent 2 people to take down about 300 of them. So lots more miserable moany people.

I nearly got hit by an elderly gentleman (because he couldn’t find the brake in his car I suppose) he wanted to get through the barrier and was making a huge fuss about it. I could see he had been to the parade and when I said he could get through because the barriers were still blocking each end, he turned around to me gave me the dirtiest look and said “Well this is bloody disgraceful, I have been to the war parade, I was in the war, and I have three other elderly disabled people in the car with me, so you will bloody well let me through because I need to get to North Oxford.”
Well, excuse me, I can understand he was annoyed because the road wasn’t open, but why would the reasons he gave me make him feel he had the right to demand access through (missing me by about an inch!) so so many elderly people complain of discrimination against them because of disability or age, and then this guy comes along and tries to use it all to his advantage! It really does infuriate me when people do that. Arghh. (Only did because I couldn't find an angry !) I am female, honest!

Eventually I went home, it bugged me a bit because I offered to stay for the whole shift, but the replies I got made me feel like I would only be getting in the way if I stayed because they would have to find me someone to crew with. And I thought Specials were always appreciated to up the numbers.

Got home and had a nice glass (ha, bottle!) of wine and did absolutely naff all for the rest if the day. Love it!

Not got any shifts for the next 2 weekends as waaaaaaaaaaaay too busy having a social life. but its my Specials Intake reunion at Sully on Saturday night which is gonna be wicked!

[Noonin]

Well I went to the reunion at Sully, it was wicked, great to see so many off the same intake as me turn up as well! Loads of the new intake came down to the bar too, it was nice to chat to them and see how their training differed from ours (lots more stuff on ABH GBH and statement writing compared to what we had!)
Met another Special Rachel who was coming to Oxford which was nice, arranged with her an evening to come into the nick and get her kit sorted and tucked away - seeing as a wait for lockers is about 5 years - and to show her around the station. Well, my tutor did that, I never had my official tour so I was just toodling along at the back. Have 2 new Specials coming to Oxford, the more the merrier
My tutor then went and showed Rachel around his "area", the bit by the river in Oxford we usually patrol on bikes because it makes life a lot easier. My tutor took her out on Saturday night for her first ever shift, and she loved it which is brilliant.
Working this Thursday on bikes again, and then Friday to do some Public Order hehe love it!

Apart from Specialing, have nearly finished my Xmas shopping which is great, only few more bits to go. Wonder what Santa will bring me this year??!?!???? :santa_smile:

TTFN!

[Noonin]

WHOOPS!
Sort of forgot about this for last couple weeks, didn’t mean to *slaps self on wrist*

Went out City Centre on Friday 1st, was full of loads of students dressed up for Xmas. :santa_smile: But this wasn’t just normal dress up, we had snowmen (yup, complete with body and head suits!) Mary and Jesus and a whole gang of elves walk past us on our beat around. Was quite surreal.

Couple of occasions where I had to try and remember my First id skills, one was a young lad who had collapsed literally just around the corner from the edge of our micro beat, apparently he and his mates had been in the Lebanese restaurant smoking those bongs with the flavoured tobacco in it, he had then gone on to smoke half a King Edward cigar in about 5 seconds……his friends said
“He then sorta went like a funny colour and his eyes rolled back and he just fell over and smacked his head on the kerb.”
Nice description there.
When we got there he was standing up and looked OK, but then he went green again and fell over, with one of his mates just about catching him as he went down! Trying to get someone in the recovery position in about two feet max. space (between the kerb and the phone box) is not as easy as it can be made out to be! We called an ambulance when he was down, although he started to come around and looked a bit embarrassed about falling over in front of everyone.
Massive group of really obnoxious loud lads (who I’d already warned under Section 5 !) were just staring at him and laughing, swearing at him so I had a right go at them, I hate rubber necks I can’t see how some people can enjoy watching and taking the mick out of something like that ! Arghh. Anyway the paramedic came and checked him over, he was OK, she wanted to take him to hospital because his heart wasn’t slowing down that much after he had recovered, but he refused treatment so there was nothing else she could do. She was a bit suspicious he may have smoked something else in the evening to make him so short of breath, but it couldn’t be proved so on he went.

Had another harsh word with the loud group of lads. They all shut up apart from one, who I don’t think took me very seriously, until I went to get my ticket book out and asked for his details … then he knew I was being serious, not a word more out of them all evening!

About 2am was walking along our micro beat when over the city link radio (the radio that the door staff have, that way we can hear things before they get called up to Control, gives us extra few minutes) came up about a fight in one of the bars. As we were on our way, was confronted by this huge hulk of a man absolutely covered in blood, big cut above one of his eyes which had poured blood everywhere, so had to sit him down and wait for ambulance. He was telling me that he was just started on by 3 blokes, hadn’t seen them coming and hadn’t done anything wrong. Found out that actually he had gone to head butt someone but had missed and given them a bloody nose, and got started on then by this other guys mates. They were all kicked out the bar and none of them wanted to make a complaint, so off he toodled to hospital.

What really hacked me off, is that opposite where we were sat is a kebab place, they don’t like police very much because they have always caused so much trouble in there, having lock-in's, letting people beat each other up, and then not opening the doors to us and generally idiotic things like that.
Anyway, this guys head was just oozing with blood, and I mean oozing so I ran across, explained the situation and asked them nicely if it was possible to borrow a bandage or towel or first aid kit to stop the blood. All of them totally ignored me until I saw the manager, who came over eventually and ignored me for first couple tries, then said “No we don’t have first aid kit, you can have a napkin though.” I was fuming! It really makes me wonder, what if this had been someone who was bleeding more than this guy was, would they have been so cocky and arrogant then? One of the nicer customers in there at the time was really concerned, and gave me a hanky tho, bless him!

So I told them they would be seeing me again about their Health and Safety Regulations and took all the napkins they had. All of them.

Serves them right. Idiots.

Edited by Noonin, 11 December 2006 - 02:53 PM.

[Noonin]

Haven’t done A Saturday night in ages, so thought it was about time I did one. Id forgotten how busy it was! I was crewed with my specials inspector, and as soon as we were out it was as if the whole of Oxford city centre was just filled with idiots.

The first job of the evening was confiscating alcohol of a couple of lads who really didn’t want to let go of it even though there was only a couple mouthfuls left. Anyway, they had a bit of a hissy fit when I took it off them, one tried to keep hold of his bottle but I managed to get it off him in a tactical way obviously!
There were so many people on bikes without lights on, think we need to have a bit of a blitz one evening. It wouldn’t bother me usually, but the fact that everyone knows the bus and taxi drivers aren’t exactly the most calmest, aware or slowest in the UK, and that late at night the chances of someone walking out in front of you who has had a bit too much to drink are quite high

There were quite a few large groups out, so everyone expected it to kick off at some point.
Had to physically remove a male from McDonalds, he had been shouting and swearing at all the staff and ha tried to pick up the till (in frustration at his food taking longer than 10 seconds, apparently !) After trying to be nice about it and testing out my ‘verbal skills’ he still wouldn’t remove himself, he was getting more agitated and aggressive by the second, so hence one lovely wrist lock and a gentle push in the right direction
Nothing else really happened before 12 so off we toddled back to the nick with our McDonalds (I trust them more than any kebab van in Oxford, sorry!) there were a few of us sat there munching away when a call came over the radio of a domestic dispute in Cowley, where the woman was reporting her partner had thrown the toilet through the window cue all manner of bad jokes from everyone in the room, Chief Inspector included that brightened everyone up a bit, especially as it was so bloody cold out, took us all a while to thaw out! Definitely going to invest in some thermals and some decent warm gloves, I’ve forgotten the amount of times I lost complete sensation in my fingers, but it was more than once!

At about 2am we were stood in Bonn Square, which is like a little monument thing on a little mound in Oxford, its where the kebab vans are and is well known for being a bit of an area for fights after the bars chuck out. So we’re stood there and end up having to separate two males who are getting a bit verbally aggressive to each other, arguing and swearing and generally not being very nice to the people who were trying to split them up. Anyway, that done, they both went their separate ways.

Not.

About 10 minutes later we had a radio call from CCTV saying the two males we had separated were now arguing further along the road. We got there and tried to separate them, luckily after a few choice words one of the males walked away with his friend (quietly, surprisingly!) But the other male continued to kick off, but this time at myself and my inspector, flailing his arms about whilst shouting and swearing at everyone that walked past! A female that was linked to this guy in some weird way kept holding onto him trying to get my inspector to let go, I had to physically pick her up in my arms and plonk her down further away this was when she accused me of ‘touching her up, and only doing that so I could cop a feel’. I’m female too by the way, I think she could tell I wasn’t going to bite when she looked at my face after she said it! Anyway, the male continued to kick off and calling my inspector every name under the sun, so he was then arrested Public Order Section 5. Then he completely kicked off and wouldn’t comply at all, he was so strong both me and Alan couldn’t get his arms behind his back. Then the cavalry came, 2 police on bikes and 2 vans the female was now very very abusive so I arrested her too her fault, if she had calmed down after the 2 warning I gave her then she would have been ok, but no, she had had too much to drink and was as lairy as you like. Women are so much worse than men in my experience of things like that!
Anyway they managed to get the guy cuffed, led him towards the van and he kicked off again, managing to hit one of the sergeants in the process! It took 2 lots of captor and 2 leg restraint kits before they could get him into the van.

Needless to say, when they got him back to custody the custody sergeant decided the main charge was now going to be assault police (and rightly so!) as well as resisting arrest and section 5 public order … and she wanted to take it all the way if possible. There were loads of statements from all of us and CCTV caught it all too, so hopefully that guy will get more than just a slap on the wrist.
She was also contemplating charging the girl with obstruction on police as well as Section 5, but decided against it in the end seeing as the guy was the main player in everything.

So, ended up doing al the paper work till half 4, didn’t get home till gone 5 very sleepy!

Was a good Saturday night, will definitely have to arrange another sometime.

Got the police Xmas meal tonight too, know everyone going so should be a good laugh. Can’t wait to see some of the sergeants a bit merry as they have promised they would be, as well as my tutor (because he’s been told its fancy dress, when its not! lol)

I’ve got court on Thursday too, the crazy lady back in August who assaulted my specials sergeant. That’s going to be fun, really really nervous now though because I’ve never been to court as a witness for the police. Hoping she takes a plea, hen I won’t have to stand up and potentially cock it up!!

Let you all know how it goes! :icon_rendeer:

[Noonin]

Oooops again been so busy over Xmas and New Year I kinda forgot to update this diary!

Well, the Xmas meal was wicked, loads of people turned up and the majority of them got a bit plastered (not me though, I was the Des for that night, D’oh!) with a little help of some very very strong Jamaican Rum and the restaurants most potent cheapest wine (It was an expensive place lol!)

On of the regs I’m usually on shift with got so hammered he had to be taken home, we overtook him walking along the road about half hour after he had left, walking into every lamp post, bin, railing and black bag there was in sight …. Still haven’t let him live that down! Funny thing was, he apparently didn’t end up going home, they all decided to go to a club instead, which I expect was even more amusing! Next year I have vowed not to be the Des, so I can join in the drunken antics

Had court on the 21st December, it all went OK, no way near as bad as I thought, specially for a first court appearance!
We got there and sat in a small police waiting room type thing, that was nothing more than a glorified cupboard with white washed walls and a pile of about 3 out of date magazines in the corner luxury surroundings eh!
There were a couple more regulars in there for other court cases too, one of which was over and done with in about half an hour after the guy pleaded guilty at the last minute, and another one that was there all day longer than we were!
There was an initial hearing in our case, I forgot what its called now, because basically we were saying she did kick the Sergeant on purpose and she was saying that she didn’t kick at all, one word against the other, so the magistrates had to decide what story to believe. That took about half hour!!
Basically, the defendant in our case was owning up to wrapping her legs around my Sergeant but denied kicking her on purpose so was making a plea for Resist Arrest instead. But we all knew what she had been like on that night and knew she had assaulted Ali on purpose so Ali didn’t accept the plea and then it all went ahead! One by one we were taken into the courtroom to do our bit, answer questions from the prosecution mainly and then a few odd ones by the defence. He asked me if I could remember what shoes the defendant had been wearing, (which I could because I remember her trying to run away in them lol ) after I answered that one correctly he didn’t ask me anything else, then I was free to go, we didn’t hang around very long after that and decided the day had been long enough so went home, hoping to find out soon what the verdict was. She didn’t have much chance of being found innocent because all our statements (there were 4 witnesses!) saw exactly the same thing happening.

All in all not really as bad as I thought, its just like being asked questions and answering them. I expected the court room to be full but they weren’t, just the magistrates, some bloke writing it all down, the defendant, prosecution and defence lawyers and anyone else who basically fancied sitting in!

Did my first proper day shift Sunday, got in at 10 and was told we would be assisting in a search and arrest in Youth Housing around the corner from the station, basically a lad who resided there had been seen sneaking in back through his first floor window in the early hours of the morning by an off duty officer, when he is tagged and not allowed out at night. There was suspicion of him dealing class A drugs from his room too, so an arrest and search had to be done. He was in his room not expecting a thing!!!
The whole room stank it was sooooooooooo minging, I was waiting in the doorway basically being the pack horse with stuff in my arms one of the regs did a pat down after the lad had been cuffed, he also checked the lining of his boxers (the elasticated bit at the top) because the lad had also been known to hide used needles and try t stab Police with. Nice.
Basically after some messing about it came about he had hidden the drugs “down his trousers”, taped to his bits! Talk about imaginative
We were there for a couple hours just searching the rooms and stuff, but it was good to be part of something like that because I had never experienced anything like that before.
Just mooched around for the rest of the day really, much more freely than on the usual Friday and Saturday nights when we are given a set micro beat! Walked down by the river and stuff, talked to loads more people, and had a really enjoyable day. My feet really REALLY hurt by the end of it though!

Doing a shift in Abingdon in a couple weeks just for a change of scene, hopefully will get out in a car and do some traffic stops, mooch around the vale and do different things to add to my list! Should be good, different surrounding and things, really looking forward to it now!

Going to look at houses up in Northants this weekend, think we are viewing about 13 in the two days we are up there, going to be a bit busy but well worth it. Hoping we will find one we want to put an offer on, seeing as we have sold the flat already! I’ll let you know if I find anything

[Noonin]

Well has been a mad couple of weeks, feels like I haven’t stopped but that’s not even including any Specials Shifts!

My other half and me went up to Northants over the weekend to go to some property viewings up there, which I was very excited about But Village Idiot managed to have a bit of an accident Thursday night while he was out on patrol, I won’t share any details but I’m sure if you ask him nicely enough, he will tell you the story!
So I spent all of Friday driving around east Northants, and I’m rubbish with directions at the best of times, so I had to be directed the whole time. Quite surprised I wasn’t yelled at actually, but its now safe to say I am the worlds greatest expert of Milton Keynes Roundabouts. Well, that’s what it feels like anyway

So good news, we absolutely completely fell in love with a house we saw in Thrapston on the Friday, semi detached with 150ft rear lawned garden (football pitch, cricket pitch, drunken Sports days…oh yes, the ideas have been flowing from Himself alright!) which has all been completely re done from top to bottom, new central heating and double glazing, brand new kitchen and massive conservatory plonked on the back. That’s for the dog
We had a couple more viewings the next day on a few properties we knew we would be comparing it to so decided to wait till the following day. On our way to the first viewing on the Saturday morning, we had a call from the estate agent saying that the 3 properties we had been wanting to see that day had all sold! Well that was enough persuasion for us, my other half called the other estate agents and put an offer in on the Thrapston house, which 15 minutes later was accepted!! Wooo Hooo
So its now official, we are both moving to Northants, so people beware! Won’t be for a couple months, but feeling very very excited, have already sold my flat so that side of it is already done, now its just solicitors, mortgage finalising, estate agents and more solicitors. Actually, add a couple more solicitors to that.......seems to me like they’re everywhere!

So, will let you all know when we will be moving in, am hoping to find people that live near the area that can tell me a bit more about the place!

Another big bit of news, have also applied for PCSO in Northants after a bit of deliberation and a lot of help from many on here answering my silly questions …. So now just waiting to hear what they say………..fingers and toes crossed!!

Got a duty in Abingdon tomorrow night which should be good, somewhere different to go out and play, though those of you that know the area will know that we will undoubtedly end up at Stickies, um, I mean, Strattons, (cough) at 2am or whenever they decide to chuck all the squaddies out! Will be good though, looking forward to it!

[Noonin]

The shift in Abingdon was brilliant and the Specials there were very welcoming and helpful, especially as I didn’t really know my away around I’m very grateful to Ian (he knows who he is!) for letting me tag along with his team that night, I learnt a lot!

Three of us decided to go out in a transit and have a little bit of a mooch around, myself, Chris the Special Sgt and Ducati_Monster. We stopped in Drayton and decided on a few traffic stops, looking out for faulty lights and speeders. I’d never done anything remotely traffic related so this was brilliant, seeing how its done and what daft excuses people come up with “I didn’t see you” “I thought it was a 40” “I’m late for work” and all the usual ones!
One speeding driver was so busy looking at Ducati_Monster across the road dealing with a car with only one headlight working, that he failed to see Chris standing there waving his arms for him to stop, he must have only just put on the breaks about 2 meters away from us. Luckily no one was hit, but the guy did get a bit of a rollocking for not only speeding but for nearly hitting a police officer as well. He did admit that he had been too busy watching the other side of the road, just being nosy I guess ….

Moved some kids on that had been cold calling the local Chinese, they had stored his number on their phone so we managed to call it back, the lad it belonged to had a great conversation with Ducati for about 5 minutes, having no idea who he was talking to at all! We found them all about 2 minutes later, generally just being pains in bums and getting all huffy. The girls were the worst, started with all their attitude and stuff, was quite amusing to watch Ducati give them all what for though …

Ducati had been out till half 4 that morning so she went home a bit earlier, myself and Chris drove around for a bit, moved another group of kids on (twice!) spoke to a guy about a knife he had been holding in his hand when he had “asked the kids to move on” and generally had a mooch around the estates.
Did a quick walk around a school in one of the estates, basically drug users had been going into the large playhouse at the back of the playground and shooting up in there, it had been closed off to the kids but the teachers were still having to go out there first thing every morning just to search for needles. Hurt my bum climbing over the gate though, felt pretty bruised after that!

Went outside Stratton’s in the centre for closing time, nothing happened, had to deal with a Slovakian who had been searched on entry, had declared he had nothing on him and then the bouncers had found a knife in his pocket, huge very illegal flick knife with an activator button thingy. Thing that got me is that they searched him, found it, but let him in anyway
He didn’t speak a word of English so was really hard explaining to him what was going to happen, in the end he was arrested and taken back where they found an interpreter for him and explained everything to him. After this we stood outside Stratton’s for a bit, one of the bouncers came down and said he had just had a very nice conversation with the Slovakian guys friend, who apparently hadn’t known any English either! Think there might have been some exaggeration going on somewhere!!!!!

Had to escort a guy out of a hotel at about 3am, he had been spotted by us a couple times that evening just being weird and very drunk he had broken into the hotels private kitchen, and when challenged had started to verbally abuse the owner and refuse to leave.
He left, eventually!

So yep really good night, hoping to go out with them again before I leave the area, get some more experience under my belt!

More good news, I passed paper sift for Northants PCSO’s Really pleased, got the fitness test tomorrow and the interview next Thursday. Printed loads of stuff off the internet, talked to quite a few people and had a great help from so many people on here, you know who you all are so fingers crossed, I’ll keep everyone updated with how it all goes!

[Noonin]

Good news!
Just about managed to pass the PCSO Fitness test, and when I say just about, it really was!
Just getting over a chesty cough, so having to run at all probably wasn’t the most intelligent idea in the world, but it obviously had to be done!
Managed to get to 6.1 before my lungs felt like they were on fire and I thought I had better stop or else I might have a few problems breathing .
It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be, but wasn’t as easy as a few people had told me it would be! I’d only had 10 days from sending off my application to actually arriving for the fitness test, so not a lot of time to get myself up to scratch !! Any advice to anyone out there doing any sort of fitness test, if you get the opportunity, practice, lol, you will find it a lot easier in the long run!

Alas, no rest for the wicked in this policing game, so after a sit down of about a minute to stop my jelly legs, it was upstairs to the gym for the strength tests. Not so bad, was expected to achieve 28kg push and pull for it to be recorded as a pass, I managed 31 push and 37 pull Not bad considering I am a self confessed weed with no upper arm strength whatsoever, some of the guys there were pushing up to 65kg though !!

Now just got to wait for the interview on Thursday, am so so nervous, and just hoping that I will remember everything I’ve been reading up on over these last couple of weeks. That’s the main thing I’m worried about, not so much the waiting around and the interview itself, just remembering all the relevant stuff to show off a bit in the interview, or at least leave the room with some hope that they may have understood what I had been talking about we will just have to wait and see!

House move is moving along, got some documents through the other day which I had a bit of a nosy through, nothing of particular interest but nice things to have. Wish it would hurry up though, work is getting unbearable and I’m not the most patient person in the world, the house we are moving to is vacant which is extra frustrating!!!

[Noonin]

I’ve got some sort of lurgy right now, so apologies if this entry doesn’t really make a lot of sense, though I will try my hardest!
Had my interview for PCSO yesterday at Northants HQ, was proper nervous all morning which probably wasn’t helped by the fact I didn’t sleep that well the night before, I just had butterflies the whole time

So anyway it really wasn’t as bad as I expected, it really was just asking you 6 questions about various things like responsibility, communication skills, and a scenario to see what things you would think of doing to help improve a certain community you were patrolling. Probably all the normal stuff that comes with PCSO interviews!
It got a bit harder towards the end, trying to think of certain examples to give for some of the questions, it was sods law because I could think of loads afterwards, but no, my brain decided to have a bit of an empty moment whilst I was inside the room

I tried to read their faces at the end, but they were giving nothing away whatsoever which was extra frustrating.
Went out and met my other half and had a few smokes (yes, I know, naughty me!) but it had to be done, and then as an added bonus he showed me around the control room and stuff which was wicked, now I can imagine him working away doing his control room thing lol!!

I was told by the two assessors I could call up for my results that afternoon which was really surprising, the whole recruitment process has gone so silly fast its quite strange, thinking back to when I applied for the Specials and knowing how long its taking some regular applications to go through right now!
So I called up at about half 2, but the not-so-happy-sounding-lady on the end of the phone said that they hadn’t finished all the interviews yet so they had no results, and that someone would call me a bit later......................and half hour later, there it was, my phone ringing, withheld number........................I went all shaky and nervous and all worried all over again, just after my breathing had managed to return to normal!!!! Then I answered the phone....................................








So fact of the matter is, I will have to be handing back my TVP Specials Warrant Card soon, because I only went and bloody passed …………… wooooooooooo hooooooooooooooo!
(I was singing this whilst doing all the included dance moves! Clicky This!)
Still bouncing off the walls very much, and have been since yesterday! There will be two intakes this year, one in April and one in May so either one will be fine with me.
All I’m hoping for now is a quick and smooth finishing off of the house buying type stuff, then all should be sorted so pleased all the interviews are all over, all I’m waiting for now is my medical date, and then the security clearance and uniform fittings, and then I’ll be well on my way!

Edited by Noonin, 02 February 2007 - 10:25 AM.

[Noonin]

Well, more updates from Northants Police and stuff on the house, overall a good week!!

Have got my medical date as next Wednesday which is good, apart from the fact of it being Village Idiots birthday ! What a way to spend it huh! But we’re gonna have a mooch around Northampton afterwards, see what’s about too, so not a completely wasted day.

Had all my security and reference forms in too, so sent them off yesterday, I’d forgotten how much you have to fill in, coz I can never remember my Dad’s postcode, or the year his partner was born. Thinks he gets a bit fed up with me asking him each time, whoops!!

Got a start date of Monday 16th April too , which is proper fast. This whole thing has gone really fast, I only handed in my application form about 5 weeks ago!!!
Think they might be a bit keen to get us started……just a thought…….

So, now I have a start date, and Village Idiot has cleverly booked the 2 weeks off before I start (before I knew when I was starting, how clever!!) we’ve told the solicitors when we want to be moved in by. Actually, its more like when we have to be moved in by, no questions asked …… you have to keep these people on their toes, at the end off the day we’re paying them a ridiculous amount of money so they should work hard all the time !!

So, hopefully my medical will be OK, shouldn’t have any problems. Though my ears have been a bit blocked up these last couple weeks with a head cold so hopefully I will actually be able to hear stuff in the hearing test, else they might think I’m fully deaf! Which wouldn’t be a good start !

[Noonin]

Whoops things have been starting to get a bit mad recently with moving and everything, hence why no reply for aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages!!

Handed my notice in at work, they were OK about it, although another guy in the same office handed theirs in at the same time so now they’ve all gone into mass panic mode trying to find someone to replace us both! Oh well, such is life, its their problem not mine, I did give them like an extra months warning it was going to happen!
PCSO medical went OK which was good, pretty much the same as the Specials medical I had. Still had to sit in the booth for the hearing test, my ears were totally different again but apparently that’s normal So I’m not too worried!
Doc had no problems and said at the end that he was very happy with everything and he signed the declaration letter “to commence April 16th” which is brilliant! Still haven’t heard anything back from them though with confirmation or anything, don’t want to leave it too late or I wont have a clue what’s going on! Then again it has only been a week, I really should learn some patience!

Signed the contracts for the house move wooo hooo So that’s all finalised now, all there is no is the completion date at end of March then off we go in the first week of April! How exciting …. But scary too!

Seems like ages since I last did a specials shift, off this Saturday night to do one and then a couple more in between now and leaving. Got to hand my notice in to my Sgt Saturday, but he already knows about it so that’s OK. Going to be much harder to leave the Specials than it will be to leave my full time job I tell you, very much looking forward to getting out of here!

My OH (aka Village Idiot) text me the other day whilst I was at work with “I’ve just gotta pop out. Be back soon”
OK so I was a bit suspicious, mainly because when I asked him where he was going he didn’t reply, and also because he likes to lounge around sleeping when he’s not working to catch up on his sleep …. ! I thought maybe he was off to buy something for the new house as a surprise, like a sofa or something…………how wrong was I!!!!

This is what he bought
 untitled.JPG   10.03K   48 downloads  layla_asleep_small.jpg   29.51K   51 downloads
Isn’t she just lush! This is Layla, the newest addition to our manic family … !!!

Edited by Noonin, 28 February 2007 - 08:44 AM.

[Noonin]

WOOOOO WOOOO!!!
Got the contract in for PCSO last week
, comp;ete with all penson forms, disclosure of information form and lots of other little lovelies to fil in.....felt a bit like I was signing my life away!
Was pleased to notice that the contract is a permanent one rather that semi-perm or temporary, as I know that some forces did start PCSO's on temp contracts and to be honest that just scares the hell out of me so very pleased about that. Will find out the first week of training where I am to be based. Fingers crossed for Northern!!!!
Have got to arrange a uniform fitting and my photo taken for my identity card so all thats yet to come!

House move is going ok, packed my first couple of boxes the other day which was a bit sad but still exciting just wish it was all over and done with now! Although I can remember when I was saying "its only 2 months away" and now its only about 25 days so getting more hyper about it all by the day!!

Will keep yuo posted with how packing and moving goes, sure there will be some amusing stories somewhere, there usually is when it includes me and trying to be organised lol!

[Noonin]

Got all fitted up for my unifrm last week, all very exciting!
Northants uniform is so comfy compared to my Special one, no itchy trousers this time! It al seemed to fit a lot better which was good, feel I could walk around in a lot more comfort than I can right now
But, as is typical with these things, they called me up the other day and asked if I could please go back to stores as soon as possible, because somewhere along the line they have lost my sheet with all my measurements on, as well as the massive bag full of uniform hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. So got my ID photograph being taken next week and then the second uniform fitting just after!

Only one week away from moving house, its come around really quick. Still got loads to pack, seems to be going on forever.
All very exciting tho!
Some of you may also heard that I am to be the future Mrs Village Idiot too he proposed last weekend at the new house whilst I was feeling not so pretty or brigt after the night out the night before......lol! Both very happy and very busy trying to find the perfect venue!

Lots of annopying things in the news these last couple weeks about PCSO's being useless, really does annoy me when they say things like that. If I didn't think it was a worthwhile job, then I wouldn't have applied, and again if I didnt feel I was the right person to do it, then I wouldn't have applied. People keep asking me if I'll find it hard to go without handcuffs or baton, and the answer is always the same; yes it will probably be strange for a bit, but only from the added weight point of view, not for the level of authority or how safe it makes you feel.
I feel I'll be helping to make a difference, and to offer reasurance, help and advice. This is what I applied for, and intend to do to the best of my ability.
I've worked with a few PCSO's in the past when I've been Specialing, and they were all extremely hard working individuals who tried their hardest to give whatever they could to each MoP who came for their advice or help.
Anyone that thinks otherwise about us PCSO's, well I couldn't really care less what you think! I know we are doing a good thing, and thats all that matters.






Rant over!

[Noonin]

Well blimey what a busy few weeks I've had, has gone so fast though, and now I come back and find all new postings and topics which I haven't read yet, and all this gossip going on that I've missed out one! Have vowed never to not have t'interweb for this long ever again!

The move went better than we thought it would, nothing broken or lost which i guess is always a bonus! Still got a few things to do and sort out but think thats always going to happen, specially when moving to a bigger house
Have had Village Idiot mowing the grass already, doing the garden, putting woodchip down.....he loves it really, complains his back hurts after but you can tell he likes ther hard work! Hehe. He's actually got a tan too, makes him look less pale ill and tired after being shut in the Control Room Towers for hours on end!

Started my PCSO training on Monday, really enjoying it. I was a bit worried it would be black and white with nothing in between, and that we wouldn't be able to do much at all (after listening to some people saying how lttle we can do) but I've been surprised at how much we can do. Looking forward to getting out there with a tutor in a few weeks, get out there and actually put it into practice, rather than trying to remember everything from the classroom trainer is brilliant, couldn't ask for anyone better.

Its been a mad few weeks as well, my mum got attacked by a dog last week and only got out yesterday after being in hospital for nearly a week! Luckily (she says, as if anything about a dog attack is lucky!) it only bit her arm, which has been easy enough to treat.
To cut a long story short (I know I know, I do tend to go on a bit sometimes but I'll try my hardest to keep to the main bits ) she walks her dogs in a public field near her house, and there is a guy who also walks his dogs there too, really nice man, has rehomed Bearded Collies for years.
Anyway, he had recently rehomed a 4 year old Bearded Collie who the previous owners couldn't look after anymore because of their children or something like that.
The dog Ollie had a bit of a head problem me thinks, and had bitten my mums dog couple days before which came up infected and minging like a tennis ball. On this particluar day, she was in the field and saw the mans son walking the dog, and sehe went over to him to show him what the dog had done to Abby (mums dog) a few days before, and it jumped up and grabbed hold of her arm, locked his jaw and wouldn't let go, shaking her arm and proper going for it, rolling my mum on the floor! Apparently the man was kicking the dog to try and get it off but it wouldnt let go, he had to prise the jaws off mums arm
When she got to hospital she had 8 seperate bites to her lower left arm, one had gone so deep it had pierced the bone and had become infected. So shes been on a drip and all sorts all week ( and had to have 2 ops to clean the wounds!) all from a dog bite!
Needless to say the dog was put down.
I do feel for the owner, as does my mum, he had only a had it about a month and had only rehomed it so it wouldn't be sentto a kennels somewhere. The owner actually called the previous owners and told them about it, their reply was "Well we dont want him back!" So we think they were wanting to get rid of Ollie for a reason they didn't let on. The police have all the details, and are possibly going to be looking at the previous owners history with him, as if he was a violent dog with them they should have had him put down, nasty as it sounds.
Think what worried mum was that if she had had my dogs with her, the male older one Alfie would have attacked it in defnece, Ollie could also have got hold of Layla our puppy, and she wouldn't have stood a chance. Also, what if my niece had gone with my mum? It could have been her, which doesn't bear thinking about.
So just goes to shopw, any dog can be a dangerous dog, all depend on how its life has been.

So, yeah, mad few weeks!
Slowly getting back to normal now though which is great, thank god for that!
Oh and I'm really silly happy coz I'VE BOUGHT MY WEDDING DRESS hehe! One word, perfect!!

[Noonin]

Thanks to some secret sources at Northants Police, I've found out I'm being based at Kettering South, which is brilliant, it includes a big kids park too with fairground rides, so guess what I'll be doing to bond with the public .... hehe
Five weeks training at Corby because of a lack of tutors at Kettering, then off I go!!!

[Noonin]

Thought it was about time I actually wrote something about training, seeing as thats what I'll be doing for the next 4 weeks!
Have done a few of the basic things, theft, criminal damage, stop and account, PNC checks, pocket note books and what we can issue FPN's/Pnd's for, which is acually a hell of a lot
The trainer is brilliant, funny, and laid back with a dirty laugh and a wicked sense of humour, all goes to help with the learning I reckon, taking the P out of past colleagues and amusing cock ups along the way!
We have had a few guest trainers in too, one for Victim Support, and another today for Anti social behaviour, all of which were very interesting!
Had a wicked day last Friday with airwave practicals, have to say, Northants police radios are fantastic all colour screens and easy to use! Much better than *cough cough* TVP..................
Did a lot today on ASBO's, dispersal orders, injunctions, ABC's and that sort of thing, did a bit on Section 59 too, sounds like a wicked one to use if we get the chance!
Got the chance to go into the control room tomo which will be good, seeing how it all works from that end!
Anyway, hopefully I'll remember to update this one with the PCSO training and expericences, see how different things are from back in the Specials training days!

[Noonin]

Well......been very busy these last couple weeks!
Learnt loads, silly amounts really, can't imagine how I'm going to keep it all in and remember it when I get out there with my tutor. Looking forward to it all though.

Unfortunately this has been a very sad week. One of the ladies on the same intake as myself was involved in a major car crash on Saturday on the A427 Corby to Market Harborough Road, head on collision with an overtaking van, in which her 13 year old son and his best friend were killed. Monday was a terrible day when we were all told, and we were given the rest of the day off as they didn't expect us to be in the mood for trying to continue with training. Specially tough for myself and a couple of the other ladies who were all in a very close knit group with Helen. The whole class and trainers are donating money to the Air Ambulance that arrived within minutes, unfortunately it was just too late to save the boys, and its a miracle Helen managed to walk away with just bruising.

My thoughts really do go out to her family and the other lads family for this tradgedy, and I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through right now.

RIP Luke and Terry xx

[Noonin]

Well, the training is now officially over, and I have my first day out on shift tomorrow, scary!!

Had a wicked night out on the final day of our course, drank WAYYYY too much and felt rough the whole weekend ..............but is was SO worth it!
The training has been really interesting, learnt so many things I'm starting to worry I won't be able to remember everything! Had some of the existing PCSO's in the week before for role plays and to practice using the radios which was really good, was a bit nervous before about completely making an a**e out of myself but it was really useful to do and actually get some proper experience dealing with different situations.

Out with my tutor for the next 4 weeks in North Corby, quite lucky because I get a lot of days on shift and not as many on rest days, which is fine by me if it means loads of practice then after 4 weeks am off to Kettering permanently, which is another very VERY scary thought, having to find my way around a totally new area which I have no idea how to get around!

Will write again how my first day went, fingers crossed!!

[Noonin]

Well in my first week out with my tutor, I've issued one fixed penalty for supplying alcohol to under 18's (she lied to me, silly woman, twice! ) a silly amount of stop forms, confiscated so much alcohol I've lost count and dealt with so many different things I wouldn't know where to start! Have felt like we make a real difference to the areas that we cover, every person we have come across have been really pleased to see us about, it just proves that having us PCSO's around may not mean more arresrs but it sure does give the public a greater trust in the police as a whole.

Had a really good week and really enjoyed it, tho can't say my feet aren't happy for 4 days off to rest, think they wonder what the hell I'm doing to them! Walked a silly amount of miles, but have got over the aching legs and sore back, hopefully this next coming week will be a bit better on my body

Northants are so much more organised in the way they deploy PCSO's, every area is covered for at least once in a day, which may not seem a lot to some of you but some other forces which shall remain nameless seemed not to really have any idea what their PCSO's were doing and when! Done a few shifts overtime already too, gotta save for this wedding next year

Best choice I have made in a longtime, joining to be a PCSO. Loving every minute, even whaen its rained

[Noonin]

Well........
Have now finished being tutored, what a ride that was! Leanrt so much about how the job is really done, I was petrified after the classroom training that I would fail miserably and wouldn't be able to do the job, but now I feel really confident about going outthere all on my tod
Came across loads of different things throughout my tutoring; lads with drugs on a number of occasions, LOADS of underage drinking I've forgotten how many, copper wire theft, lost kids, graffiti, criminal damage, and also the lovely pnk and fluffy nieghbourhood policing as well

Had my first day on Monday in my area, which was a bit daunting at first. Luckily I have a wicked Sgt and she asked another PCSO on my area if he would mind changing his shifts for the day so he could take me out and about and show me everything from nice tea stops to where NOT to go unless we really have to! Had a great day wandering the streets of Kettering (in the pouring rain!!) and getting to know people, I really enjoyed it. Went to a Girls School on my area as I'm hoping to set up a drop in clinic there every fortnight for any problems or worries the girls there might have, so REALLY looking forward to that.

And OH MY GOD! The powers that be have finally come to their senses and decided our uniform needs tidying up! Thing is, they gave us massive untidy poor-fitting high vis coats to wear which eventually got to the attention of those-that-sit-in-offices-high-up-in-the-foodsorry, POLICE-chain. They decided we would be allowed to tuck our coats up underneath the stab vests, which to be fair did look a hell of a lot smarter, but still not exactly tidy. Felt like I was a walking model of how police staff SHOULDN't look lol!!!!
So now they are wanting to roll out smart blue t-shirts to wear under the stab vests and have decided to make high vis uncompulsory for the PCSO's (obviously not when its dark. That would just be silly.) I did wonder when I first got my uniform what the point was in giving us lovely blue stabbys when they would be covered up all the time with a bright yellow garb!! Oh well! All change in the next few weeks then!

So yes, really really happy in my job now, was the best decision ever made!

[Noonin]

Have had a couple weeks out by myself now and still really enjoying it, liking Kettering a lot more than Corby, its like a different world, much calmer and less busy which is fine by me haven't had to deal with anything too scary yet, been walking around and introducing myself mainly to the schools and shops on my area which I love. Hoping to set up a drop in at a girls school on my area, they have a lot of problems with bullying so I feel it would be good to be someone to talk to whilst I'm there visiting.
Got my 3 months review coming up soon which I'm hoping will go OK, lots of stuff to write up before then tho which is a bit of a pain, I can never get to a computer when I need to!!
Is strange talking to Village Idiot over the radio tho, sure I'll get used to it! Don't think they would appreciate it if I asked him to put the dinner on tho lol
Only 13 days and 9 days work left til holiday woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo can't wait. Sun, sand, sea and......sleep. Lots of it! Will deifnitely be nice to get away after a busy year so far, looking forward to having a break away from things and away from two hyperactive dogs. Even if it is just for an ickle bit!!
I was told that I might be moved shifts after the summer, I'm the only person on for my area on my shift pattern which means no SCT officers on either. But I get on really well with the shift I'm on and everyone has been really helpful and come out to help me a lot, specially as its not their area. So I might have a word at my review to see if I can stay where I am. We shall see!!!