115 replies to this topic

[Lima Alpha]

Hi All,

What are your views on Cadets being issued radios.

What kind of radios have you been issued as Cadets?

And How vital do you think they have or are to Cadets?

This is just a general question by the way

Regards,

JJM23

[Gizzy]

I do not feel that Cadets should be issued personal airwaves radio - Saying that, my personal feeling is that Cadets should not have police airwaves at all. I agree with local radios (ie - Not conected to police controll frequency) being issued to cadets for local event, fates etc...By the way Jim - Welcome to this forum and a Big Welcome to the Cadet section.Gizzy

[declan]

No (CADET)force/service/Corps I know of even have airwaves radios, the only people issued radios were leading cadets, chex moi, and these were only binatone radios, sometimes picked up the odd intermission of police officer but apart from that we had plain old walky talkies.. although the older cadets are fully trained on the airwave radios.. so if the Chief's feeling in a good mood hopefully one day!

Edited by declan, 22 August 2007 - 05:51 PM.

[Radman]

South Yorkshire Police Cadets had full airwave radio training and we even got to take them out on few occasions.

We used Pool sets that where available at the station and we booked on with Control under whoever was supervising us but we'd use a seperate channel to that of on-going police operations. In my opinion its an health and safety issue aswell as a training issue.

One supervisor isnt going to be able to keep an eye on four Cadets 100% of the time especially at a large fete/fair so radios are a must. DONT get me started on how rubbish the analouge radio's where... Those things wouldnt work after a couple of feet, i would've had more luck shouting across the field that and the batteries where constantly going flat. Something that was proposed before the Rotherham unit was scrapped was that we'd raise our own money and buy our own airwave terminals but this didnt come to be...

To be fair if you’ve if got spare airwave sets not being used (On the duties we did use them only three or four Cadets where taking part plus whoever was supervising.) I don’t see a problem with it so long as airwave management knows and you’ve had the appropriate training, which we did. Of course im not talking about a bunch of 14 year olds running around with airwaves, im talking mature 17/18 year olds who have been Cadets for atleast a year.

Thats how we did it.

I suppose us SYP Cadets had it pretty lucky, we gained a hell of alot of experiance going out with officers on certain schemes, recieved training in the use of airwaves and first aid, not only that but we went out and mingled with the general public aswell...

All in all the scheme provided us with alot... I personally am proud to say I was an SYP Cadet.

Edited by Radman, 23 August 2007 - 09:29 AM.

[DRfronkensteen]

If we are on a traffic detail, usually all of the cadets are issued radios. If it is a different event, one cadet has a radio.(Most of the time, it's me)

[jmrs]

Hi all

When we go on duty sometimes we get the MetRadios which are the ones we used previous to airwave. There stilled used as a backup and we can listen in on the main channel.

We also bought our own radios as cadets for £15 and these are ex nottinghamshire police radios and are quite good. We got them off ebay !!! lol

Edited by jmrs, 30 September 2007 - 11:35 AM.

[jaysec]

Hi all

When we go on duty sometimes we get the MetRadios which are the ones we used previous to airwave. There stilled used as a backup and we can listen in on the main channel.

We also bought our own radios as cadets for £15 and these are ex nottinghamshire police radios and are quite good. We got them off ebay !!! lol

wow you use radios, we dont

[SCZD]

Police cadets have no need for police radios. The airwave radios have confidential information on them and cadets haven't got the clearence to be privvy to that. Also listening in on emergency airwaves JMRS is an offence under Section 5(1)(b)(i) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. So tut tut. lol

[Dougie100]

SCZD,

Quick question for you then, if cadets are not alould to be 'privvy' to certain info then what is the point in the signing of the confadentuallity paper work on joining the unit. Also if cadets wernt aloud to hear the info then not only would they not be issued a raido (which they are) but also would not be aloud to hear the Airwave, i would like to see you inforse that one.
In my time in my unit every time i have gone on Patrol with officers i have gone to there briefing and at no point has there ever been any info held back because of me being present. Further then this i have had a police radio quite often and at nearly all times (apart freom when the officer has had an earpice in) i have had access to the Airwave radio.
Also i have never been kept back from a job whilst on duty apart from once when i was not on the warrant for the drugs raid we were doing and the occupant had the right to refuse me entry and did so.
Infact whilst we are on the topic of restrictions to Cadets (as usaul) then i thought i would mention the lack of restrictions i have had whilst on duty. The one that springs to mind is i was sent as part of the LST team (Local Support Team) that i was attached to that day to a Bomb thret in Bognor Regis and infact having me plus one other cadet from my unit there the police officers said was very helpfull.
The lack of restrictions that i have faced has not only bettered my experiance, enjoyment, view on the police but also gave me MUCH greater law knowledge.

Edited by Dougie100, 13 November 2007 - 09:27 AM.

[Ed Man]

When i was a civilian volunteer i had to sign the Secrets Act as well. It's not because they were going to start telling me their action plan on terrorism for the next ten years, it's only because as a civilian volunteer, cadet or other non-operational, non-sworn employee you may, whilst being in and out of police stations hear things which are to be kept confidential. That's it. As for SCZDs reply, i would imagine that's wrong. Although cadets may not be invited to listen to the traffic on an airwave regularly, they more than likely have the legal necessaries, if they have signed the relevant piece of paper.

That said, i do remember an occasion when, as an RAF cadet on partol with the RAF(P) we weren't allowed to enter a radio control room for what was technically a "national security" reason, as we were not full time members of the RAF.

[Dougie100]

Ed Man,

That is what i mean they dont say "hey come sit down and we will tell you all the secaret intell" but at the same time we sign all the paper work and you would have to be really nieve to think that when a cadet goes out on duty they wuddn't hear something that joe public would and they hear alot of operational intell.
In all the time i was a cadet and all the cadets i did meet i think there is only one that i could say i wuddn't have trusted and funny enough he never wen't out on patrol nor was told any prohibated intell. Cadets although not Police Officers are a atrabute to the Police Force as a whole not a hinderence and the sooner that this is realised by ALL the better.

[SCZD]

Just signing a confidentialy agreement does not mean that you are allowed to hear all sorts. It means your not allowed to repeat it. Im not saying cadets shouldn't have access to them, sometimes you need to learn things. I said they didnt need them issued. I very much doubt also in your unit you have had the same clearence that police officers have either.
Im sure your more than welcome to hear it, but i find it very hard to believe that anyone can come up with a strong enough arguement for cadets needing to be issued them. I learnt very quickly that cadets aren't police officers and the sooner some people realise this the better.

Ed-man, hey, i wasn't saying that it was illegal for people to over hear them, of course it isn't, but what i meant to say, and im sorry if i didn't make it clear, it was illegal to search for police wavelengths and listen in on a different radio. If that makes sense.

Edited by SCZD, 13 November 2007 - 02:28 PM.

[Dougie100]

SCZD,

I didn't say at any point that cadets are police officers and at no point in the time i was a cadet did i try to inpersonate one either as i realised that i was a cadet and was happy.
You seem to have a large issue with police cadets and i would quite like to know exactly what it was as i see no reason for any police officer to have a problem with cadets and like i said before we can actually be a help and not a hinderance.
Also i would suggest that if in fact you don't like the idea of police cadets that you just stay out of our part of the site??

Edited by Dougie100, 13 November 2007 - 04:44 PM.

[SCZD]

Hmmmm interesting point... Wait hang on, am i a member of staff at cadets? I think i am. I do nothing but encourage my cadets and i have some of them on here who will vouch for me on how much i do to help them. I have and will continue to support cadets anyway i can.

[jaysec]

Hmmmm interesting point... Wait hang on, am i a member of staff at cadets? I think i am. I do nothing but encourage my cadets and i have some of them on here who will vouch for me on how much i do to help them. I have and will continue to support cadets anyway i can.

Yes i certainly can vouch for that, helping anyway possible and we are all grateful for that

[Lima Alpha]

I Have access to a personal Airwave Terminal and the control room.
From what I gather then the only reason I have this privilege is because I am full-time.

Because I am an Operational cadet - attending incidents, then I think it is vital that I have access to an Airwave terminal and a direct link to the Control Room.

Not only for a professional manner but also a health and safety manner (eg. "the little RED button")

I dont see why other cadets should not have access to a radio.

Regards,
Jonathan

[SCZD]

Well im that must eb good for you, but well i know in the MET inparticular are very up on health and safety and until the cadets reach the age of 18 they usually dont let them out on operational control, but im sure it does happen. I think its very differetn across the country, i know SYP cadets are very different to ours. But i still satnd by my remark that in normal circumstances cadets have no needfor radios.

Well im that must eb good for you, but well i know in the MET inparticular are very up on health and safety and until the cadets reach the age of 18 they usually dont let them out on operational control, but im sure it does happen. I think its very differetn across the country, i know SYP cadets are very different to ours. But i still satnd by my remark that in normal circumstances cadets have no needfor radios.

[Radman]

Police cadets have no need for police radios. The airwave radios have confidential information on them and cadets haven't got the clearence to be privvy to that. Also listening in on emergency airwaves JMRS is an offence under Section 5(1)(b)(i) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. So tut tut. lol

SCZD, SYP was very 'pro-active' with its Cadet scheme, we got to do alot most forces didnt... However we always followed health and safety which is one of the reasons as to why we where given airwave training in the first place (same with body armour.)

When our unit was up and running we'd sit in on briefings and had been signed off on the use of airwave radios. We recieved full training and had to sign various confidentiality and secrecy agreements. We were also vetted before being accept into the SYP Cadets aswell.

Its not about 'pretending' to be Police Officers, I dont think any cadet on here is guilty of that, I personally fail to see how practicing drill all day and going over legislation (which is my understanding on how the Met does things) is truly what a Police Cadet should be.

Whats wrong with placing Cadets with SNT's?

Whats wrong with sending Cadets out with school liason officers?

Whats wrong with giving them appropriate training in the use of airwaves and first aid?

What ever happened to community engagement?

In my opinion nothing, so long as protocol and H&S is followed.

Edited by Radman, 14 November 2007 - 03:02 PM.

[Dougie100]

Radman,

What a cracking reply spot on i think if the training is in place, all the relevant paper work is filled out and health and safety is followed like you i see no problem.

[SCZD]

I totally agree BUT you have already mentioned the issue, health and saftey. Its such a block in what we do. Hence why the MET uniform got changed to the blues not whites, i think it would be good to have more intrearction with the public, many people dont know what police cadets is. Going into schools though, probably not the best idea, the school would have to be chosen very carefully. In London there are many schools with pupils who would enjoy finding out who the 'piglets' are. There word not mine.

[jaysec]

Very true whats being said here, another block though i feel is the fact that most of the cadets are in some form of education and dont have that much spare time apart from the weekends and face it you always hear the 'well im going out with y friends or i have already something planned'

[Dougie100]

Metcadet,

Fair point bud, but the way i see it is the people who you often get that from need to ask them selfs 'what am i doing here' as they clearly in my opinioun arn't commited to the cadet Unit and the same towards the Police Force.

[Radman]

I totally agree BUT you have already mentioned the issue, health and saftey. Its such a block in what we do. Hence why the MET uniform got changed to the blues not whites, i think it would be good to have more intrearction with the public, many people dont know what police cadets is. Going into schools though, probably not the best idea, the school would have to be chosen very carefully. In London there are many schools with pupils who would enjoy finding out who the 'piglets' are. There word not mine.

I see your point, im down in London now training and I must say its been a bit of a culture shock for me... Everyone is so different down here to what im used to back home in Sheffield.

Just to raise a point about the school liasing... It was excellent when I did it, although I joined the Cadets just when I left Comprehensive (I was 16) in my opinion this is the best age to join a Cadet scheme. I'd go into schools with the local liason Officer at have a chat with kids reguarding citizenship, the cadets or whatever, in uniform (Take a look at my profile and theres a very old and not so flattering picture of me in the 'duty' Cadet uniform.) The kids responded well in my opinion.

[SCZD]

Yeah well like i said they have to choose the school carefully. But im glad though if it had a positive affect on them. Well done.

[vpc-thc]

I feel that if cadets did have their own radio's, they would know of possible missing persons and crimes etc. If they did have them, be on a seperate channel to communicate with others?