This is the official blog of ex-Sgt Ellie Bloggs. I was a real live police constable then sergeant for twelve years, on the real live front line of England. I'm now a real live non-police person. All the facts I recount are true, and are not secrets. If they don't want me blogging about it, they shouldn't do it. PS If you don't pay tax, you don't (or didn't) pay my salary.


(All proceeds from Google Ads will be donated to the Police Roll of Honour Trust)

Monday, October 27, 2008

The Vortex of Nights

I know I am working nights when I get my news updates from Mock the Week. I didn't know there was a recession on until the custody sergeant told me, whilst he watched me seal up a wadge of notes from a drug dealers pocket.

It has been a busy time in Blandmore, and shift numbers are diminishing by the day. I can't remember the last day all of my team finished work on time.

The SMT are blissfully unaware that staffing levels are low. Let me clarify: they aren't unaware, and they aren't blissful. But they're not doing anything about it all the same. "There just isn't any more money." This is strictly true. But we can all rest easy that the area commander doesn't sleep well at night worrying about it. I don't sleep well at night either - for some reason my sergeant frowns on it if I sleep in a police car.

There literally is no more money. Especially since the force invested it all in Ice Save.*

Fortunately, there is also no more crime.

Most of us down on front-line response are sympathetic to funding and budget issues. But most of us also suspect there is money, just not being spent how it should. We'd like to see some of the current money being diverted away from crime auditors, analysts, performance data recorders and auditor-auditors (those who check the work of auditors to make sure it's being done properly). We'd like to spend our man-hours on locking up burglars and reassuring residents, rather than on investigating children shooting other children with BB guns and neighbours being racist to people who are just as racist back.

The funny thing is, I think the public would agree with us.

Where, between front-line response and the Chief Constable, is the loose connection? Where is the message getting lost? Before I am sure that, one day, our Chief Constable used to think exactly like us.


* This is "irony". No Police Authority would be stupid enough to stick a load of cash in an offshore investment while we are desperate to use it NOW in Blandmore.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Diary of an On-Call Girl' is available in some bookstores and online.

31 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The link was lost at Chief Super level around 10 years ago. Now the link is lost at Inspector level. I have seen the those Inspectors, well meaning chaps who I was a Constable with turn into gibbering wrecks at the thought of crime figures. The labour party and their ideology are to blame.

I do not think they ever forgave the Police for the miners strike. They did never get away from ken livingstone mindset of meeting the ira in the house of commons.

Look at the secretary of state we have now. She is about as anti authority as it comes. I bet her minions know who is typing this.

A justice minister who was in the communist party and has the purse strings to build the odd jail or so. I bet he will not. Better let the Tories do that then cry from the sidelines about the ruthless Police state.

27 October, 2008 18:57

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I bet there is money in March, there always is. We spend months doing OT for time off as the boss crys about his budget then in March there are a load of crap Operations put together as he has to use his budget up so he get the same amount next year. Yet another example of Police loonacy.

GEORDIEPLOD

27 October, 2008 19:21

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Geordie - take it as time then let it sit on your card for three months - then it reverts to pay - or take it as pay straight away - regulations say you can, and any attempt by a senior manager to do otherwise is unlawful.

Oh, and does anyone know if Sussex still put down the hour extra you work on nights when the clocks go back as 'casual' thus ditching the first half hour,a s that's unlawful too!!

27 October, 2008 20:02

 
Blogger Unknown said...

pifft same gripe every october, we have our 3 year shafted pay deal now ... and its moving in to the season of half term / holidays / winter ....

Every body feels the pinch now,

the extra hour ginner is "time" so its 1.1/3. back

28 October, 2008 08:53

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Were on a O/T ban at the moment, if a job is going to take us over our alloted hours we have to ask the duty inspector if they will pay us.

Some PC's use it as an excuse NOT to go to a job up to an hour before the end of duty.

Now even the Sgt's are trying to dictate what we take as payment or time off - I dont think so, i'll have what I want thanks.

Had a night at R/D rates the other day, love it when something serious happens.....

28 October, 2008 09:43

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All of the forces that I've been with had the local agreement that you were lucky if you lost an hour and unlucky if you gained one. Isn't everyone like that?

BTW - we've got money coming out of our ears down here, apparently. I'm sorry to hear that not all of you/us are the same. Very sh@t

28 October, 2008 09:57

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You say:

"No Police Authority would be stupid enough to stick a load of cash in an offshore investment while we are desperate to use it NOW in Blandmore."

I say: You might be right as concerns operational cash, but the Police Authority would have no such qualms if it was your pension money.

Toodle pip.

Michael S.

28 October, 2008 10:33

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What about a fixed rate of pay, like our wonderful serviceman gets. Fixed uniform, fixed hours (24) and fixed postings.
Soon see enough of you bailing out if you didnt get your jollies and free pay for working an hour longer than you wanted to. Go cry to mummy, if you dont like the pay, leave.

28 October, 2008 11:38

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not that simple though is it, VS?
To apply your logic, why don't the squaddies stop crying to mummy and leave if they don't like their conditions?
That's not an attack on squaddies - just on your argument in seeking to compare apples with oranges.
Most cops have the greatest of respect for the actions of our armed forces - not least because a lot of them are ex military. I know a Marines CGC winner who recently joined the Job, for instance.

28 October, 2008 13:49

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ginnersinner

Tried both of those mate. The time just stays on the card or when I put the unauthorised OT sheet in it dissapears 2 or 3 times in an "admin vortex". I do get paid eventually. Normally 4-5 months after doing the OT and by that point I've pissed the boss off so much I cannot get my AL or Leiu days when I want them. Sometimes it seems too much clarting on for the sake of 3-4 hours at 1.3.

28 October, 2008 14:22

 
Blogger quixote said...

vs,

How does it work in your world?

Cop work rendered odious, so you ditch that and spend a couple of years training to be a, say, computer tech. Once techs are a dime a dozen, the work there isn't so great, so you ditch that and spend a couple of years training to be a nurse's assistant. (Oh, you'd rather have a nurse's pay? That'll be at least four years training.)

Since nursing was such a great choice, soon there are too many nurses, the work conditions become horrible, but you don't cry to mummy. You ditch that and train as a . . . what? flight attendant? You'd be in your 30s by now. They might not be that eager to hire you. But what the hell. Let's say they do. Then it turns out there's a credit crunch, your airline goes under, and other people who've been flight attendants all their lives are retained and you're out on your ear.

But crying's not what you do, so you go off and flip burgers because you've got no time for training at this point. Work conditions there not so great either. What's your next step? I wouldn't know, but I'm sure you'd have a great plan all worked out.

Honestly. Were you born stupid? Or did you have to study?

28 October, 2008 14:39

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chief Constables never used to think like us. They didn't have to. In their day, there were two Inspectors, four Sgts and twenty PC's on each shift, people were respectful towards authority and citizens would help the police to catch criminals. The Courts would sentence properly and an underclass breeding generations of work shy chavs did not exist. They never had to face what we face. I know. I was there.

28 October, 2008 18:58

 
Blogger Roses said...

Actually, I do know how they're spending the money.

Norfolk just 'invested' in a a re-branding exercise that costed £35,000 to monotonise the logo. Whichendbites covered it.

I know in terms of a budget that covers millions, £35,000 could easily get lost...but really! I'm sure there's better things that could have been spent on.

28 October, 2008 19:27

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

VS.

Just a couple of minor points that always get my goat, when people compare the Police to the Armed Forces.

The military staff gets a greatly reduced rent allowance/Housing costs for married quarters. I get none, and have to pay my mortgage in full.

The military staff live in secure guarded and gated establishments. I get to live with the general public (which I hasten to add, I actually don't mind).

The military staff can eat VERY cheaply (as it’s subsidised heavily) in an onsite restaurant, and that’s 3 COOKED meals a day. I have to pay normal prices for my food (only one of which is cooked a day, and not by a chef, but by me).

The military staff pay NOTHING for housing and food when on operational duties and ‘in theatre’. Since I live 'in theatre' does that mean I can get free housing/food too?

I have worked as a soldier, and now as a cop, and the two jobs have NO comparison whatsoever. You might as well compare mice to igloos.

Just a point.

PING

28 October, 2008 19:36

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Roses,
A turkey in a blue helmet could have satisfied frugality and simplicity.

28 October, 2008 19:39

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Look, Brown's just given India £800m in aid, and its a credit crunch, know your friends. Every item the police are ever short of could have been provided by Stasi Brown at any time, just im'n Jaquiboot don't seem to like you. I do, good on ya guys.

28 October, 2008 19:47

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FFS don't go down the "my job's tougher than your job" road. Professional police officers, servicemen/women, nursing, fire and rescue....the management dictats can all be traced back to the same source. I saw my job start to go down the tubes as soon as the accountants and bright young things at the Home Office started playing with stats, slide rules and calculators, and their political masters started listening to them instead of the real practitioners. A lot of fine up and coming seniors then sold their souls for bigger pensions. And I think you could say the same for the aforementioned NHS types.

29 October, 2008 12:56

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm thinking of jacking it in and joining the army. I've seen the adverts.
All those opportunities for foreign travel and windsurfing? And the hats are better.
Where do I sign?

29 October, 2008 15:45

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Liberal elite, chavs, liberal elite

Simper, simper, simper

30 October, 2008 22:11

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At the end of March beginning of April pop down to your Headquarters &
there you will see Supts and Ch.Insps that you didnt even know existed lugging year old furniture out of offices and throwing it in skips to make way for new stuff-and at your nick you are still using war time utility furniture and trying to jam all your kit into the worlds smallest locker....

31 October, 2008 13:54

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

after watching the job accelerate down the tubes from PACE to RIPA to countiung rules, I'm still less bitter and twisted than `vs` (above comment). I call that a result!

31 October, 2008 14:53

 
Blogger uniform said...

look bloggs , you really are going to have to get it past you Alice band.

Anyone beyond Insp, don't give a rats arse what you think , they only care what you do, and by implication what damage it could do to thems careers

02 November, 2008 19:59

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Slight divergence - but on the topic of wasted money:

Try (10+ years ago) an extra (i.e. over the normal amount) £1.2m spent on advertising a "recruitment drive" to get "the best" candidates.

Of which they ditched the best 30% of applicants to provide room for their minority candidates quota.

Note that in this case, the minority candidates were scoring well below the minimum levels for entry. Guess what they were admitted.

Net result? £1.2m down the crapper. I'm sure this story isn't unique to my former farce.

06 November, 2008 23:59

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello,

I am really surprised that some of the police think kids shooting other children with BB guns is not an issue. Is this actually true?

16 November, 2008 09:29

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

成人電影,情色,本土自拍, 一夜情, 辣妹視訊, 視訊聊天室, 免費視訊聊天, 免費視訊, 視訊, 視訊美女, 美女視訊, 視訊交友, 視訊聊天, 免費視訊聊天室, 情人視訊網影音視訊聊天室, 視訊交友90739, 成人影片, 成人交友, 本土自拍, 免費A片下載, 性愛,
成人交友, 嘟嘟成人網, 成人電影, 成人, 成人貼圖, 成人小說, 成人文章, 成人圖片區, 免費成人影片, 成人遊戲, 微風成人, 愛情公寓, 情色, 情色貼圖, 情色文學, 做愛, 色情聊天室, 美女交友,

嘟嘟成人網, 成人貼圖, 成人電影, A片, 豆豆聊天室, 聊天室, UT聊天室, 尋夢園聊天室, 男同志聊天室, UT男同志聊天室, 聊天室尋夢園, 080聊天室, 080苗栗人聊天室, 6K聊天室, 女同志聊天室, 小高聊天室, 情色論壇, 色情網站, 成人網站, 成人論壇, 免費A片, 上班族聊天室, 成人聊天室, 成人小說, 微風成人區, 色美媚部落格, 成人文章, 成人圖片區, 免費成人影片, 成人論壇, 情色聊天室, 寄情築園小遊戲, AV女優,成人電影,情色,本土自拍, A片下載, 日本A片, 麗的色遊戲, 色色網, ,嘟嘟情人色網, 色情網站, 成人網站, 正妹牆, 正妹百人斬, aio,伊莉, 伊莉討論區, 成人遊戲, 成人影城,
ut聊天室, 免費A片, AV女優, 美女視訊, 情色交友, 免費AV, 色情網站, 辣妹視訊, 美女交友, 色情影片 成人影片, 成人網站, A片,H漫, 18成人, 成人圖片, 成人漫畫, 情色網, 日本A片,

愛情公寓, 情色, 舊情人, 情色貼圖, 情色文學, 情色交友, 色情聊天室, 色情小說, 一葉情貼圖片區, 情色小說, 色情, 色情遊戲, 情色視訊, 情色電影, aio交友愛情館, 色情a片, 色情小說, 一葉情貼圖片區, 情色小說, 色情, 寄情築園小遊戲, 色情遊戲情色視訊, 情色電影, aio交友愛情館, 言情小說, 愛情小說, 色情A片, 情色論壇, 色情影片, 視訊聊天室, 免費視訊聊天, 免費視訊, 視訊美女, 視訊交友, 視訊聊天, 免費視訊聊天室, a片下載, aV, av片, A漫, av dvd, av成人網, 聊天室, 成人論壇, 本土自拍, 自拍, A片,成人電影,情色,本土自拍,

03 April, 2009 21:37

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good day !.
You may , probably very interested to know how one can reach 2000 per day of income .
There is no initial capital needed You may commense to receive yields with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you haven`t ever dreamt of such a chance to become rich
The firm represents an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

Its head office is in Panama with offices around the world.
Do you want to become an affluent person?
That`s your chance That`s what you wish in the long run!

I`m happy and lucky, I started to take up income with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to choose a correct companion who uses your savings in a right way - that`s it!.
I earn US$2,000 per day, and my first investment was 500 dollars only!
It`s easy to join , just click this link http://yjynytep.100freemb.com/unimoq.html
and lucky you`re! Let`s take this option together to get rid of nastiness of the life

04 December, 2009 03:44

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello !.
You may , perhaps very interested to know how one can make real money .
There is no need to invest much at first. You may begin to receive yields with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you thought of all the time
AimTrust incorporates an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with structures around the world.
Do you want to become a happy investor?
That`s your choice That`s what you desire!

I feel good, I started to get real money with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to select a correct partner who uses your funds in a right way - that`s the AimTrust!.
I earn US$2,000 per day, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to join , just click this link http://kofafihyqi.envy.nu/itakafin.html
and lucky you`re! Let`s take this option together to get rid of nastiness of the life

06 December, 2009 22:41

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello !.
You may , probably curious to know how one can reach 2000 per day of income .
There is no need to invest much at first. You may start to receive yields with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you thought of all the time
AimTrust represents an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with offices around the world.
Do you want to become really rich in short time?
That`s your chance That`s what you really need!

I feel good, I started to get income with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to select a correct companion utilizes your money in a right way - that`s it!.
I earn US$2,000 per day, and my first investment was 500 dollars only!
It`s easy to join , just click this link http://ifacifil.bigheadhosting.net/qytudem.html
and lucky you`re! Let`s take our chance together to get rid of nastiness of the life

17 December, 2009 14:55

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello everyone!
I would like to burn a theme at here. There is such a nicey, called HYIP, or High Yield Investment Program. It reminds of ponzy-like structure, but in rare cases one may happen to meet a company that really pays up to 2% daily not on invested money, but from real profits.

For quite a long time, I make money with the help of these programs.
I'm with no money problems now, but there are heights that must be conquered . I make 2G daily, and my first investment was 500 dollars only.
Right now, I'm very close at catching at last a guaranteed variant to make a sharp rise . Turn to my web site to get additional info.

[url=http://theblogmoney.com] Online investment blog[/url]

12 January, 2010 17:42

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi there!
I would like to burn a theme at here. There is such a thing, called HYIP, or High Yield Investment Program. It reminds of financial piramyde, but in rare cases one may happen to meet a company that really pays up to 2% daily not on invested money, but from real profits.

For several years , I earn money with the help of these programs.
I'm with no money problems now, but there are heights that must be conquered . I get now up to 2G a day , and my first investment was 500 dollars only.
Right now, I managed to catch a guaranteed variant to make a sharp rise . Visit my web site to get additional info.

[url=http://theinvestblog.com] Online investment blog[/url]

15 January, 2010 22:02

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Glad to materialize here. Good day or night everybody!

Let me introduce myself,
my name is Nikolas.
Generally I’m a venturesome gambler. for a long time I’m keen on online-casino and poker.
Not long time ago I started my own blog, where I describe my virtual adventures.
Probably, it will be interesting for you to find out about my progress.
Please visit my web site. http://allbestcasino.com I’ll be interested on your opinion..

13 March, 2010 20:29

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

 

View My Stats
eXTReMe Tracker