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)

Sunday, March 08, 2009

How to Get Ahead

My readers will be pleased to hear that the process of being promoted in the police has, in recent years, moved away from the nepotism of the 1980s and 90s, and is now completely fair and above-board.

It used to be the case that those PCs who had been noticed as especially competent would swiftly achieve an Acting Sergeant post. Sometimes this was just luck as to whether the superintendent was on duty when a PC had a particularly good day, but the idea was that over time the good people would be identified. The promotion board would then be conducted by someone who had actually seen them in action as a sergeant and was determined to have them promoted within his area.

It was soon pointed out that this process was exceedingly unfair, as it meant that PCs who were totally incompetent and useless had absolutely no chance of being promoted. As a result, promotion boards were moved to headquarters and conducted by people who had never worked with the applicant. That way they couldn't be biassed against them by witnessing their daily cock-ups. Now, it is fair to say that competence has very little bearing on promotion, which is of course what every 21st Century employer should strive for.

On the other side of the coin, the disadvantage of headquarters-based promotion is that it prevents local superintendents from conducting legitimate vendettas against people they don't like for no good reason. Vendettas like these are the cornerstone of good area management: if newly-promoted sergeants and inspectors are allowed to run amok with their own leadership styles and ideas, how can the area ever place performance figures above commonsense where they belong?

Never fear, my own area has solved this crisis. For whilst formal promotion must be done through headquarters, nobody can stop local superintendents from giving temporary promotions and Acting posts to whoever they want. All that needs to be done is ensure that every post going is a temporary one, which can just be extended indefinitely. The chosen candidate is then assured of being the only person who has any relevant experience when they go for their actual board.

A victory over bureauracy, I think you will agree. The fact that over half of the well-qualified and competent PCs and sergeants in Blandmore have zero hope of ever being promoted is just a minor drawback.

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

24 Comments:

Blogger Hogdayafternoon said...

In some ways it's a tough call as to which system is worse. Frankly, it wouldn't matter either way providing there was a system of DE-motion, outside of the unsuitable disciplinary procedures, so that the incompetent, the hapless, the hopeless and the downright fuckall useless could be quickly identified and removed from their office. But, sadly, the same system that puts them up the ranks cannot recognise it's disasters afterwards, let alone select purposefully and consistently in the first place. I've had some stonking bosses who I'd follow anywhere, had a majority who were OK, but in almost equal numbers at the other end of the scale I've had those who couldn't lead a charge on an empty shithouse, but still they sat there drawing their managers pay. C`est la vie.

08 March, 2009 16:31

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you want promotion then its simple join THE MASONS-I declined an invite many years ago and I never did promoted beyond Sgt-mind you I still have friends!!!
Oh by the way I thought police regs said that anyone who held a Temporary rank for a year must be made substantive-or has it changed-and where are the FED-they should be resoving this situation-or is the kettle boiling again?

08 March, 2009 17:00

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hogday wrote: "At the other end of the scale I've had those who couldn't lead a charge on an empty shithouse".

So extremely true. Still, it's not just the police that's buggered. Promotion has nothing whatsoever to do with competence, and it never has. My old line manager in the bookshop years ago was promoted to the rank of 'Director' simply to remove her from ever having contact with members of the public ever again.

It's the same everywhere.

08 March, 2009 17:10

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmm. I think it's much better the modern way, where promotion is gained solely on the ability to fill in a "competancy" form drawn up by civvies with no knowledge of police work, or the real world, frankly.
These applications are then judged at the paper stage by the same civvies, and then sealed by a presentation marked by the same civvies.
Success, of course, is based on such spurious elements as how many hate crimes you have investigated in the last 6 months, and how many community meetings you have attended.
Not on ability or knowledge. We don't want those in the modern police force......

08 March, 2009 20:09

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Retired Brother wrote:

If you want promotion then its simple join THE MASONS

I don't think this option is open to Ellie Bloggs!

Such cynicism! Mind you, about 15-18 years ago I went for a promotion (in industry, not police). I knew I was in with a shout, and eventually learned that it was between me and another bloke. Then it all went quiet. eventually I was told that the business had decided to look outside "for new blood".

The person who got the job was a black single mother. So, black [tick], female [tick], "disadvantaged" [tick]. The only box she couldn't tick was lesbian!

Not only did she prove incompetent, she also lied about her qualifications. It was two years before they got rid of her.

Frankly I don't mind being beaten to a job by someone who is likely to be better at it, male or female, gay or straight, black, white, orange or green, but this was a case of reverse discrimination at its worst.

Still, the business didn't repeat the exercise for a while.

08 March, 2009 21:51

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That women are denied admission to Freemasonry is popular myth. Many female members of police and judiciary are masons, although WPC's encounter absolute resistance when seeking admission to the darker world of exclusive police lodges.

It is no myth that either sex is eternally compromised by Freemasonry. Swearing an oath of allegiance to a secret society whilst pledging to serve the interests of public service, is the model leading to abuse of trust and position. For those with no such qualms, it is the 24 carat promotion guarantee; irrespective of other orientations and competence. For the moment.

08 March, 2009 22:26

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nothing changes, back in the 80's I transferred from the MPD to a small County force, all fired up to take promotion. My new 'Super' on first meeting me told me in no uncertain terms what he thought of the MPD.He left me with the impression that I was something nasty he had stood in. I soon learnt that passing the exam was the easy bit finding a sponsor and not being a 'lodge member' were distinct drawbacks in climbing the greasy pole but I thought that once my friend the 'Super' moved on things would be different. They were. Times were a changing and I now found that I was firstly the wrong gender and then my skin colour counted against me. I know it sounds like sour grapes but it isn't when I saw the writing on the wall I stood back from that greasy pole and concentrated on doing the best job I could.
Hogday is right - there are some superb supervisors sadly not very many for whom I had only the greatest of respect, then a large group of individuals who simply seemed outside their comfort zone most of the time and bent with the wind and a minority who saw promotion as a means of escape from the streets and often were simply dangerous and best avoided

08 March, 2009 23:04

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

On an unrelated note, I recommend watching Law & Order: UK to anyone who enjoys a good laugh. This week's special: a defence of automatism based on a genetic predisposition to criminality. Evidently no-one could be bothered to look in a book to see what automatism actually means...

09 March, 2009 00:05

 
Blogger Hogdayafternoon said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

09 March, 2009 09:14

 
Blogger Hogdayafternoon said...

David's comment, above re automatism:

I agree, a real good laugh. I seem to recall, from my promotion study days, something about automatism being linked with a tale of a man being stung by a bee whilst driving a car. Comic stuff. Either way its probably best left to the CPS, after all, we don't want another avenue opened up to make them look even less able to bring a case. For an even bigger laugh, I once studied criminology - priceless!

09 March, 2009 09:19

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nothing changes even in Australia. I know of several jobs in a force of 10 000, where 40 applicants some of whom were on the rank already (OIC - Snr/Sgt) applications were all deemed unsatisfactory. Allowed the area boss to put his man in place until they could advertise again and low and behold the bloke filling in was now deemed the best applicant.
Now my own lowly rank. As i dont know anybody, dont play golf, etc. I cant get promoted, but at my own station, I get tasked a lot of the difficult paperwork incidents, bcause "we know you'll do a good job." Unfortunately no one is leaving for me to get some luck with promotion at my own station. But I see people who I trained getting promotions around the place. Then get told your application is poor, despite seeing 4 panel co-ordinators on resume, the next one doesn't like what you changed it too from the last meeting. They are starting to know that I keep everything and then argue the point about changes, that i finally managed an interview recently. Fingers crossed this year.

Bodie

09 March, 2009 09:38

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All organisations suffer from the Peter Principle - that people tend to be promoted up to their "level of incompetence" (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle ). Frequently the reaction by senior management to the discovery that a pormoted person is incompetent is to promote them sidewards to get them out their own part of the organisation. Sometimes they try training which occasionally works. It is extraordinarily dificult to confront the individual, and then what do you do, as demotion is constructive dismissal.

The police with the ability to have an acting sergeant, say, should have produced a system to reduce the chance of incompetency, but that does depend on the promotion board actually paying attention to those who have seen the acting sergeant' performance.

09 March, 2009 11:19

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Dr" Grey with his usual BS I see.

09 March, 2009 21:27

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Having worked for 11 different bosses within 5+ different companies in my working life i can say that the vast majority of them haven't got an f'ing clue. 2/11 were smart, switched on and knew what the job was about and how best to get it done. The rest weren't worth the nameplate on their door.

I think the problem is that large companies / organisations can promote incompetents and survive as they can "soak" the losses caused by poor management usually. Smaller / Privately owned businesses often go bankrupt unless they know what they're about.

I'm curious - has anyone EVER come across a ACC/DCC/CC who is switched on and savvy to the job? The few of that rank i've ever interacted with directly couldn't find their own arse with both hands and some help.

10 March, 2009 09:01

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Female PCs can join the Eastern Star in Scotland which is effectively the ladies branch of the Masons. My dad told me that the Masons isn't a 'Secret Society' more of a 'Society with Secrets'. As far as I am concerned it is a chance to get a cheaper pint of beer and is nothing more than a dangerous wee drinking club for inadequate men with small willies who need a hand to get on in the world.

10 March, 2009 11:13

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Binary Surfer - Peter Imbert and John Stevens were excellent, as far as it affected me

10 March, 2009 15:02

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fair enough - wasn't one of them Blair's predecessor?

10 March, 2009 15:54

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had some great supervisors, who I would have followed through the gates of Hell to help stamp out the fire.
I had a few that wouldnt have been able to find those gates with a map & compass and I avoided them as much as possible.
When promoted, I tried to emulate the former.
Its hard to judge yourself, but there were a steady number of staff wishing to transfer to our team....
What I do know is, that if one of my staff was hung out to dry, my arse was there hanging right alongside his/hers!

Oh, and although a freemason, I was promoted in spite of it - the superior who supported me, was a dyed in the wool, rabid, bible-thumping Catholic.

10 March, 2009 23:54

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Oi,
The 'rabid, bible-thumping' superior you refer to, (who was generous enough to support your application for promotion), was probably unaware of your Masonic ties as he was of your inclination to afford him your treacherous remarks in gratitude.

11 March, 2009 08:21

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No anonymous, or Gray or whoever you are, he was perfectly well aware. Not a lot escaped his notice.
He was a man far from the one I expect you to be though - he was one of those I would follow through the gates mentioned above.

11 March, 2009 17:32

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I take it from all the talk of promotion that you are doing the part 1 again, which may be a reason as to why the blogs have been a little spaced. If you are good luck if not then it just goes to show how good a bobby I am and that my promotion must be only round the corner

13 March, 2009 22:01

 
Blogger Bullseye said...

The trouble with the promotion system in west yorkshire is, that even if you do pass the exams, then you need Divisional support and then the boards await.
Once they are won over, you are home and dry.
Too many obstacles and as long as part of it is opinion based rather than knowledge or talent based, then it can never be fair.

www.westyorkshirepolice.blogspot.com

18 March, 2009 10:58

 
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 21:51

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

爆爆爽a片免費看, 天堂私服論壇, 情色電影下載, 成人短片, 麗的線上情色小遊戲, 情色動畫免費下載, 日本女優, 小說論壇, 777成人區, showlive影音聊天網, 聊天室尋夢園, 義大利女星寫真集, 韓國a片, 熟女人妻援交, 0204成人, 性感內衣模特兒, 影片, 情色卡通, 85cc免費影城85cc, 本土自拍照片, 成人漫畫區, 18禁, 情人節阿性, 做愛的漫畫圖片, 情色電影分享區, 做愛ㄉ影片, 丁字褲美女寫真, 色美眉, 自拍俱樂部首頁, 日本偷自拍圖片, 色情做愛影片, 情色貼圖區, 八國聯軍情色網, 免費線上a片, 淫蕩女孩自拍, 美國a片, 都都成人站, 色情自拍, 本土自拍照片, 熊貓貼圖區, 色情影片, 5278影片網, 脫星寫真圖片, 粉喵聊天室, 金瓶梅18, sex888影片分享區, 1007視訊, 雙贏論壇,

免費成人影音, 彩虹自拍, 小魔女貼影片, 自拍裸體寫真, 禿頭俱樂部, 環球av影音城, 學生色情聊天室, 視訊美女, 辣妹情色圖, 性感卡通美女圖片, 影音, 情色照片 做愛, hilive tv , 忘年之交聊天室, 制服美女, 性感辣妹, ut 女同聊天室, 淫蕩自拍, 處女貼圖貼片區, 聊天ukiss tw, 亞亞成人館, 777成人, 秋瓷炫裸體寫真, 淫蕩天使貼圖, 十八禁成人影音, 禁地論壇, 洪爺淫蕩自拍, 秘書自拍圖片,

aaaa片, 免費聊天, 咆哮小老鼠影片分享區, 金瓶梅影片, av女優王國, 78論壇, 女同聊天室, 熟女貼圖, 1069壞朋友論壇gay, 淫蕩少女總部, 日本情色派, 平水相逢, 黑澀會美眉無名, 網路小說免費看, 999東洋成人, 免費視訊聊天, 情色電影分享區, 9k躺伯虎聊天室, 傑克論壇, 日本女星杉本彩寫真, 自拍電影免費下載, a片論壇, 情色短片試看, 素人自拍寫真,

15 April, 2009 08:43

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

 

View My Stats
eXTReMe Tracker