Page 11 - WMPF Federation DEC 2019-flip

people have a variety of “Agreeing to the revised process,
responsibilities both at procedure and administration, the Emma’s story
work and away from the Detective Academy Strategy Group hopes
work place. The changes to open up the Detective Academy process I have been a single
to the process have been to as wide a group of people as possible. working mother for the
designed and “This year was another very successful last three years and I
implemented to help all year for the Detective Academy and we are have been trying to
candidates balance the busy planning and preparing for the 2020 balance work-life
demands of the NIE Detective process. As soon as we have finalised the commitments for that
process with their other Superintendent details, we will announce the launch of time, putting my career
responsibilities. Therefore Anthony Tagg. Detective Academy 2020 through News on hold while I focused
giving all candidates a Beat. Becoming a detective offers an on bringing up my son,
better chance to secure the success in the exciting, rewarding and challenging career states PC Emma Bushe, adult investigation
NIE that they undoubtedly want. path that I would recommend to everyone.” officer in Team 3.
Now my son is slightly older I thought it
was my opportunity to try to progress my
What is the Detective Academy? career and train to be a DC as I work in PPU.
I knew from others that the exam was hard
work and required a lot of commitment and
sacrifice. It is something I had been
debating about for a while and decided to
act on it instead of just merely thinking
about it.
I knew it was possible to defer the exam
to a later date for those in certain
circumstances and therefore giving more
time than three months to study. I asked DS
Gittins about this when I enrolled for the
much earlier exam but the answer then
was not favourable. I left feeling a little
jaded but started my revision.
It is not possible for me to revise in
work’s time as I am always busy. Out of
The Detective Academy, which has just into the detective world and is designed to work’s time, I have responsibility for my
recruited its third year of entrants, is West give officers and police staff the chance to child so the only time I would be able to
Midlands Police’s approach to recruiting achieve a rewarding career while providing study is in the evening. With my son going
and training detectives. the Force, and the public, with the best to bed at 7.30, this would give me an hour
Officers and police staff who pass trained, experienced and motivated and a half.
through the academy are given the detectives. From the study material and the
opportunity to train and qualify as a All areas of the Force that employ amount of it, I started to feel very
detective and then be offered a career detectives are working with the learning overwhelmed and worried. Had I made the
pathway allowing them to develop skills and development team to put in place an right decision? DS Gittins then called me a
across the Investigative arena. accreditation programme. few weeks later to say that she would
They can then work, over time, in areas To gain a place in the academy, officers support me deferring to the later exam.
as diverse as homicide, child abuse, have to attend an assessment event “Not only was I balancing work but I am
professional standards, anti-corruption involving a written work-based exercise and also in the process of selling my house so
and counter terrorism. a presentation to a panel including a this for me made a huge difference. I have
The academy will be the single route detective inspector. not been as stressed and I have been able to
focus properly. There are still days when
revision is just not possible and I struggle to
get an hour in, however, I know that
I was becoming very stressed while
Kathryn’s story trying to fit everything in and it started because I have been given the leeway for
the March exam I don’t need to ‘panic
Having a longer amount of time to study to take its toll on me and my family. I revise’ where I’m reading a page but it’s not
allows us to retain a home-life balance. Our spoke to DS Gittins about my issues and going in.
job is very demanding on us, we work long being allowed to delay my exam and I think it is a massive undertaking and
hours and our work can be emotionally offer me more time to study has really big ask for anyone to revise and learn the
draining. We need down time without lightened the load for me. course material in three months. It is very
thinking about work. If study can be I am very grateful for this and I feel stressful and just having the extra three
spread out this massively reduces the that this would be a benefit to all. Not months has afforded me piece of mind and
pressure we feel, I particularly have other everyone wants to speak about issues the ability to do the best I can while still
issues to deal with outside of work and I they may have at home and may be maintaining my work-life balance and
am not alone in this, says PC Kathryn struggling their way through. A longer looking after my son. I am very grateful to
Sargent, who works in adult care abuse study period would help to make life that DS Gittins for being able to achieve this for
investigation Team 1. little bit easier. me and hope that it reflects in the exam.

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