Shattered Dreams
I don’t actually remember my first day in the job. I think it involved attending HQ & getting kitted out with uniform. I know we took the oath but I’m not sure if that was the first day or in the first few days.
Anyway, after a week or two we packed off to training school for ten weeks. Residential. I was never fitter in my life as when I came back from training school, I stayed at training school at the weekends whilst most people went home. We had nothing to do but sport & fitness work.
I do remember my first day at my designated police station. I was the total newb. I probably looked out of place because I was the smartest, the bull on the boots was still fresh & the creases on my shirt were unlike every one else on the shift. I was also the youngest.
I had such high expectations & ideals. Here I was a member of the most exclusive club in the world – so I was told – looking forward to doing my part to help, serve & protect.
My illusions were soon shattered as soon as I went for my first pee.
I pulled up at the urinal in the police station & the first thing I noticed was that there were bogeys on the wall and grafitti in black biro all over the place. I had to check I hadn’t stumbled into the pub across the road from the nick by mistake.
Graffiti & bogeys on the wall? At a police station? Done by Police officers? My disenchantment with being a police officer wasn’t to be negated over the next 30 years.
Tony F says:
I remember how clean everything was when I joined up, I was quite impressed, until I found out that WE had to clean it, polish it, salute it……..
November 13th, 2008 at 17:30
Core blimey says:
On my second day, I found my locker forced, my truncheon, whistle and chain and leather gloves were missing, and this was before e bay. A Sgt.. told me to forget it or I would be seen as a troublemaker.
November 13th, 2008 at 21:28