UK/International Police Academy Questions

[BrickCop]

How long is the typical UK Police Academy? Do the unarmed departments undergo any type of firearms training or is this reserved just for specialized units?

What is the Physical Training (PT) like, is it considered difficult?

Is your academy more like a military boot camp or a college type environment?

Thanks

[Cockney Corner.]

Well, when I did it in England (anyone else go to Ryton incidentally?)

1. It was 15 weeks length but has now been shortened, and the trend is increasingly for forces to do the training in house. We had no firearms training (other than firearms law) whatsoever. You're not even taught how to make a loaded firearm you may come across safe.

2. There was an element of PT, but nothing hard - certainly no marathon cross country runs with heavy packs. Mainly supervised gym circuits.

3. Definitely college type environment with individual rooms. We had some drill but again, I think that has now been dropped.

[Raid1]

It was Shotley for me (now closed down I think). We did 2 weeks in house training at our own HQ. One week was bizarrely spent working with mental health workers , prison officers and the ambulance service Then kit issue and form filling.

Then we joined mixed classes from various forces. Norfolk Suffolk and Herts.
And did 5 weeks at MoD Wethersfield (no room at Shotley) which was great the facilities there were far better than the old naval school.
Then moved over to Shotley for another 5 weeks.

Throughout this there was some emphasis on physical training , group runs and the like ; but most of it was left up to the individual to carry out in the evening. A bit of self defence input also , but very basic.

Definitely a college type environment as Cockney Corner has said. Class room and role-play inputs on law and plenty of booze in the bar at night

We did parade drill but they had done away with the passing out parade which ****ed us off mightily

After the 10 weeks we went back to our own forces for a few weeks actually on duty with our tutor constables. Then back to training college for another 5 weeks. More law , a bit of public order training , life saving etc...

When we got back to force. You spent the next two years on probation some of that was under the supervision of your tutor until you were signed off as competent for independent patrol. You attended regular courses at HQ which added to your training on various bits of law and procedure.

The only firearms training you got was a video showing you what a mess bullets can make. What cover to hide behind , what the inside of an ARV is like and a whole bunch of Firearms Law. But really although I wanted more its all a patrol bobby needs. When the **** hits the fan you hope theres an ARV nearby.

Driver training came after two years probation.

I think its all changed now infact I have even heard of forces doing all the training in house. Certainly we have got probationers crewing cars on their own now...But I won't get started down that road as Ive got to go to work tonight and I hate going in on a downer.

[BrickCop]

Very interesting information. I did not realize the academy training over there was so, for lack of a better word, laid back. You were not even trained to make a loaded firearm safe?! That's amazing. Are all the academies like that?

From what I've read so far it sounds like the "easiest" police academy in the States would be like boot camp over there. That's sad, you cannot cut corners on officer saftey.

[Bobbycop]

Very interesting information. I did not realize the academy training over there was so, for lack of a better word, laid back. You were not even trained to make a loaded firearm safe?! That's amazing. Are all the academies like that?

From what I've read so far it sounds like the "easiest" police academy in the States would be like boot camp over there. That's sad, you cannot cut corners on officer saftey.

But guns are not a particular threat to our safety, because there aren't many around.

[JohnKelly]

Australian Police

In Australia there are 7 State Police Forces and one Federal Police Force, each with their own Police Academy and so the information provided here is a generalisation.

Australian Police Academies are based on a military type training environment but sadly in some cases there is a drift towards a university style of training.

The Constables Course at the Academy takes around 25 weeks and at the completion of that Course the member is sworn in.

Members are fully kitted and paid during training and in most cases are required to live in.

The Graduation Parade is a grand affair, with the Graduating Squads performing parade ground drill movements in their ceremonial uniforms and receiving their Graduation Certificates from the Police Commissioner, in the presence of various dignitaries, families and friends.

Most Australian Police Forces have a Police Band and they provide the music for the Graduating Parades.

However, the member, although now a fully sworn police officer, is still regarded as being a Trainee on Probation for a further 18 months and during that 18 months must in addition to performing rostered duties, complete various practical assignments and police driving courses as determined by the Police Academy. At the end of the 18 months the member returns to the Academy for a final theory examination to determine that he had retained all that he was taught.

When he has passed this final examination and subject to the suitability reports from his supervisors he is then comfirmed as a member of the police force and may now start applying for a posting at a Police Station in whatever location he desires, but because he is a 'junior' in terms of seniority, he is very low in the pecking order of choice police stations.

All Australian Police Forces are armed and therefore must be proficient in the use of the standard issue firearm which depending on the State, could be a Glock or an S & W 38.

PT is part and partial of police training and all applicants must first qualify on the obstactle course and during their police training must reach a high level of fitness as determined by the Physicial Training Instructors at the Police Academy.

Anyhow that's a brief insight into police life in the Lucky County, Down Under.

Cheers.