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Police Application
I am currently filling out the application form for the police and am having difficulty with the 'examples' they ask from my working life, i feel i would be well suited to the police force but haven't come across much in my short working life to give evidence of this. Has anyone else applied and what sort of things did u put down for your examples in the competency section (section 4)?? Thanks
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Having been a copper for the last 18 years I might be able to help if no-one else posts you an answer! I'm sure the application form is a little different to the one I completed in 1988, but respect to you for wanting to join the job. Persevere buddy, you'll get a lot out of it and you'll make some good friends. Good luck, Matt.
I'm not an actual PC but I am a teacher and on my application form to TT college, I had a similar section "Why do you think you would be suited to teaching, please give examples" kind of thing. I realise, as do the force, I should think, that few people have any examples of actually doing any kind of citizen arrests or vigilante type policing, so maybe there are other aspects of the work that you could find examples of. Things like, I'm good at working with people, I like to help others (you must be able to think of examples for that) I like to support my immediate community and take care of those around me. I have a keen eye for details, Whereas I enjoy being out and about, working one to one with isolated individuals, I am also meticulous with paperwork and like to have all said items in order. I like to make a difference to others, for example when we had a problem at work.....insert issue.......I was the driving force behind contacting the union to seek reprisal for the victims of ........ etc etc. I'm sure you could think of lots of examples where you , in the course of your work, have had to engage similar skills that have that you would envisage using on the force....
maybe it would help to really think about why you would be a good pc and then you might remember examples which give evidence of these reasons.
sorry can't help more. These forms are tricky, but Im sure you'll be fine
Maybe you could answer the question by thinking of a time when you have been invovled with sorting out a conflict. If it is not work based, then you could just say, I have never been invovled in conflict in the work place, but I have been invovled in a conflict at home/school/social gathering. then go on to explain the situation and how you dealt with it. You have to bring the question round to something that you can truthfully respond to, even if it means relating the question to something that is not directly what the question is about. It has to be better than saying nothing, or worse still: making something up!
good luck with your quest
I know you shouldn't do this, but i am trying to think of a scenario where this quesiton would relate to and then try and make a scenario up where the things i put in would be what i believe i would do. Just make sure you know your story before going to the assesment centre and know what to say if they ask questions on the situation.