Random Irritations

[Lucifer MorningStar]

What suprised me was the amount of police sacked over the last year. 735. Be interested to hear Billy’s views on that as well.

bit of a false economy just posting a number of sackings without context.

If they’re unfair dismissal then there’s argument to be made. If they’re all valid and because they’ve committed crimes, gross negligence, incompetence or committed infractions that are against their employment contracts then good they should be sacked. Just getting an opinion on a number with no context has no relevance.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Stats without context are just numbers at the end of the day

 

[Tashyboy]

bit of a false economy just posting a number of sackings without context.

If they’re unfair dismissal then there’s argument to be made. If they’re all valid and because they’ve committed crimes, gross negligence, incompetence or committed infractions that are against their employment contracts then good they should be sacked. Just getting an opinion on a number with no context has no relevance.

That’s the thing though, When I read the piece, there’s a bit of everything that you mentioned.

Number of cops sacked and barred from service revealed - how many are in your area?

The most common reasons for the dismissals were dishonesty, discriminatory behaviour, unlawful access or disclosure of information, inappropriate communications, and sexual offences or misconduct.

news.sky.com

Now that is up from the previous year. But I wonder what the sudden upturn is due to

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

That’s the thing though, When I read the piece, there’s a bit of everything that you mentioned.

Number of cops sacked and barred from service revealed - how many are in your area?

The most common reasons for the dismissals were dishonesty, discriminatory behaviour, unlawful access or disclosure of information, inappropriate communications, and sexual offences or misconduct.

news.sky.com

Now that is up from the previous year. But I wonder what the sudden upturn is due to

I can’t be bothered to read it to be honest but even the headline shows it wasn’t sackings for the sake of it. As for the upturn they’re clearly getting better at weeding out the scum bags and making them more accountable to the public.

 

[4LEX]

That’s the thing though, When I read the piece, there’s a bit of everything that you mentioned.

Number of cops sacked and barred from service revealed - how many are in your area?

The most common reasons for the dismissals were dishonesty, discriminatory behaviour, unlawful access or disclosure of information, inappropriate communications, and sexual offences or misconduct.

news.sky.com

Now that is up from the previous year. But I wonder what the sudden upturn is due to

No surprise to see Thames Valley top the data per capita and almost outright.

 

[Billysboots]

What suprised me was the amount of police sacked over the last year. 735. Be interested to hear Billy’s views on that as well.

Given there are the best part of 150,000 cops in the UK, and that those officers are drawn from society, the dismissal of 0.5% of them is no real surprise. I’d be interested to see how that stacks up against other professions.

The figure is also skewed somewhat when you consider nearly 200 of those dismissed were MPS officers. Anyone working within the police will tell you that the Met is a whole different ballgame to the rest of the UK, and they have had significant issues in recent years in recruitment, vetting, and their handling of professional standards matters.

The press and media will always spin these figures to suit their agenda. As will those who latch onto them.

 

[Billysboots]

Dossers notwithstanding. Do you think the average copper now is any different to the average one 30 years ago?

Depends what metric you are using to describe the average cop.

What I can tell you with absolute certainty is that recruitment is vastly different now to what I faced in the early 1990’s, when I applied. In those days the overall standard of recruit was higher, primarily because selection criteria were far more stringent. Home visits to potential recruits were the norm, the physical fitness requirements higher, and it was accepted back then that it was a tough job to get into.

Once in, the initial training was a world apart from what we see today. 15 weeks away at training school, the educational requirements were tough. If you failed exams you were out. We were drilled to within an inch of our lives, appearance standards rigidly enforced, we learned to respect rank, and the results, in the main, were officers who understood they worked in a disciplined organisation. That’s no longer the case.

But did it also mean there were no bad apples back then? Of course not. I could tell you stuff that would make your hair curl. Some antics went on which you will not see today.

So, whenever I’m asked if the job, and I suppose with it the average police officer, is any better or worse today my answer is to invariably say it’s just different. It’s way worse in many ways, and infinitely better in many others.

 

[Tashyboy]

Depends what metric you are using to describe the average cop.

What I can tell you with absolute certainty is that recruitment is vastly different now to what I faced in the early 1990’s, when I applied. In those days the overall standard of recruit was higher, primarily because selection criteria were far more stringent. Home visits to potential recruits were the norm, the physical fitness requirements higher, and it was accepted back then that it was a tough job to get into.

Once in, the initial training was a world apart from what we see today. 15 weeks away at training school, the educational requirements were tough. If you failed exams you were out. We were drilled to within an inch of our lives, appearance standards rigidly enforced, we learned to respect rank, and the results, in the main, were officers who understood they worked in a disciplined organisation. That’s no longer the case.

But did it also mean there were no bad apples back then? Of course not. I could tell you stuff that would make your hair curl. Some antics went on which you will not see today.

So, whenever I’m asked if the job, and I suppose with it the average police officer, is any better or worse today my answer is to invariably say it’s just different. It’s way worse in many ways, and infinitely better in many others.

Guy next door to me is ex copper from Notts, he finished as a DCI or something like that. When I have spoken to him when he retired. He mentions how much it has changed from when he started. He at times struggled with the changes but he said you had to otherwise you were out. He said he much preferred the force when he joined to when he finished.

 

[The Squirrel]

That's local govt level system abuse . I'm amazed your line of work allows that.

Yep.

My company pays statutory sick pay only on absence and has a return to work interview for each and every absence.
Don’t think we’ve had a single person take more than 3 days off sick this year.
Doesn’t mean you can’t be caring and actually it frees up resources for genuine stuff - e.g. I signed someone off for some weeks of full pay leave of absence when their partner died suddenly.

I can tell you now (having experience of dealing with both) that if both local government and the NHS somehow defeated UNITE/UNISON and drove through and adopted SSP only for all staff then a lot of their problems would be cured at a stroke.

 

[Neilds]

That's local govt level system abuse . I'm amazed your line of work allows that.

I am ex military and wife has been local government for years and I can confirm that the military is more lax about the odd day off sick than local government. No back to work interviews, no max days off in a certain period, etc. Just self certification or if you really want to push it, pop to the med centre and get signed off - all on full pay with very little come back.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I am ex military and wife has been local government for years and I can confirm that the military is more lax about the odd day off sick than local government. No back to work interviews, no max days off in a certain period, etc. Just self certification or if you really want to push it, pop to the med centre and get signed off - all on full pay with very little come back.

Interesting. So they could bring in protocols to deal with the problem, they just have not?

 

[Neilds]

Interesting. So they could bring in protocols to deal with the problem, they just have not?

It wouldn't be too difficult to do, not sure why they haven't done anything because everyone knows the ones who are playing the system. I suspect if they tightened up on the self cert side, the med centre would be over run and there is no way you can argue with a sick note from the Doc.

 

[Piece]

Wrapping paper that has 4 easy peels and an extra 15cm of paper so there's no wastage when trying to take the easy peels off.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Another walk to school irritation

Cars again - and those parking covering the whole path

A lady with a big Merc SUV parked across the whole path blocking it , a lady in a mobility scooter couldn’t get past - the lady in the Merc told her to “walk around” on the road


I did take great delight in telling her she parked in a camera zone and will be getting a ticket

 

[Tashyboy]

When I worked in the medical centre, I was responsible for recording of sicknees absence. Anything from injury to illness.
Quite frankly some of the lads “ took the mickey”.
One lad who was an electrician, ended up having a stent put in as he was getting chest pains. Inside a couple of weeks he was told he could return to work by his GP. Inititally light work with a steady return to his regular job. He convinced himself he was going to die. He convinced himself his only option was to finish on ill health. Basically finishing work early and getting a full pension. He stayed off work for 18 months. As an electrician it must of cost him the best part of £100k. He was told after 18 months if he does not return to work he will be sacked. He did return to work. The following year the pit shut.
Working in the medical you saw all sorts of folk. Some would work with legs and arms missing. Others were quite frankly useless and bone idle.

 

[Fade and Die]

Back door compulsory digital ID for company Directors.

I am massively against digital ID, to me it’s not a security it’s a vulnerability, all your details on one hackable database, once your ID is out there it’s not like a password you can reset!
Even though it’s been said digital ID is not compulsory as a company director we have been told we must have it to file returns at companies house.

@Lord Tyrion what are your thoughts?

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

When I worked in the medical centre, I was responsible for recording of sicknees absence. Anything from injury to illness.
Quite frankly some of the lads “ took the mickey”.
One lad who was an electrician, ended up having a stent put in as he was getting chest pains. Inside a couple of weeks he was told he could return to work by his GP. Inititally light work with a steady return to his regular job. He convinced himself he was going to die. He convinced himself his only option was to finish on ill health. Basically finishing work early and getting a full pension. He stayed off work for 18 months. As an electrician it must of cost him the best part of £100k. He was told after 18 months if he does not return to work he will be sacked. He did return to work. The following year the pit shut.
Working in the medical you saw all sorts of folk. Some would work with legs and arms missing. Others were quite frankly useless and bone idle.

I think that one’s a pretty poor example. If someone has had a stent fitted due to heart issues it’s not hard to see why they were worried about returning to somewhere that is a physically demanding job and wanting to reduce their stress on themselves and their heart.

Between the medical team and management could provisions not be made to find other electrical work in a less demanding place. Or a simple conversation between the management, med team and individual not point out whilst they appreciate his years of service they don’t think it’s the right working environment for him and then offered help in finding something more suited. Would’ve saved wasting 18months of his and companies time. Seems more like poor management than someone trying to just get away with it.

Admittedly there’s probably more to this story but the underlying tone seems like poor management allowing it to go on so long.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Back door compulsory digital ID for company Directors.

I am massively against digital ID, to me it’s not a security it’s a vulnerability, all your details on one hackable database, once your ID is out there it’s not like a password you can reset!
Even though it’s been said digital ID is not compulsory as a company director we have been told we must have it to file returns at companies house.

@Lord Tyrion what are your thoughts?

I have views fairly close to yours, but I can see a point when you consider the "new companies" that started up when the covid loans came out and now the companies are gone as are the people who started them leaving us £9 billion lost (I think it was).
I've had to do mine.

 

[Neilds]

Back door compulsory digital ID for company Directors.

I am massively against digital ID, to me it’s not a security it’s a vulnerability, all your details on one hackable database, once your ID is out there it’s not like a password you can reset!
Even though it’s been said digital ID is not compulsory as a company director we have been told we must have it to file returns at companies house.

@Lord Tyrion what are your thoughts?

But you are happy to put details on an open forum?

Just from recent posts, we can see where you live (roughly), where you have been working, your son and his wife work for the NHS, what sort of car you drive. A half decent IT geek could use this information to gain even more information about you and your likes and dislikes. This profile could then be used to have a decent guess at some of your passwords, etc and leave you open to hacking, etc.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Back door compulsory digital ID for company Directors.

I am massively against digital ID, to me it’s not a security it’s a vulnerability, all your details on one hackable database, once your ID is out there it’s not like a password you can reset!
Even though it’s been said digital ID is not compulsory as a company director we have been told we must have it to file returns at companies house.

@Lord Tyrion what are your thoughts?

I wasn't aware of this, my wife deals with our returns, the accountants etc (we own the company 50-50). I'm sure she will tell me when it comes to it.

I'm in the camp that says the horse has bolted a long time ago. The govt already has all of my information, NI number, tax number, address, passport details, driving licence. All equally hackable, just in different govt locations. Bringing it together will simplify things. Will it make it easier for hackers than the current set up? I don't know. I just think there is no point in worrying about it, it's all out there anyway and I can't control that now.