To Err is to be human.

What is it about specialising that makes certain bobbies forget their roots? Every police officer starts at the bottom, 2 years probation then perhaps specialising in a given area. Equally a lot of bobbies stay on shift, become 'old sweats' as new probationers swell up the shift numbers. It is without doubt being a newbie on shift is probably one of the most intense and exciting parts of their career.

Everyone starts at the bottom, the first rung of the ladder. Yes, a wide variety of incidents help bolster ones knowledge & experience, but this is where you start to learn your craft.

One thing that really grates me is the contempt that some 'specialist' officers have to those junior in service or still on shift. Part of the problem is that by developing specialist departments my force has developed remits. I've known of armed officers stopping kids and finding weed on them, only to hand over to a probationer without even leaving their shoulder number or any evidence of continuity. I've seen shift officers young in service, rejoicing in the double arrest of two burglars whilst committing get a roasting from a Dc for not signing evidence labels. There's no truer phrase than 'stabbies on in the nick' when it comes to CID looking through your evidence package.

Why is this? Don't these officers recall they were young in service once and not everyone has had the benefit of receiving a structured investigator training package? Is it an empowerment thing? Is their training THAT good? To err is to be human. We will always make mistakes. If you don't make any, you're not working enough. Training & procedure helps to overcome this but ultimately mistakes will always be made. Whatever rank you are, or however long you have in service, mistakes can and do happen. It's knowing how to rectify them efficiently and professionally that can save a case.

If someone has made a good nicking then it costs nothing to say 'well done'. To blast someone for not signing an evidence label having nicked someone at 3am, booking in the prisoner, taking swabs, seizing clothing, obtaining statements, and completing a handover package is, in all honestly unfair and completely demoralising. Some people have very short memories.




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