Um, BONGO

I don't have any problems with officers climbing the promotion ladder. I have for a long time now, realized that I'm not senior officer material, toeing the company line isn't high up on skills list. I generally say how it is, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I don't do targets, I do the best I can. If my detection rate is below par, I'll probably put it down to being a policeman and doing stuff that doesn't have a target attached to it. I do, however, know when to keep my mouth shut, having dropped myself in the brown smelly stuff on a number of occasions. I have learned by these experiences, perhaps I'm a little bitter over some of them too but c'est la vie. Due to these unfortunate experiences I have become a little distrusting over senior ranks. There are one or two that I admire and pay enormous respect too, but for the most part I have learned to keep my stabbie on inside the nick when brass are on walkabout.

I now know it takes a certain breed to elevate above the lofty heights of Inspector. Supernintendos....sorry, Superintendents can literally make or break a coppers career. Coming to their attention in a negative lights would take superhuman effort and many years to correct. Fortunately I havent had that misfortune, but I know a few that have.

So, why promotion? Getting promoted is hard work. Generally it involves taking a number of exams, some roleplay assessments and perhaps an interview. How brilliant you are as a copper has little to do with this part of the process, its whether or not you can study. There are many learning aids and courses out there which will help you get through part one and part two of the Sgt and Inspectors exams. This is brilliant, if you're a studious type. Not so great if you are a belt & braces foot soldier who is much revered but sadly overlooked by the brass.

Team 3 now have a TPS. I will call this TPS, or Temporary Police Sergeant, Donna. A nice enough girl, newly promoted after passing a number of exams and saying the right things in an interview. The problem is that 'Donna' has previous for being a bit, um useless. I know this, as does the rest of my team, as she was on town beat for 18 months. In that time her arrest and cleanup rate was appalling, as she spent more time in Starbucks and Dorothy Perkins than engaging with her community. I know her former Sergeant very well. Although professional, reading the lines he was somewhat pleased to support her application for the Sergeants scheme. Someone else he doesn't have to worry about anymore.

Donna is now presiding over team 3. It's a response team covering a large rural and sometimes urban area. Donna is in charge and the buck stops with her. Donna has 4 years service. Again, not a problem with that. Getting promoted young in service is an achievement. I wish I had done it, but I refer you back to my first paragraph. Fair play to her, if she can pass her exams then thats great. She's now got to get through a years TPS to prove she's got what it takes to lead from the front. Being a leader is all about teamwork, personal responsibility , inspiring and motivating others. This all has to be 'evidenced', then she will get her 'T' taken away and will become 'substantive'. The big problem is that Donna has already got herself a new nickname. She's now 'BONGO' (Boots On Never Goes Out). Domestics, grade ones, RTC's, suspects on...they all come flooding in, BONGO flaps and waves her arms about, demands current status of her crews. She has run out of units but not once does she consider picking up car keys to deal with the job herself. Her team have clocked this and she is not winning any friends.

I do feel a little sorry for her. She is clearly out of her depth and is struggling. Some of her team help her out, some go out of their way to make life difficult for her, testing her to see how much she will take before she eventually cracks. I had a chat with her last week during some 'down time', she seemed down and told me she was going to see the Superintendent for a performance meeting today. She quite openly told me that she never knew being a Sgt was quite so tough. The demands from the radio, her team and SMT were getting her down. At aged 26 she had the worry of the world on her shoulders. Her parting words were 'if he takes me off the scheme, I don't really care'. A sign that her promotion was not as easy as being able to pass two exams, it's much much more than that.


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