Any experience of band members in the police service?

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I would just like to say in response to some comments I've read here that shift-work in the Police Service is most definitely not the same a shift-work at Tesco etc. You don't get paid for the first half an hour for starters!

 

Also, whatever the regulations might say about publishing shifts in advance (for 12 months I think I read somewhere) that is subject to an extensive list of caveats which means realistically you would never know what you're doing that far in advance. For example, drummer might be posted on A Shift. For a multitude of reasons (skill base, staff level, internal moves, promotions etc) drummer might not even be on A shift in 12 months time, so don't bank on that. The Chief reserves the right and there is bugger all you can do about it. Another example which happens regularly, 'exigency of duty'. Something like COP comes along drummers rest days are cancelled. Nothing you can do about it and don't think just because it's in Scotland it won't effect where you are.

 

I would say the biggest danger as far as the OP is concerned (dependant on the role drummer takes on) is extended duties. If she's frontline on Response or similar and she's due off at 4 with a gig that evening, expect the worst.

 

That said, I managed 22 years of playing in bands around front line Police shift-work and never failed to turn up. I will say that the Service was a lot healthier then than it is now. Where I live they are on their knees.