RAF Police, waste of space or not?
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Taffwales,
I haven't replied to this thread because I agree that in all trades there are good guys and ar$es. In general, I've had no bad experiences with the RAFP, but also no good ones. Perhaps I'm too sensible to argue with a copper
However, you are now:
a) showing prejudice in the trade that everyone least wants to be prejudiced:
b) showing scant regard for the justice system - see post regarding Flt Lt Hague - 'RAF Odiham' top of Page 5.
So, ar$e you are.
sw
I haven't replied to this thread because I agree that in all trades there are good guys and ar$es. In general, I've had no bad experiences with the RAFP, but also no good ones. Perhaps I'm too sensible to argue with a copper
However, you are now:
a) showing prejudice in the trade that everyone least wants to be prejudiced:
Ooooooh the queers, One of these types
So, ar$e you are.
sw
Taff,
I seriously hope for your sake that you have retired because you are getting very close to bringing your service into disrepute in a public forum!
and contravening your service's policy on EO!
I seriously hope for your sake that you have retired because you are getting very close to bringing your service into disrepute in a public forum!
and contravening your service's policy on EO!
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Taff,
Why don't you take your prejudice somewhere where it's appreciated.
I do not appreciate the allegation that all my fellow gay servicemen are in some way perverse - and before you try to wheedle your way out, I'd suggest that saying, "ooooooh, the queers" makes an assumption that "those types" all follow a set pattern of behaviour viz use of.. ah.... personal equipment.
HUMINTer you are not!
Why don't you take your prejudice somewhere where it's appreciated.
I do not appreciate the allegation that all my fellow gay servicemen are in some way perverse - and before you try to wheedle your way out, I'd suggest that saying, "ooooooh, the queers" makes an assumption that "those types" all follow a set pattern of behaviour viz use of.. ah.... personal equipment.
HUMINTer you are not!
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Taffwales is obviously a rather old and well retired ex-region SI FS and, in my experience, his views are completely unrepresentative of the RAFP of today. Pathetic really.
As for those using this forum to take cheap shots at the RAFP, "The coward threatens when he is safe".
I cannot believe the 'moderator' of this forum has allowed this dreary little thread to continue wasting bandwidth for so long.
As for those using this forum to take cheap shots at the RAFP, "The coward threatens when he is safe".
I cannot believe the 'moderator' of this forum has allowed this dreary little thread to continue wasting bandwidth for so long.
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I cannot believe the 'moderator' of this forum has allowed this dreary little thread to continue wasting bandwidth for so long.
Why are the RAFP an exception? Why should this thread be closed when plenty of others are allowed to run their course, even if they do include derogatory comments about one branch or another?
This is a forum. Often defined as:
a public meeting or assembly for open discussion
or
An online discussion group, where participants with common interests can exchange open messages.
So let the open exchange continue. Several members of the RAFP have spoken in the defence of their colleagues, and have won some respect from others. I am sure they are more than capable of fighting their corner. I suspect that they neither need nor want to be treated as a 'special case'.
but I passed the exam. maybe I did too well at school.
Whilst carrying out a routine patrol around the Os mess at oh my god o'clock doors to the tv room and dining hall were found wide open for anyone to enter unobserved. Matter was reported to RAFP to which they replied "it's alright there is always somebody in the building".
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"A bit different to when I was at Shawbury in 91, when they found an open window into a locked room, so set off the fire alarm at 3 in the morning to get us all out of the mess."
Thought that was a chargeable offence, I hope he did the decent thing.
Thought that was a chargeable offence, I hope he did the decent thing.
I learnt abut RAFP from that!
All RAFP like any other tradesman are not built equally. There were a few in met in 26 years that were ok, the majority, I will quite happily not miss speaking to or dealing with again.
Home of the leaping heap, a few moons ago......
Saturday night Guard Comm/Ord Sgt/all round dogsbody.
Am summonsed to the Gaddafi to find not one but two RAFP landrovers, a dog handler and his mate, and the Duty RAFP SNCO. Blue Lights flashing, it was like a scene from the Bill.
"What’s up" says I.
RAFP SNCO "Got a problem inside, three guys have been smashing the place up"
"Ok" says I "and?"
"Well" says he "you need to go in and get them out, there quiet now"
"You want me to go in and get them out - what about your lads"?
"There busy"
"Are they? There still here sitting in there wagons"
"I’m telling you there busy"
Ok says I, puts it down to a typical helpful RAFP, grab 2 members of the SSGF and proceed to "nick" 3 extremely drunk lads from inside.
2 hours later having "processed” and safely ensconced our 3 criminals I ring the SNCO RAFP.
"Hi can you lock up the NAAFI or get your lads to please - Been a bit tied up with the paperwork"
"No" no explanation, nothing just one word - "no”
Cheers Mate thinks I, and grab one of the off duty SGSF to watch our, by now 3 sleeping beauties. Proceed to the NAAFI to lock it up and then on to the Sgt’s Mess to carry out the same procedure. It was on my way back to the Guardroom I realised that I was in fact not alone, guess what I saw when I looked back, a RAFP landrover containing two of the forces finest sitting in the main station car park, so I ambled across and asked them what they were up to. The answer “nothing much were bored” says a lot.
To cap my night off the phone rang at 6.30am, it was my friend the Duty RAFP SNCO.
“Right WTF is going on? 2 of the foot patrol have just been spotted entering the Airmans Mess – Why?
“I dunno, ill find out – for breakfast I assume, they were asked to come back here first - ill sort it”
“No you won’t I will – Ill send my lads into the mess to get them out and they can come and explain to me”
Takes a lot to get me annoyed but he just had!!
“Let me get this straight” I said to him, “You wanted nothing to do with a fight in the NAAFI, or with the locking up of the miscreants, or with the security of two buildings, but you want to interview two airman that have gone to breakfast an hour early”
His answer……
“Yes – you sound upset, why”?
Needless to say the lads did not go and see him earning me a one way interview with OC Oinks and dire threats that were only stopped when the SWO stepped in to cover my six.
I learnt about RAF policeman from that, the majority I met are oxygen thieves.
Home of the leaping heap, a few moons ago......
Saturday night Guard Comm/Ord Sgt/all round dogsbody.
Am summonsed to the Gaddafi to find not one but two RAFP landrovers, a dog handler and his mate, and the Duty RAFP SNCO. Blue Lights flashing, it was like a scene from the Bill.
"What’s up" says I.
RAFP SNCO "Got a problem inside, three guys have been smashing the place up"
"Ok" says I "and?"
"Well" says he "you need to go in and get them out, there quiet now"
"You want me to go in and get them out - what about your lads"?
"There busy"
"Are they? There still here sitting in there wagons"
"I’m telling you there busy"
Ok says I, puts it down to a typical helpful RAFP, grab 2 members of the SSGF and proceed to "nick" 3 extremely drunk lads from inside.
2 hours later having "processed” and safely ensconced our 3 criminals I ring the SNCO RAFP.
"Hi can you lock up the NAAFI or get your lads to please - Been a bit tied up with the paperwork"
"No" no explanation, nothing just one word - "no”
Cheers Mate thinks I, and grab one of the off duty SGSF to watch our, by now 3 sleeping beauties. Proceed to the NAAFI to lock it up and then on to the Sgt’s Mess to carry out the same procedure. It was on my way back to the Guardroom I realised that I was in fact not alone, guess what I saw when I looked back, a RAFP landrover containing two of the forces finest sitting in the main station car park, so I ambled across and asked them what they were up to. The answer “nothing much were bored” says a lot.
To cap my night off the phone rang at 6.30am, it was my friend the Duty RAFP SNCO.
“Right WTF is going on? 2 of the foot patrol have just been spotted entering the Airmans Mess – Why?
“I dunno, ill find out – for breakfast I assume, they were asked to come back here first - ill sort it”
“No you won’t I will – Ill send my lads into the mess to get them out and they can come and explain to me”
Takes a lot to get me annoyed but he just had!!
“Let me get this straight” I said to him, “You wanted nothing to do with a fight in the NAAFI, or with the locking up of the miscreants, or with the security of two buildings, but you want to interview two airman that have gone to breakfast an hour early”
His answer……
“Yes – you sound upset, why”?
Needless to say the lads did not go and see him earning me a one way interview with OC Oinks and dire threats that were only stopped when the SWO stepped in to cover my six.
I learnt about RAF policeman from that, the majority I met are oxygen thieves.
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What, no reply Taffwales?
You seem to have had enough to say for yourself earlier in this thread.
Is it because there is no defending the indefensible?
It must be very lonely being such a shining paragon of virtue in such a dark and depraved world
You seem to have had enough to say for yourself earlier in this thread.
Is it because there is no defending the indefensible?
It must be very lonely being such a shining paragon of virtue in such a dark and depraved world
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"What, no reply Taffwales?"
"It must be very lonely being such a shining paragon of virtue in such a dark and depraved world"
I'm not sure who's the bigger ass, you lot for tarring Taff with the same brush as the tosser SNCO RAFP, or skeleton for putting up with OC Polices attitude.
Why on earth would you need the intervention of the SWO, could you not have involved the stn authorites & had the SNCO copper hauled over hot coals? Or is it easier not to & just slag them off?
Non of the coppers who've posted on here have have declared being the master race or beyond reproach. What they have done, time & time again, is put a balanced arguement forward.
Yes the RAF Police has it's share of toe-rags, but it doesn't help that you lot treat every RAF copper as a toe-rag, hence the attitude you sometimes get!
Get over it chaps, or do you hold civvi coppers in the same vane as RAF coppers?
"It must be very lonely being such a shining paragon of virtue in such a dark and depraved world"
I'm not sure who's the bigger ass, you lot for tarring Taff with the same brush as the tosser SNCO RAFP, or skeleton for putting up with OC Polices attitude.
Why on earth would you need the intervention of the SWO, could you not have involved the stn authorites & had the SNCO copper hauled over hot coals? Or is it easier not to & just slag them off?
Non of the coppers who've posted on here have have declared being the master race or beyond reproach. What they have done, time & time again, is put a balanced arguement forward.
Yes the RAF Police has it's share of toe-rags, but it doesn't help that you lot treat every RAF copper as a toe-rag, hence the attitude you sometimes get!
Get over it chaps, or do you hold civvi coppers in the same vane as RAF coppers?
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I think its fair to say that, as in our tradeother trades have their prats and there are those that realise not all people in a trade group should be tarred with the same brush. To those decent enough to realise, thankyou for your comments. To those who dont realise, get over yourselves 
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Get over it chaps, or do you hold civvi coppers in the same vane as RAF coppers?
I have nothing but the utmost respect for civilian police officers, and some of the stories they come back and tell me of the horrific things they put up with, night after night, week after week, would humble you, and certainly put your stories of sitting guarding aircraft, and nabbing people for tax disc crimes, into perspective. Even though I accept that that is not all you do (before you start) I would imagine that even YOU would admit that the life of an RAF Policeman/woman, is not at all comparable to the life of a REAL police officer.
It's also interesting however, to find that civvy coppers don't hold you in very high regard either, finding you, not in my words I hasten to add,
"A bunch of over zealous, amateur pretend policemen"
It seems that many of them see you as being a little self important, but not actually having all that much weight to throw around. Apparently, RAF police people are not looked upon favourably upon application to the civilian force either, due to the fact that they are too "set in their ways" and like to go about policing the way the RAF taught them. It apparently makes for a much better police officer if you start with a blank canvas.
Doubtless this will attract all kinds of responses from disgruntled RAF Policemen/women, however, this is not only my opinion (Although I wholeheartedly agree) but the opinion of several serving civilian police officers.
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They hold warrant cards, but these allow them jurisdiction within the RAF ONLY. They have no more powers in civvie street than you or I, unless specifically invited by CIVPOL.
The exception is in the Falklands, where military police are accorded civilian constable status as well.
The exception is in the Falklands, where military police are accorded civilian constable status as well.
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I have, until now, been a passive visitor to PPRune, with a particular interest in the Military Aircrew Forum. For what it's worth, I'd like to add my personal experiences of the Royal Air Force Police.
I had the honour to serve in the RAF Police for 7 years, before joining the Metropolitan Police. Following various promotions and senior appointments in three other forces, I am now an Assistant Chief Constable, in a busy force, in the north of England.
I still maintain a keen interest in my professional roots and personally know several ex-RAF Police NCOs, who later joined Home Office police forces and attained ranks ranging from PC to Chief Superintendent.
Having a degree of influence over the recruiting policy of my own Force, I can say with some confidence that the quality of recruits we take from the RAF Police is generally extremely high. Most have an excellent grounding in general police duties, while others bring highly specialised skills and experience with them, such as Home Office Detective Training, Scenes of Crimes Officer Training, specialist search, covert intelligence gathering, dog handling, firearms and air transport security skills.
The Royal Air Force can be very proud of its police force, which, in my experience, has the confidence of the very special community it serves. I speak not only as someone looking back fondly on my own career in the RAF Police, but as someone with first hand knowledge of the RAF Police of today.
Like any organisation (including my own), the RAF Police have among their ranks some who fall below the high standard set by the majority of their colleagues. On the whole, however, the RAF Police match the professionalism of any Home Office police force and, in certain specialisations, exceed it. As far as danger in the line of duty is concerned, the RAF Police operate in some of the most dangerous places in the world.
Incidentally, rivetjoint, every member of the RAF Police holds a warrant card, which means he or she acts with the authority of the Provost Marshal (RAF) and Chief of Air Force Police. The RAF Police have powers in relation to all service personnel that are identical to those a civilian police constable has in relation to civilians. Furthermore, the RAF Police have a very sound knowledge of their ordinary powers of arrest in relation to civilians, which, under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, are extensive. The RAF Police are bound by the same rules of evidence and codes of practice as Home Office police forces.
I had the honour to serve in the RAF Police for 7 years, before joining the Metropolitan Police. Following various promotions and senior appointments in three other forces, I am now an Assistant Chief Constable, in a busy force, in the north of England.
I still maintain a keen interest in my professional roots and personally know several ex-RAF Police NCOs, who later joined Home Office police forces and attained ranks ranging from PC to Chief Superintendent.
Having a degree of influence over the recruiting policy of my own Force, I can say with some confidence that the quality of recruits we take from the RAF Police is generally extremely high. Most have an excellent grounding in general police duties, while others bring highly specialised skills and experience with them, such as Home Office Detective Training, Scenes of Crimes Officer Training, specialist search, covert intelligence gathering, dog handling, firearms and air transport security skills.
The Royal Air Force can be very proud of its police force, which, in my experience, has the confidence of the very special community it serves. I speak not only as someone looking back fondly on my own career in the RAF Police, but as someone with first hand knowledge of the RAF Police of today.
Like any organisation (including my own), the RAF Police have among their ranks some who fall below the high standard set by the majority of their colleagues. On the whole, however, the RAF Police match the professionalism of any Home Office police force and, in certain specialisations, exceed it. As far as danger in the line of duty is concerned, the RAF Police operate in some of the most dangerous places in the world.
Incidentally, rivetjoint, every member of the RAF Police holds a warrant card, which means he or she acts with the authority of the Provost Marshal (RAF) and Chief of Air Force Police. The RAF Police have powers in relation to all service personnel that are identical to those a civilian police constable has in relation to civilians. Furthermore, the RAF Police have a very sound knowledge of their ordinary powers of arrest in relation to civilians, which, under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, are extensive. The RAF Police are bound by the same rules of evidence and codes of practice as Home Office police forces.