Police service

The what3words system enables the emergency services to find someone more easily.

When people call 999 they often struggle to describe their location, what3words helps them say exactly where they are, saving precious response time.

How does it work?

The system works by assigning 3 distinct words for every 3 square metre grid square on a map.

You must have the what3words app on your phone (which you can download on both Android and iOS from the link in Related Information). Then in an emergency:

• Find the 3 word address for your current location on the free what3words app. It works offline – ideal for areas with an unreliable data connection.
• Share your 3 word address over the phone to the call handler.
• The emergency service can then coordinate a response directly to the exact location where help is needed.

Please see the official what3words website in Related Information if you wish to know more.

The ranks of police officers are as follows (ending with the highest ranking):

Constable
Sergeant
Inspector
Chief Inspector
Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Assistant Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Chief Constable

The rank system within the Metropolitan Police Service is slightly different, and is as follows (ending with the highest ranking):

Constable
Sergeant
Inspector
Chief Inspector
Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Commander
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
Assistant Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner
Commissioner

In the helpdesks of many police stations there is a mixture of police staff and police officers and some police stations only have police staff. Members of police staff are highly trained to deal with members of the public so they can answer any query you may have so it is not necessary to ask to speak to a police officer.

To join the police force you need to fill in an application form supplied to you by your choice of force. The stages are carousel (a test of how you would deal with different situations), medical examination, physical assessment and interview (not necessarily in that order).

The police will carry out background checks and request references and if all these are satisfactory and you have successfully completed all the stages then you will be accepted as police constable.

Each police force recruits individually and for details on any recruitment drive you need to contact the force you are interested in joining.

For further advice on how to become a police constable see related website .

No, the police do not have the resources to run courses for dog owners.

The RSPCA do have online training tips for training your dog (see Related Information) and advise that when looking for a dog trainer they are accredited by The Association of Pet Dog Trainers to ensure they have the appropriate knowledge and skills. The link under the Related Information tab allows you to search for accredited dog trainers in your area.

Unfortunately most police forces do not provide this service as standard and if they did it may just be for a special event or occasion.
However any requests can be made via local policing teams or schools that have dedicated police officers or PCSOs.

Listed below are a few examples of emergencies when it would be necessary to call 999. This is not however an exhaustive list and common sense must prevail.

General circumstances of an incident reported to the police, when there is or likely to be:

• danger to life
• use, or immediate threat of use, of violence
• Serious injury to a person and/or
• serious damage to property

Criminal conduct

• the crime is, or likely to be serious and in progress
• an offender has just been disturbed at the scene
• an offender has been detained and poses, or is likely to pose, a risk to other people

Road traffic accident

• involves, or is likely to involve, serious personal injury
• the road is blocked or there is a dangerous or excessive build up of traffic.

If you don't require an emergency response, you can contact your local police force via 101.

The SMS Emergency (e-SMS) service is provided for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, as an alternative option for contacting an emergency 999 service. You must register your mobile phone on the e-SMS website to be able to use this text service, please see the link in related information for details on how to register.

The following advice is for anyone who feels vulnerable were he/she to stop. In many cases there may be several of you in the vehicle or you may be confident you can deal with the situation, in which case this advice may not apply to you.

An unmarked police car can stop vehicles but in order to comply with the provisions of the law, it must contain a constable who is in uniform. Failing to stop for a constable in uniform is an offence. In cases where a driver failed to stop and drove to the nearest police station/place of safety etc. before stopping because they were unsure of whether they were being asked to stop by a genuine police officer, if the police took action, it would ultimately be a matter for a court to decide whether they had committed an offence.

If a car flashing for you to pull over or stop is unmarked, unless you are certain it is the police, do not stop. Drive steadily to the nearest public place e.g. a petrol station where they are open till late, a police station or somewhere there are a lot of people, and then stop. If you are in a relatively deserted area, as a last resort, consider looking for a house that is obviously occupied and pull into the driveway. You can always apologise to the householder afterwards.

Try and signal that you have acknowledged the request to stop and indicate the action you are taking (put your flashers on or signal by pointing from the driver's window etc.). Don't drive off at great speed making the police think you are trying to get away.

Keep the doors locked until you are happy it is the police and have your mobile phone to hand just in case. You can ask to see the police officer's warrant card, which should carry their name and photograph, through the closed window.

Incidentally, if you are suspected of drink/drug driving none of these actions would invalidate an officer giving you a preliminary test, as you have only temporarily interrupted your journey and are still driving for the purposes of that law.

There are certain types of events that require the organiser to notify the police in advance of the event. The requirements are that if a public procession is intended to,

• demonstrate support for or opposition to the views or actions of any person or body of persons;
• publicise a cause or campaign, or
• mark or commemorate an event

then advance notice must be given unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so. The notice must specify,

• the date when it is intended to hold the procession,
• the time when it is intended to start it,
• its proposed route, and
• the name and address of the person (or one of the persons) proposing to organise it.

It must be delivered at least 6 days before the event.

If the event is not classed as a public procession it might be still worthwhile contacting your local police force to inform them of the event in any case.

Please see the links in Related Information for further guidance.

Please see the link in Related Information. Although the information is provided by the Metropolitan Police it is general information that is relevant to anyone who has suffered a bereavement.

Many police forces do now offer a service whereby they email members of the public to inform them of any known scams that are currently circulating. The name of the service varies from force to force with some referring to it as 'Alert' or 'Community Messaging.' These will appear under that force's messaging system rather than as a direct email from the Police.

Before circulating messages, even with good intent, it is worth 'googling' it as you are likely to easily identify those messages that are a hoax or scam.

It is important to remember that not all emails will be genuine and it is recommended that, if you do receive one, you check with the police force directly (via 101) who will be able to confirm whether or not it is a scam. If it is a scam email, you can report it directly to the Action Fraud website. Please see the links in related information.

The Policing Pledge is an agreement between the police and the public and is part of a programme of radical reform to change the relationship between the public, police and Government.

It contains clear commitments for all forces and outlines the way any issues should be dealt with. It informs the public of its aim to provide each person access to the same level of support and service when it comes to policing. In turn it gives communities a stronger voice in setting local police priorities. It is a national standard that people can expect from their neighbourhood policing team.

Each police force will produce their own version of the pledge, go to your local police force's website to see their version.

Police officers are issued with handheld devices that allow them to access police systems when they are working away from police stations, allowing them to work more effectively.

These devices can be used to access, record and submit key information, directly at the scene, allowing officers to carry out a number of processes without having to return to the police station, for example, recording witness statements and completing missing person forms.

These devices enable officers to work more efficiently and spend more time in their local communities, therefore benefiting the police, victims and local communities.

Body worn cameras are visible cameras that officers wear attached to their chest to capture video and audio evidence when attending all types of incidents.

These cameras are used by police officers to support prosecutions and assist the police in protecting their local communities. They are intended to provide better standards of evidence and an accurate record of street encounters (for example, when using stop and search powers), as well as encouraging increased professionalism within the frontline.

They can be used at the scene of a crime to gather video evidence and obtain first accounts from people present, including victims, which can be useful later in collaborating statements. The footage obtained via these cameras can therefore assist in resolving cases more quickly.

Body-worn  cameras are also issued to National Highways traffic officers for similar purposes as those outlined above.