SOUTH WALES POLICE Employee Reviews for Police Officer

Officers are under a lot of pressure, have high workloads and constantly being dragged from pillar to post. Management are on your case all the time and there is a culture of shouty emails and telling off for falling behind (which is inevitable given the workload). The people in the organisation are incredible, and a credit to Policing.Uniform and kit is hard to come by, but of decent quality. Vehicles are of reasonable condition and fit for purpose. Double crewing policy is in place so safer and more sociable than some other forces.

Pros

Great people. Occasional satisfaction from the work completed.

Cons

Antisocial working hours, no work life balance, Management can be a bit oppressive (above inspector level), not enough officers, and dealing with utter grief every day

Was this review helpful?

Not what it was

Police Constable (Former Employee) - Cardiff - 14 November 2023

I did 16 years in the job and to start with I loved it and in the end I hated it. The culture isn't for me and I was getting worried and concerned by the age of the people coming through.

Was this review helpful?

Jobs at SOUTH WALES POLICE

Police Officer positions

See more jobs

Performance and Change Support Officer – Forensic Alliance Programme, Police Collaboration Wales

Bridgend

1 day ago

Child Sexual Exploitation Abuse Coordinator & Support Officer

Bridgend

4 hours ago

Digital and Content officer

Bridgend

1 day ago

Preventative Orders Officer

Ruined

Police Constable (Current Employee) - Cardiff, Cardiff - 1 July 2023

Used to be a great job, joined at a young age and sold a dream. Turns out it’s full of incompetent arrogant deeply dissatisfied people. Avoid at all costs if you have any self respect

Was this review helpful?

A crumbling bureaucratic, rudderless organisation

Detective Constable (Former Employee) - Wales - 24 May 2022

Unfortunately the core function of the role has been lost. Serving the public and the protection of life and property is no longer its key function. Public safety is very much secondary with political veil of competence is more important than protecting the public. Sadly after 25 years I wouldn’t rejoin nor would I recommend it to others.

Was this review helpful?

Quite stressful and long hours

Police Community Support Officer (Current Employee) - Cardiff - 16 May 2022

Quite stressful and do not feel appreciated on times. Shifts can he hard when you have a family and hours are long. The feeling of not feeling appreciated can wear you down and make you feel quite anxious on times. On times though it can be rewarding when you have helped a member of the public and made them feel that bit safer.

Was this review helpful?

Insights into SOUTH WALES POLICE

Based on 32 survey responses

What people like

Support from manager
Ability to meet personal goals
Ability to learn new things

Areas for improvement

General feeling of work happiness
Time and location flexibility
Overall satisfaction

Draining and demoralizing

Police Constable (Current Employee) - Swansea City - 7 April 2022

I have worked for south wales police for 30 years. What started off as a fun and exciting job has turned into a job that is top heavy with managers and bureaucracy and light on workers. Many of the managers don't know what they are doing and task you to do things they know nothing about. The pressures on a police officer today are immense. Police seem to be accountable for everything to anyone. The publics expectations are unrealistic and expect officers to go outside the law when no such law exists to deal with their particular issue. The support from within is poor at best with just a few caring individuals. I have been fortunate to have worked with some great colleagues over the years and still do. The most enjoyable part of the job, other than going home, is seeing someone brought to justice for their actions, but that rarely happens today.

Pros

Working unsupervised

Cons

Being retained on duty because they can.

Was this review helpful?

No two days the same

Police Officer (Retired) (Former Employee) - Bridgend - 18 December 2021

Over thirty years things are bound to change some for the better some not but as long as you are willing to adapt and adopt these changes overall an excellent employer.

Pros

Job Security

Cons

Shift Work

Was this review helpful?

Dont apply

Police Officer (Former Employee) - Bridgend, Bridgend - 27 October 2020

Stressful, extremely difficult to have any family time. Rest days constantly cancelled for court/training/extra duties. You are 1 person trying be a robot,doing the job of 5 people. You have to love the job&want to help people. You quickly realise you are just a number & can be replaced quickly. No time to investigate anything thoroughly

Pros

None

Cons

Long hours, no work/life balance

Was this review helpful?

work life balance

Police Constable (Former Employee) - Cardiff, Cardiff - 28 April 2020

If you intend to join the police force be prepared to work night's, weekends and bank holidays, also be prepared not to go home on time where you have planned a family or social event because

Pros

team effort

Cons

rest days cancellation

Was this review helpful?

Can be a very Poisonous place to work and bullying atmosphere

Police Officer (Former Employee) - Every where - 25 March 2020

Retired after 26 years and can say i loved the roles and job i actually did as a police officer. However, the management and Hr and legal services are mentally bullying, no care for staff or officers, SMT need to be investigated by outside forces and independent organisations (IOPCC) or crime commissioner as they are just corrupt.

Pros

Proud to have supplied a service to the public

Cons

No support, no welfare support, no mental health support, Corrupt SMT and HR departments and Complaints department

Was this review helpful?

Rate your recent company

Share your experience to help others

Could do better

Police Officer (Current Employee) - Cardiff, Cardiff - 20 February 2020

As a police officer you are providing a critical front line role in the prevention and detection of crime. Promoting law and order, reducing the fear of crime amongst communities.

Pros

Pay and career progression, for some

Cons

Long hours, no work life balance not family friendly

Was this review helpful?

Something once held in high regard no longer worth pursuing.

Police Officer (Former Employee) - Wales - 12 October 2019

In today's climate it is not a career worth pursuing. Pension has become worthless and other investement needed to create a viable secured future. Wage not representitive of the amount of work your doing. You can make the equivalent wage managing in mcdonalds. Risk management not adequte with todays culture. Disciplinary system very intrusive into personal life and does not respect privacy.

Was this review helpful?

Challenging and demanding role

Police Constable (Current Employee) - Bridgend, Bridgend - 6 January 2019

South Wales Police is a regional police force. The role of a Police officer being a challenging and demanding job providing an emergency response to the public,upholding law and order through the detection, prevention and investigation of crime, engaging with members of the public and keeping the public safe.

Was this review helpful?

Average

Detective Constable (Former Employee) - South Wales - 29 October 2018

Too much emphasis on snowflake and PC issues and not enough on the real job at hand of protecting life and property and dealing with serious matters such as dwelling burglary and sexual offences.

Was this review helpful?

HArd and stressful work

Police Officer (Former Employee) - Monmouthshire - 11 December 2017

Starting this role in the eighties, was a pleasure to serve the public. However, Govt cuts and additional pressures slowly but surely changed this role into one I would never recommend.

Pros

None any more

Cons

Stress beyond belief

Was this review helpful?

Rewarding Career

Police Community Support Officer (Current Employee) - Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff - 13 October 2017

Dealing with members of the public daily Gained A1 Assessor qualification Strong Management Fun, rewarding, fast paced dealing with deaths helping

Pros

Helping people in need. Meeting different people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Cons

Long hours that impacts on your family.

Was this review helpful?

Good place to work and find new friends

Police Officer (Former Employee) - South Wales Police. UK - 29 September 2017

Long hours and you are under pressure all of the time. Good pay. Have to work longer now to get your pensions. Have to work well into your 60s, which is not too good.

Pros

Meet good people

Cons

Long hours

Was this review helpful?

Very supportive colleagues

Police Community Support Officer (Current Employee) - Neath, Neath Port Talbot - 6 September 2017

Working for the police is like having a second family everyone is there to help and support you . There are lots of different areas you branch off to and specialise in.

Pros

Good shift pattern.

Was this review helpful?

An excellent career

Police Officer (Current Employee) - Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff - 29 August 2017

Everyday was different working for SWP as a police officer there were fresh challenges and it became a vocation in life. I learnt true values of working as a team and I was able to work alongside some great people

Was this review helpful?

Great work knowledge and skills

Special Constable (Former Employee) - Townhill and Sketty, Swansea - 25 August 2017

This is the perfect job to build your knowledge and work skills for future jobs. It will teach you about the laws, your customer service skills, how to handle difficult and hard situations. It will also teach you who you are as a person, to show compassion towards other people. It helps the community and it makes you feel you're doing something different.

Was this review helpful?

Modern Policing?

Police Officer (Former Employee) - Bridgend, Bridgend - 9 August 2017

From a 'frontline' perspective, police management have gone far too much toward pleasing everyone except their own staff. Today's Political Correctness is stretched to include idiotic matters which reduce the effectiveness of those tasked with keeping law and order.