Thames Valley Police Employee Reviews

Great colleagues but inflexible attitudes. Clichey depending on departments. Wave the MH flag but don’t act on it.Expected to live breath sleep work, it’s considered poor form to work to live rather than live to work.

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Probably one of the best forces … read why

Police Officer (Former Employee) - Was Wycombe - 18 September 2023

I did 3-4 years with TVP and regrettably transferred to another force for 10 years , but I’m going back to TVP for my last 20 years .I now have two sons & a daughter who I would absolutely encourage to join . Of note : For those thinking about transferring to The Met , ( I didn’t transfer there for the 10 years ) think about the time and money you will spend travelling. London is fun and exciting in your 20s early 30’s but you are just a numbers there it’s the lost time that’s important . I did 8 about years with the Met . Thames Valley for me was the best, you will get a chance to build a reputation and do good work all while being a 1/2hr from London . Thames Valley is proactively getting those who are unfit to serve out and supporting as best they can those who continue to do good work . When I left TVP I knew I made a mistake within a year or two but I was unhappy in the force I was with for too long . In hindsight I should have stayed but I don’t regret the experience I regret I didn’t trust myself to go back when I knew I’d made the error . Yes there is unsuitable people in all jobs but Policing is a vocation you have to think of it like this . It’s hard work long hours but if you find a lost child it more than makes up for it . It’s about moments of brilliance in an ever changing society. Do the best you can with honesty and good humour . Always be patient and positive but more importantly polite.

Pros

A career worth having and being proud of

Cons

Lack of sleep 😂 & buying boots

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Insights into Thames Valley Police

Based on 73 survey responses

What people like

Inclusive work environment
Clear sense of purpose
Ability to learn new things

Areas for improvement

Energising work tasks
Overall satisfaction
General feeling of work happiness

Wouldn’t waste your time

Call Handler (Former Employee) - Kidlington, Oxfordshire - 17 September 2023

Micro management, you are just a number and they are constantly putting you improvement plans for your work over the smallest thing. I woundnt waste your time

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Interesting Job, Great Staff Culture, Shift work can be demanding

Contact Management Officer (Former Employee) - Oxfordshire - 21 August 2023

Very rarely is there a dull day in any operational role in the Police. Staff culture was great and management were mostly approachable and useful. The shift work can sometimes be very demanding but that is to be expected going into a role in the police.

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Great police force

Police Officer (Current Employee) - Abingdon, Oxfordshire - 8 August 2023

Very supportive police force, great training and opportunities for career development. Would recommend to anyone thinking of a career in the police :)

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Official response from Thames Valley Police

18 August 2023

Thank you for your review and for your service, we really appreciate it! Wishing you all the best in your career.

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Productive and fun

Call Centre Agent (Current Employee) - Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - 6 August 2023

Really great environment. Great stuff and atmosphere . Worked here for 2 years and I love it. Would recommend this to anyone. Great ways to build your skills

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Official response from Thames Valley Police

18 August 2023

Thank you for your review and for your service, we really appreciate it! Wishing you all the best in your career.

Terrible Training, Popularity contest

Police Staff (Former Employee) - Loddon Valley - 25 July 2023

Upon starting my new line manager was very nice and welcoming, but the staff were the direct opposite. I was treated very much like an outsider, like me being there and someone having to train me was an inconvenience. I was shoved in the corner of an office and told to read online info because nobody had time to babysit me. Embarrassing really, made me feel very unwanted and for a career that I was so excited about, it was such a huge disappointment. I genuinely can't put into words how horrendous the training is.

Pros

Management seem nice, good shift pattern

Cons

TERRIBLE training methods, very cliquey

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Bully culture

Police Constable (Former Employee) - Maidenhead, Berkshire - 8 June 2023

Bully culture. If you’re liked and your face fits you’ll succeed. Otherwise you’re scapegoated. Drunks hate you when you’re on patrol and management hate you to feed their PDR

Pros

Uniform & some colleagues

Cons

Culture

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Disappointing management in a crucial public service.

Police Controller (Current Employee) - Abingdon, Oxfordshire - 25 May 2023

Lack of support, professionalism, integrity, compassion, progression. You name it - management lack it. In a role where your actions can be the difference between life and death, you are merely treated like a number, not an asset.

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Don't believe management and remember......no one cares

Police Sergeant (Current Employee) - High Wycombe - 24 May 2023

Keep away. No one cares. Management is awful and only interested in getting their pensions. Other than that and feeling tired all the time and forgetting what your family looks like, it could be a decent job.

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Jobs at Thames Valley Police

See more jobs

Witness Care Officer (Two posts)

Calcot

2 days ago

Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) - Forensic

Aylesbury

10 days ago

Trainee Police Controller - Abingdon (999/101 Call Handler)

Abingdon

30+ days ago

Trainee Police Controller - Milton Keynes (999/101 Call Handler)

Milton Keynes

2 days ago

Telematics and Insurance Co-ordinator

Bicester

2 days ago

It’s what you make of it

Call Handler (Current Employee) - Kidlington, Oxfordshire - 10 May 2023

If you are interested in getting your foot in the door it’s a great way in. You will gain experience and knowledge in a fast paced role dealing with a variety of calls from the public. It is also a great way to get an insight into policing without becoming an officer.

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Official response from Thames Valley Police

29 June 2023

Thank you for your review and for your service, we really appreciate it! Wishing you all the best in your career.

Dead end job and manager with no management skills

Indexer (Former Employee) - Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire - 27 April 2023

My time here was awful. Catty unprofessional manager that would talk rubbish about others and then pretend to be their friend the next minute, work not stimulating, certain members of team getting away with doing the absolute minimum while you were inundated with work and when you complain you are made out to be the problem, micro managing and no progression are just some of the issues. Manager beyond caring been in the job far to long.

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Awful

Police Constable (Former Employee) - Thames Valley - 3 April 2023

Its completely unrealistic the amount of work required from officers at the moment. They recently ran a survey which said response officers have unrealistic workloads and since then have made loads of changes to make workloads even higher. You rarely have a lunch break or time for food and you are scrutinised if you do. Turnover is very high and teams are made up of over 50% probationers. Some management will throw anyone under the bus in order to make themselves look better. Salaries are not proportionate to the work required.

Pros

None

Cons

Long hours. Regularly off late. High workloads. Stressful.

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Helping the public and colleagues

Temporary Research and Report Writer (Former Employee) - Aylesbury - 30 March 2023

Although in a back office role so to speak I felt that my role was crucial in supporting colleagues and assisting the public by researching and producing reports. The manager was also very supportive to the staff.

Pros

Worthwhile work

Cons

Repetitive inputting of data and employed via an agency so no job security

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Official response from Thames Valley Police

29 June 2023

Thank you for your review and for your service, we really appreciate it! We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Sht

999 call handler (Current Employee) - Kidlington - 30 March 2023

If you're ethnic minority don't waste you're time, you'll stick out like a sore thumb that stinks.There is a culture to just pick on you at the smallest thingOne of the worst places I've worked at.

Pros

None

Cons

Very long hours and micro management

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Disorganised

Various Roles (Former Employee) - Various work locations - 11 March 2023

You would not want to work here. They have completely lost their way. It used to be a lovely place to work and you used to feel valued for your contribution.Now you are just a number, not a name, all they want is to screw as much work as they can out of people with no regard for their welfare. it is all take and no give. They have cut back the number of staff and officers so far that they are often unable to cover shifts and sometimes even close stations as there is not enough staff to cover the reception desk. It is also really difficult to take leave as there are not enough people left to cover each other, so again it comes down to reducing opening hours or closing a station because it cannot be staffed. Not a nice atmosphere to work in at all. The public no no longer have any faith or respect for the police either.

Pros

There are not any

Cons

Expect to regularly work past your finish time, as it is pretty much impossible to leave on time.

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People are good to work with Management o vision. Lot of bad decisions.

Technician (Current Employee) - Oxford - 6 February 2023

Pros - People are good to work with.Cons -Management are out of touch with people. Diversity is a joke. When challenged management cover their backs.

Pros

Good people to work with.

Cons

Management out of touch, diversity is a joke.

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Security & growth

Police Community Support Officer (Current Employee) - Newbury, Berkshire - 27 December 2022

Excellent oppprtunity for security and growth within an organisation. There is so much potential and job roles that open up many windows for opportunity.

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Official response from Thames Valley Police

29 June 2023

Thank you for your review and for your service, we really appreciate it! Wishing you all the best in your career.

Ever more Challenging

Police Officer (Current Employee) - Berkshire - 21 December 2022

Variable Job where you don't know what you'll be doing from one day to the next.Demanding both physically and emotionally, getting ever more so. Officers rarely get a true say in decisions of SLT.

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Networking with high profile officers

Perfomance Information Officer (Former Employee) - Kidlington, Oxfordshire - 8 December 2022

Worked at the performance group and was communicating with many high level staff and officers on a daily basis.I left doe to a house move and personal circumstances.

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Official response from Thames Valley Police

29 June 2023

Thank you for your review and for your service, we really appreciate it! We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Fun and productive

Call Taker (Current Employee) - Oxfordshire - 2 November 2022

Amazing place to work, can be high pressured at times but the people you work with make it all worth while. very friendly environment to work in and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here

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