TA RMP or the RAF Reserves Police? Which should i join?

S

Stemondo

Full Registered User
I've always had a great interest in the RAF but when looking at both the TA RMP and the Reserves Police i wanted to know really what the main working differences are apart from the obvious?

I live 10 miles away from the nearest TA RMP centre but 80 mile away from the nearest RAF police unit. Is there any reason to travel the extra? Although I've heard i would have to commit to alot more days if i'm local.

I've also been told i should apply as an officer in the TA because of my qualifications but i know there's no position at my local TA RMP centre as an officer so should i just forget the officer application or is it better to go for officer rather than my job preference?

Lastly i also have an application with the CNC police, does anyone know if either of these will affect my application in anyway?

Thanks

Steve
 
You might like to consider where you get stationed if you get the CNC job and what TA/ RAF reserve places could be near by then. You might also consider whether if you're joining both at the same time whether you'd cope with two lots of training.
 
The majority of police forces no longer allow officers to join TA units so beware of this. It won't stop your application but they may ask you to quit the TA/Reserves.

Can't really advise you on which unit to join though, I'm biased towards RMP as I'm not sure what RAF(p) reserves do..
 
The last I heard most police forces have a set number of officers they are willing to allow to join or carry on TA and Reserve Forces commitments.

Be careful of taking on too much here - the TA and RAF reserve commitment is quite high especially during your first few years as you have to complete a certain amount of weekends initial trainng and a 2 week course then follows the sepcialist trade training courses straight after that you can only normally attend once you are a qualified soldier (TA that is not 100% sure of the RAF).

As for going in as an officer - in my last unit, recruits were positively encouraged not to apply directly as an officer and to join up as a Private Soldier and serve at least 3 years which would normally get to the rank of l/cpl (or equivalant in RAF) and give you an option of operational deployment that you could then put to very good use and have a good grounding experience to take through to officer training if you apply and decide it's for you.

Going for CNC as well - it's a lot of training and you may find it easier to get that out of the way first being your main employment then look at the TA or RAFR.

Good luck with it all!

Walks
 
Well the speed of cnc recruitment so far I'll have probably retired from the military before I start cnc training. Cheers for the replies. Anyone know about the differences between the RAF police and rmp?
Thanks
 
i'm a polcie officer and was in the T.A RMP - I know they were closing alot of RAF Police regi's down. The good thing with the TA RMP is you get to go on a 4 month tour of afghan searching soldiers property and getting a tan. Your force might not be as supportive for training etc as you may think....I know mine were ok until I joined. You need to get your probation out the way first tho.
 
wm10903 said:
i'm a polcie officer and was in the T.A RMP - I know they were closing alot of RAF Police regi's down. The good thing with the TA RMP is you get to go on a 4 month tour of afghan searching soldiers property and getting a tan. Your force might not be as supportive for training etc as you may think....I know mine were ok until I joined. You need to get your probation out the way first tho.
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Unfortunately though RMP TA have in the past been deployed to carry out tasks that they have not been sufficiently trained to do!!!!! (assigned to a very different unit).
Worrying times they were!
 
Is it still worth joining the RMPs today?

My brother, even though a para and says he will bully me, wants me to join the red caps.

People still enjoy it in?
 
Stemondo, Like others I am obviously biased due to the fact I am RMP. However, the difference between RMPTA and RAuxAF Police is quite basic. RMPTA are embedded/deployed in the same role as their Regular counterparts. Meaning the job you end up doing when (note it is when not if) you deploy as RMPTA will be as diverse as any role regular RMP NCOs will do. RAuxAFPolice however are Force Protection and Air Transport Security. Which means if you deploy you will be mainly confined inside the wire. There will be the odd chance as RAuxAF to go outside the wire but in the main you will not. No matter what story the recruitment spins you ;)
Whether you apply as an Officer or a soldier is down to one thing : Do you want to police or do you want to be a planner/organiser? I am a great believer that all RMP Officers, Reg and TA, should have actually policed in their time, even if it's just a couple of years or one tour. Also just because there is not a position for an Officer at your local unit now, doesn't mean there won't be by the time you Pass Out/move to a new area with work/spend some time as a soldier.
Ref the CNC question. Like most Forces the recruitment process takes time, so go speak to your nearest RMPTA unit. Joining the TA/RAuxAF also takes time, so there is no guarantee you will be in before you are accepted by CNC. However, at the earliest opportunity tell the CNC you are with/ hope to be with the TA/RAuxAF. That way they can tell you their requirements. If it is a case of no, then normally you can apply to your Force for permission after a couple of years service.
 
Unless things have changed, the police won't allow you to be in the TA as a prob, so you'd have to resign one or the other anyway.

Back to the original question - Snowdrop or Monkey? You need to look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself, "what oportunities will present after your time in whichever unit"? So, my view is RMP over RAFP as RMP has more credibility and whether correct or not, employers will identify with RMP more redily than RAFP.
 
Thanks halomonkey. So from what your saying it's a lot less likely to be deployed abroad in the RAFP? When you say in the wire you referring to a detention centre / prison?

Thanks for the info, very helpful. Definitley thinking of joining as a soldier not officer now.

Well mentioned it to the CNC HR and she didn't think it was an issue but will probably have to check with a few people.
 
Sorry, thought you might be able to message me as you can't receive. Check your settings or try messaging one of the Mods. Perhaps it is a post number thing.
 
wingnut said:
TA RMP all the way. RAF Police reserves are a joke at best and are Police in name only.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the RAF will say the same about the RMP but that's hardly likely to help the original poster.

Stemondo, what is it you want out of joining the Reserves? It would be easier to advise you dependent on what it it you're looking for.
 
Steve,

My advice is join the CNC and settle in get a year under your belt and revisit the Reservist thing. I think it could distract you, or be viewed by your future CNC supervisors in a poor light. This should not happen, I know, but it could, people being people and having opinions. I did 30 years Police service and 30 years RMPTA (22 years SIB) so I'm not an armchair critic.

I loved my TA bit and was, by the way, well qualified to investigate the murders of British soldiers and also journalists, by Iraqis.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do but your day career is the most important.

Regards........Nippy
 
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