This week we are now less than a month away from your exam, and we are looking at three chapters from General Police Duties, Chapter 13 Sporting Events, Chapter 14 Weapons, and Chapter 15 Civil Disputes.

So let’s get on with the first chapter, Chapter 13 Sporting Events. This is the first time this has had a chapter all on its own having migrated from the old Public Disorder and terrorism. A few years ago I would be talking about this being a very topical event, and one that is always in the headlines, but it is no-where near as important as it was.

I would have a good look at the short section on Police Powers of Detention, but other than that this is a chapter that I think should be read, and moved on.

Chapter 14 Weapons is a totally different cup of tea, and at the time your exam was highly topical and has remained right up there in the headlines ever since. This whole chapter merits a great deal of attention. I would really focus my attention on the section on ‘Having a Bladed or Pointed Article in Public Place’ Get to know what sort of weapon is included, and also what type is not. That is always a good place for the enterprising question writer to start. The rest is fairly straight forward, with him in a public place.

There is a defence to this too so make sure you know that as well. The Self Defence issue is an interesting one; the defendant must feel that he is in fear of an imminent attack. What is imminent? A good question, but the question writer will have to set out right from the offset that the issue is or is not imminent, and that should give you a pretty big clue.

Weapons on School Premises has a defence as well as a Power of Entry. The defence is very obvious, had it with him for educational purposes, as the advert says ‘Simples’ The power of entry is equally straight forward, you can enter and search both the premises and the people on the premises for weapons and offensive weapons.

If you find anything you can seize it. How straight forward is that.

All through this chapter there are offences, with defences to go with them, get to know them all well. There are ages too, add them to your age’s list, which should be getting quite long by now.

To go with that is an interesting power given to school staff to search for weapons. This is a good area to test, there are so many variables. For example the status of the person being searched, where they are, who is doing the searching and on whose authority. I am not sure this is likely to come up, but it could just be the tricky one they pop in to really test you.

Our last chapter this week is Chapter 15, Civil Disputes and is another really short chapter, but one that is full of good areas for your examiners to test. While any part of it could be tested, my preference is the section about Use of Violence or Intimidation. There have been very few Industrial disputes until fairly recently and as such this section may have fallen under the examiners radar, but this is a good section to test. There are lots of variants, and that makes for an easy time for the question writer.

Remember that the whole purpose of the section is the specific intent built into the first line of section, that is that the actions are carried out with a view to compelling another person to abstain from doing or to do some act they have a legal right to do or abstain from doing.’ Once you know that everything else falls into place.

The whole section on Domestic Disputes merits a little more than a quick read too. There is no doubt this is something that is increasingly being taken seriously, and as such so should you.

I am Tweeting Part 1 hints and tips every day from now until the exam, you can follow me on OSPRE1.

TOP TIP

This week’s top tip is to focus on revision this week, you have less than one month to go, and this week’s chapters are all quite short, so use the time to revise. This is a good time to up the amount of time you are spending on your studies too. Don’t let a second go to waste, plan your day so you get some down time, but you also maximise the amount of time you have your head in Blackstone’s or your note books.

Now is a good time for me to include my normal health warning. I know there are companies out there who believe they can tell you which areas you should study, but I honestly don’t think they can. The only people who know, work in the examinations unit at Harrogate, and they do not tell anyone anything! My aim in these articles is to give you some regular hints and tips while taking you week by week right through the syllabus. That is the only sure way of passing, read and learn it all.

Our Courses

We will be starting another round of our Distant Learning Programmes (DLP) for OSPRE Part 1 Sergeant to Inspector for the next exam in 2nd October 2012, in week commencing 30th April and it will run for 22 weeks.

2012 sees the launch of a new programme of learning for Police Officers, the National Investigators Exam. Our 12 week DLP for the National Investigators Exam will start on the 12th March 2012. For more information please contact us at the www.executiveguidance.co.uk

If you know anyone who is studying for either please pass them our details.

This week’s motivational quote is by a Roman Philosopher Seneca who lived from 10 BC until 65 AD and he said:

No man was ever wise by chance.

You have gained you wisdom by working hard, chance had nothing to do with it, so, so lets keep working to show you examiners just how wise you are. You are even closer to the this week so keep up the studying, it will be worth it in the end. There are now only 25 days to go.

See you in a week.

Phil Waters

www.ospretraining.org