--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Metropolitan Police Service is still…" description: "\"The Metropolitan Police Service is still, despite what people think, a working-class organisation and as such rejects totally the notion of an officer ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/ben-aaronovitch-3199_backgrounds_the-metropolitan-police-service-is-still_745314.jpg" --- # The Metropolitan Police Service is still, despite what… ![“The Metropolitan Police Service is still, despite what people think, a working-class organisation and as such rejects totally the notion of an officer class. That is why every newly minted constable, regardless of their educational background, has to spend a two-year probationary period as an…” quote by Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/ben-aaronovitch-3199_backgrounds_the-metropolitan-police-service-is-still_745314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/ben-aaronovitch-3199_backgrounds_the-metropolitan-police-service-is-still_745314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ceb/ben-aaronovitch-3199_backgrounds_the-metropolitan-police-service-is-still_745314.jpg) > “The Metropolitan Police Service is still, despite what people think, a working-class organisation and as such rejects totally the notion of an officer class. That is why every newly minted constable, regardless of their educational background, has to spend a two-year probationary period as an ordinary plod on the streets. This is because nothing builds character like being abused, spat at and vomited by members of the public.” [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Police work is portrayed as a gritty, egalitarian apprenticeship that builds resilience through public mistreatment. **In simple terms:** Police training toughens character via street hardships. Key Takeaway Embrace tough experiences. Themes class police culture resilience Mood cynical realistic Type social commentary critical When to use this quote - law enforcement training - community policing - career development Key Concepts social hierarchy public perception Questions to Reflect On - How does hardship shape a police officer? - What support is needed? A Different Perspective Such harsh treatment can cause trauma and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Constable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constable-806429/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Metropolitan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metropolitan/) [Metropolitan Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metropolitan-police-287374/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Officer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officer/) [Officer Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officer-class-5785884/) [Officers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officers/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Organisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Police Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-service-4053250/) [Rejects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejects/) [Spats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spats/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Working class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-class/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I gave the prescribed Metropolitan Police "first greeting". "Oi!" I said "What do you think you're doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-gave-the-prescribed-metropolitan-police-first-greeting-oi-i-said/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [Every woman wants to be wanted - just not by the entire Metropolitan police force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-lette/every-woman-wants-to-be-wanted-just-not-by-the-entire-metropolitan/) [Kathy Lette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-lette/) > [“We can't have your people fighting each other," I said. The 'royal we' is very important in police work; it reminds the person you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/we-can-t-have-your-people-fighting-each-other-i-said-the-royal-we-is/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Who made the 999 call?" "Dunno," said Purdy. "Mobile, probably." It's officers like Purdy that give the Metropolitan Police its sterling reputation for customer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/who-made-the-999-call-dunno-said-purdy-mobile-probably-it-s-officers/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“The Metropolitan Police has a very straightforward approach to murder investigations, not for them the detective’s gut instinct or the intricate logical deductions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-metropolitan-police-has-a-very-straightforward-approach-to-murder/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [By the time I graduated, I was the drum major, the highest-ranking officer, and third in my class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/by-the-time-i-graduated-i-was-the-drum-major-the-highest-ranking/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [Old-fashioned types used to mutter about whether someone was officer-class material. 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Never nail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/let-your-dreams-be-as-litmitless-as-the-circumference-of-the-entire/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [All parts of the society need to feel that the police service is their police service, and that does not happen unless all parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-patten/all-parts-of-the-society-need-to-feel-that-the-police-service-is/) [Chris Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-patten/) > [Some police forces would believe anything. Not the Metropolitan police, though. The Met was the hardest, most cynically pragmatic, most stubbornly down-to-earth police force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/some-police-forces-would-believe-anything-not-the-metropolitan-police/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Having lived in London since the 1980s, I would have come across, or my friends across, cops who were in the Metropolitan Police who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-dunbar/having-lived-in-london-since-the-1980s-i-would-have-come-across-or-my/) [Adrian Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-dunbar/) > [“For heaven’s sake why would the Metropolitan Police be coming up to Iyntwood if their investigation was now down in London? Turning back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-arlen/for-heaven-s-sake-why-would-the-metropolitan-police-be-coming-up-to/) [Tessa Arlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-arlen/) > [“There's no way you're going to get a quote from us to use on your book cover" - Metropolitan Police Spokesperson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/there-s-no-way-you-re-going-to-get-a-quote-from-us-to-use-on-your/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“What a mess the world was in, Vimes reflected. Constable Visit had told him the meek would inherit it, and what had the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/what-a-mess-the-world-was-in-vimes-reflected-constable-visit-had-told/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Ben Aaronovitch > [“He was from Yorkshire, or somewhere like that, and like many Northerners with issues, he'd moved to London as a cheap alternative to psychotherapy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/he-was-from-yorkshire-or-somewhere-like-that-and-like-many/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“I left in a hurry before he could change his mind, but I want to make it clear that at no point did I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-left-in-a-hurry-before-he-could-change-his-mind-but-i-want-to-make/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [The general public have a warped view of the speed at which an investigation proceeds. They like to imagine tense conversations going on behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-general-public-have-a-warped-view-of-the-speed-at-which-an/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Something round and dirty and white was resting near my foot. It was a skull. I picked it up. ‘Is that you, Nicholas?’ I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/something-round-and-dirty-and-white-was-resting-near-my-foot-it-was-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [Coffee arrived and the espresso was excellent, like an aromatic electric fence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/coffee-arrived-and-the-espresso-was-excellent-like-an-aromatic/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Fuck me,' I said to Toby. 'We're living in Isengard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/fuck-me-i-said-to-toby-we-re-living-in-isengard/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Peter Grant,’ I said. ‘Recent arrival, slacker and man of very little fame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/peter-grant-i-said-recent-arrival-slacker-and-man-of-very-little-fame/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [What do you think you're doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/what-do-you-think-you-re-doing/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“My mum translated this in her head to "witchfinder," which was good because like most West Africans, she considered witchfinding a more respectable profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/my-mum-translated-this-in-her-head-to-witchfinder-which-was-good/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Right from the start Abigail used to moan and fidget as her hair was relaxed or braided or thermally reconditioned, but her dad was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/right-from-the-start-abigail-used-to-moan-and-fidget-as-her-hair-was/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“The mark was from the glue that once held a folder into which a library card would have fitted back in the day when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-mark-was-from-the-glue-that-once-held-a-folder-into-which-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [It's a sad fact of modern life that if you drive long enough, sooner or later you must leave London behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/it-s-a-sad-fact-of-modern-life-that-if-you-drive-long-enough-sooner/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [This I know for a fact: the reason African women have children is so that there's someone else to do the housework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/this-i-know-for-a-fact-the-reason-african-women-have-children-is-so/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“There’s always a secret door,” I said. “That’s why you always need a thief in your party.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/there-s-always-a-secret-door-i-said-that-s-why-you-always-need-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [ You know, your species \[humans\] has the most amazing capacity for self-deception, matched only by its ingenuity in trying to destroy itself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/you-know-your-species-humans-has-the-most-amazing-capacity-for-self/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) [Explore all 134 Ben Aaronovitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) ## More Backgrounds quotes > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. 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As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. 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