17 replies to this topic

[local bobby]

Are special constables now allowed to drive the cars , if so is there any specific do's and donts

[Funky Drummer]

Special Constables in Central Scotland have been driving police vehicles for years.

A few days ago it was on the old "temporary authorisation" system, however this was formalised a couple of years ago so as to ensure a stricter understanding of the rules and regulations, etc.

The "Basic Authorisation to Drive" entails having a medical examination, sitting a highway code exam, and then spending the day (3-up) with the force's driving instructor.

Once you have bene signed off as a safe driver you are able to drive marked and unmarked police vehicles (provided thy are covered by your standard licence - eg not a minibus unless youre allowed to normally anyway) under normal traffic circumstances.

You are not permitted to drive at a speed faster than the posted speed limit, treat red lights or stop signs as give ways, or anything like that. Blue lights can be used for compliant vehicle stops and to protect the scene of an accident.

It does also, however, cover you under the forces insurance policy which covers you to drive any vehicle "under the care, custody or control of Central Scotland Police." This means that if you stop a drunk driver and need to move their car, that vehicle is in your care/custody so you are able to do that. Similarly if you need to move a vehicle that's been involved in a minor RTC (i.e. that doesnt affect its driving abilities) then you are able to do that aswell.

Hope that helps.

If you're a serving officer there is a policy document on the force intranet which I would encourage you to read.

[local bobby]

thanks for the input, jst recently joined the specials and i heard about you been able to drive but wasnt sure of the rules , alot clearer now , Altho what would happen if a sc was driving and a emergency call come over?

Edited by local bobby, 04 April 2007 - 06:23 PM.

[Lucozade]

thanks for the input, jst recently joined the specials and i heard about you been able to drive but wasnt sure of the rules , alot clearer now , Altho what would happen if a sc was driving and a emergency call come over?

If a grade 1 comes in, only those who have sat the 4 week advanced driving course can attend 'grade 1' (blue lights etc). The force policy document does say specials can sit the advanced driving course but I doubt any special would be able to put forward a sound case for them being given a place. To be honest I'd ask why we don't have full crimefile access before I'd care about advance driving.

Edited by stir_student, 04 April 2007 - 06:32 PM.

[local bobby]

still going thro training, into week 6 of 12 so dont know much about what the job entails fully, all i do know is that i am enjoying the training and cant wait to get out on the streets

[Lucozade]

I really enjoyed the training. The first shifts outside of the safety net of being a lecture room is odd, what station are you hoping to go to local bobby?

[local bobby]

clackmannanshire area, i applied for the regulars 2 years ago and was unsuccessful at the panel interview , i was gutted , but hopefully this could stand me in good stead for applying again ,

[Lucozade]

They'll be pleased you're going to Alloa. You'll be busy but who joins to do nothing!? I'm sure i'll bump into you in the custody area on a friday/saturday!

[local bobby]

do you feel the regulars encourage the specials along, Alloa appeals to me as i want to get out there and get as much experience as i can get (alloa for sure will give me that) how does your shift patterns work are u finished when you want finished or have you had to stay on duty ,

[Funky Drummer]

alloa is a very busy area and you will be gratefuly appreciated

however one thing i will say is make sure that you dont take any nonsense

if you get promised something dont let it become an empty promise - keep emailing and phoning until you get what youve been promised

if you arrange a shift then dont let yourself get told to sit around for two hours. if you havent been deployed within a reasonable time then tell your supervisor that you feel your time is being wasted and that you are going home. then write an email to the specials coordinator to them him know

dont get so excited in training about going out on the streets - a lot of what you get taught in training you will never get to use because the force doesnt allow you to, despite haing full powers and authority as a constable in legal terms.

[local bobby]

thanks for the advice funky

[Funky Drummer]

youre welcome!

just dont let themtake you for granted. i know so, so, SOOO many specials who when they started were as keen as mustard, went out ALL the time, wanted to do EVERYTHING that (legally)they are allowed to do and slowly they got doors closed in their faces,negative respsonses to emails and questions, and so on and so on and they eventually got so disheartened with it.

dont get me wrong, central is an alright force. they get a bit ufll of themselves sometimes (claimed they were the first to offer specials driving authorisation, for example, when the like of grampian had been doing it for years), the cops are generally good, the supervisors are usually on the ball, and the actual force area is good. but their main problem is empty promises and its the one things that seriously turns people off, largely because they'll get so excited and so keen about something and then find out that theyre never going to get it. so just dont stand for that.

you are giving up your free time to put on a police uniform, with full powers and authority as a police constable, going out on the potentially dangerous streets, being exposed to the same risks as full time cops, answering the same complaints, and having to deal with the same emotional and physical stresses, so dont let them just abuse that. you should be getting offered (within reason) the same oppurtunities as everyone else. in fact depending on the circumstances it could be in breach of employment law for you not to be given certain things.

[Lucozade]

To be honest I'd ask why we don't have full crimefile access before I'd care about advance driving.

I can happily update this to say the training department (the chaps making you laugh and enjoy training local bobby) have delivered the goods; legends.

[Minty67]

dont get so excited in training about going out on the streets - a lot of what you get taught in training you will never get to use because the force doesnt allow you to, despite haing full powers and authority as a constable in legal terms.

Your quote above is not true at all Funky Drummer. A lot of what we were taught in training is relevant, I think the structure and contents of the training may have changed significantly since you qualified if it was before last year.

The training we SCs in CSP receive appears to be far more relevant and extensive than other forces. Although I will admit the reasoning behind some of what we are taught doesn't become obvious until you get out on the streets.

Local bobby, you stick in there and listen because after your training the onus is on you to understand, and ask about what you are not sure about.

Good luck!

[local bobby]

thanks minty . all this input i am picking up is going to help me , cant wait to get out then again probs the first time i have to handcuff al be s*****g maself lol, must also say that the training that we have been getting is thorough and correct procedures that we have been shown, at the same time not all arrests will be easy and i dare say the way you go about it , will differ between officers, altho as long as you can justify your actions you will be in the clear

[rossy p]

Yeah man, Alloa is a superb wee station! Thats where i'm based and i'm loving every minute of it!

[Romeo99]

Your quote above is not true at all Funky Drummer. A lot of what we were taught in training is relevant, I think the structure and contents of the training may have changed significantly since you qualified if it was before last year.

I think Funky is talking more about the fact that you will be taught to detain, arrest and search but usually it will not be you who is doing this, it will be the regular you are with. I believe you also have very limited access to computer systems in CSP so therefore you will be unable to put crimes on/update incidents/submit SID entries etc. thus there is little point in you taking details for a crime report at a job. (I may be wrong about your computer access but this is what I have picked up from here).

I am lucky in the sense that Specials (with a decent length of service and experience) are allowed to patrol by themselves (i.e with another Special rather than a regular) in my area and have now got access to command and control on top of our existing computer access. Therefore I can go out and do everything at a job. We mainly do high-viz patrolling but for example tonight, I got an arrest with my Special Constable colleague for BoP and police assault.

[rossmunro1982]

Hi I am currently waiting on my panel interview date, can you pass on a few tips?

Regards

Ross