Tired of plodding along doing the same things day after day? Trudging backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards? Need a challenge? Well Warwickshire Special Constabulary might just be what you're looking for?
And ...Warwickshire Police are currently looking for new recruits to join the specials.
This week sees the start of the high profile recruitment campaign to encourage people to find out more about becoming a special and join the Constabulary. To mark the start of the Plod Plod Plod campaign, adverts are being featured on local radio and within local newspapers. By visiting www.warwickshire.police.uk, you can discover more about this hugely satisfying, varied and professional work and why so many people give up a few hours a week to help police the community.* Special Constable Rosie Lee has been a special for four and a half years. "I thought I would only be working at school events and within the community patrolling the beat. But in reality this is just part of my work. You never know what to expect and you have to have an open mind and be prepared for anything. My first arrest was of someone suspected of serious crime, carrying out the full process of taking dna, organising blood tests and taking a statement."
All three officers believe that the skills they have gained like resilience, prioritisation, adaptability, and clear concise thinking and communicating, are useful not only working as a special but also day to day.
* Special Constable Russell Marsh joined because he saw it as an opportunity to get involved in police work whilst continuing with his career. "Generally being in the specials has exceeded my expectations. I thought the work would be restricted but some of the things I have been involved in are far removed from my day job and certainly aren't restricted. Initially I was put off becoming a special because it was voluntary, but now I think I have the best of both worlds, a career and police work. And as you're training and experience grows, so do the opportunities to get involved in specialist areas of policing."
* Special Constable Jacquie Stimson wanted to help keep the community safe for her children. "My daughter says she feels much safer now her mum is a special. I find that as a member of the community, people know me and are happy to share local information with me. I did find it a shock when I first went out there, but I have developed my confidence through experience and have dealt with a variety of situations like anti social behaviour, helping to police major events, even being the first on the scene of a light aircraft crash."
Since 2008 Warwickshire have welcomed 60 new special constables into the force and this current campaign aims to recruit a further 100 new officers. Nationally the aim is for an additional 6000 special constables.
Glynn Gardner, Chief Officer for the Special Constabulary said: "The importance of the Special Constabulary as a valuable addition to the regular police cannot be underestimated. Specials are the ultimate active citizens, creating the crucial link between police and the communities by taking part in the way their communities are policed and helping to cut crime and the fear of crime."
"Anyone who is interested in becoming a special and who is over 18, in good health and with clear vision can apply. Specials can be any height and you don't need qualifications, just honesty and integrity, a positive approach, with the ability to work in a team and be willing to learn new skills".
Traditionally Specials have been uniformed volunteers giving up anything from four hours a week at a time that suits them, helping police towns and villages alongside regular officers. And now there are also opportunities for people with specialist skills to work in some of the unseen areas of policing dealing with financial matters, computing and technical communications.
Special constables are thoroughly trained in basic police work including self defence, powers of arrest, preparation of evidence for court and dealing with crime. Initial training takes place during the weekends and in the evenings, but once officers are deployed to a police station, special constables receive supervised on the beat training with a Special or Regular tutor including the use of airwave radios and basic tuition on criminal law.
Anyone who is interested in becoming a special, should visit the Warwickshire Police website on www.warwickshire.police.uk to find out more. You can apply online or call us on 01926 415052
LINK : Warwickshire Police
