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What is the difference between a special constable and a police officer?

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What is the difference between a special constable and a police officer?

Special Constables (or “Specials”) are volunteer police officers with the same powers as regular officers. They work in partnership with regular officers and the wider policing family, such as Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

What is the role of a special constable?

Improve public confidence and support victims by detecting and investigating crime. Improve communication with communities by providing an important link between them. Assist the force with many aspects of policing, from high-visibility patrols to traffic operations, counter-terrorism and community safety.

What rank is a special constable?

There is no basis in law for ranks or grades for special constables. As such there is no equivalency of a regular police sergeant versus a special police sergeant for example. A special constable who is a higher rank or grade has no additional powers or opportunities in the same way as a regular officer.

What are special constables and what do they do?

Assisting at the scene of accidents, fires or incidents – helping control situations, ensuring people are safe. Providing security and crowd control at major public events – preventing injuries and disorder.

What jobs can you not do as a special constable?

Only professions with a direct conflict of interest – for example probation officers, armed forces, politicians and security officers are ineligible. Nor is age, sex or ethnicity a barrier to volunteering as a special constable.

What jobs can you do as a special constable?

What is a Special Constable?

  • responding to 999 calls.
  • conducting foot and vehicle patrols.
  • priority anti-crime initiatives.
  • working in schools to provide advice on safety and crime.
  • conducting road safety initiatives.
  • doing house-to-house enquiries.
  • helping ensure safety and security at public events.

What skills do you need to be a special constable?

What skills do you need to be a special constable? Special constables must have the same skills as police constables….You might need to pass assessments such as:

  • Incident Report Writing;
  • Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Test;
  • Written Test;
  • Interactivity Test;
  • Group Exercises.

Can you progress as a Special Constable?

Yes, as long as you have at least 18 month’s service as a Special Constable who has achieved Independent Patrol Status and is performing minimum hours.

What makes a good special constable?

Being a Special Constable requires integrity, honesty, tact, leadership and excellent communication skills. Applicants are welcome from all backgrounds and are not limited to any particular age group – life experience is an important attribute for specials.

How many hours a week is a special constable?

Special constables play a crucial role in fighting crime and making our streets safer. ‘Specials’, as special constables are known, come from many different backgrounds and all walks of life. They volunteer a minimum of four hours per week and form a vital link between their community and regular police officers.

Special constables are volunteer police officers, who come from all walks of life. You will work alongside regular officers and PCSOs in the local policing teams and play a vital role in supporting the work of the police and the community.

Can a special constable join the Police Federation?

Special Constables are not currently permitted to be members of the Police Federation of England and Wales. A Special Constable can join The Association of Special Constabulary Officers, which became a registered charity in 2018 to support volunteer police officers (Association of Special Constabulary Officers),…

Who are special constables in the Singapore Police Force?

Civilians who contribute to the force on a voluntary basis belong to an organisation known as the Volunteer Special Constabulary, which is a department in the Singapore Police Force. The term ‘Special Constable’ used to refer to any constable not sworn into a territorial police force as a regular constable.

Is the Association of Special Constabulary a charity?

A Special Constable can join The Association of Special Constabulary Officers, which became a registered charity in 2018 to support volunteer police officers (Association of Special Constabulary Officers), formerly The Association of Special Constabulary Chief Officers.