Special constables
We are currently accepting applications for the role of Special Constable.
If you would like further information about the role or have any questions please email [email protected]
Special Constables are volunteers who work closely with regular officers to help police their communities. They have the same powers and wear the same uniform as a regular police officer; they are given proper training for the role and gain thorough grounding in many aspects of police work before they are expected to carry out any police duties. The duties of a Special Constable include.
- Neighbourhood policing
- Response policing
- High visibility foot patrols
- Preventing vulnerable members of the community becoming victims of crime
- Supporting victims of crime
- Helping to tackle anti-social behaviour and alcohol related disorder.
- House to house enquiries
- Helping safeguard public safety and security at local or major events
Being a Special Constable is a challenging and rewarding role. We’re looking for people who can empathise with others and listen to their needs. You need to be willing to commit a minimum of 16 hours per month to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary in order to help protect our communities.
Why become a Special Constable?
It is true that there are no financial rewards for being one of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight's Special Constables, but we can promise you that if you're the type of person we're looking for you'll get a real sense of satisfaction from making your community a better place to live whilst making new friends and developing skills in the following areas:
- Communicating and negotiating effectively
- Staying calm under pressure
- Problem solving
- Decision making
- Teamwork
- Leadership and management
- Responsibility
We'll train you to be confident to deal with any situation you are likely to come across and you'll also learn a whole new range of skills.
Whilst you are on duty you will see how the job is done at the sharp end of policing. You will make your contribution and gain confidence and experience to the extent that dealing with certain situations become second nature.
You will be working as one team and the experiences you share in working closely together can lead to lasting friendships. You will learn more about life and human nature than most people will ever see.
As a Special you’ll discover a lot you did not know about yourself and just how much you are really capable of; you’ll develop self-respect and self-confidence. As a Special Constable, you might find going out on patrol a welcome change from your usual working day.
As a Special Constable you will be part of the policing Family and a valued member of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, an organisation that is committed to the wellbeing of all its officers, staff and volunteers. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have a wide range of wellbeing services available to all police officers, staff and volunteers, these services will support you in your policing role whenever you might need them.
The below are areas where we provide support, guidance and assistance
- General wellbeing
- Mental and emotional wellbeing
- Physical wellbeing
- Financial wellbeing
- Life events
- Wellbeing opportunities
- Operational wellbeing
We understand that you will have many questions regarding the role, attending one of our recruitment awareness seminars will give you an opportunity to find out more and to ask any questions that you might have.
Eligibility
To become a Special constable, you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- meet the required medical and fitness standards
- be willing to give a minimum of 16 hours every month on a voluntary basis.
Visit the College of Policing website for more detailed eligibility criteria.
There is a selection process you must pass in order to become a Special Constable; this process may appear daunting but we will provide you with all the information you need to prepare for each element. We also want to ensure that applicants are fully informed about the role that they are applying for and the Special Constable advert provides a video and briefing pack explaining the role and the commitment involved however we encourage you to complete your own research too.
A brief summary of the selection process is as follows:
- Attendance at an Online Recruitment Awareness Seminar. If you would like to speak with a serving Special Constable before you apply please email: [email protected]
- Submission of an application form
- Completion of online situational judgement test and behavioural style questionnaire
- Attendance at a competency and values based interview
- Completion of vetting, medical and reference checks, including fitness bleep test to level 5.4.
Training
The training phase takes several months and can be very time consuming. There is an expectation that candidates will commit to attend all of the training course dates they are given. The course is split into two parts:
The first part is called Gateway. It is made up of a series of 11 workshops and workbooks. At the end, all candidates are required to pass an exam.
The second phase, foundation training, takes place over seven weekends or at evening sessions during the week. It involves practical operational skills. On completion of Foundation Training, trainee Special constables receive their uniform and warrant card and are sworn in as a Special constable. They are then assigned a station and allocated a regular police officer as a tutor constable.
Training takes place at the Support and Training Headquarters at Netley, however candidates and trainee Special constables on the Isle of Wight will do most of their training on the island.
What opportunities are there after I have achieved Independent Patrol Status?
There are a number of opportunities that you can apply for to further your Specials Career once you have achieve independent patrol status. We have Specials on some of our specialist teams such as Road Policing, Country Watch, Marine Unit, Investigations. We also have additional roles that you can gain extra skills to undertake such as Searching for missing persons, enhanced public order skills for football duties. As well as a rank structure within the Special Constabulary itself so you can increase your involvement in the day to day running of the Special Constabulary by taking on additional supervisory responsibility.
Can becoming a Special Constable help me to become a paid Police Constable?
Currently there is no fast track route for a serving a Special Constable to transfer into the role of paid Police Constable. However, by becoming a Special Constable you will gain experience in the role and evidence that you can use to demonstrate your suitability for the role during the PC selection process, you should also be able to progress quicker through the practical ‘on the street’ training as you already have first-hand experience of the role.
Other ways you can volunteer
If you are not sure whether becoming a Special Constable is for you, there are other volunteering roles that you can get involved with, further information can be found on the Volunteering Opportunities page on our website.
Positive action
At Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary we are committed to being diverse and inclusive and we value difference. We strive to be reflective of the diverse communities we serve. We welcome and encourage applications from people from all backgrounds. To ensure every potential candidate has an equal opportunity of fairness, we offer support and guidance from the start. The Equality Act 2010 allows us to promote equality within Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary by adopting Positive Action. Whether you are just thinking about a role within the Constabulary or have already applied, the Positive Action Team are here to assist you.
For more information please email: [email protected]
You can contact this team at any time, whether we are actively recruiting for a particular role or not.
Transferring from another Force or Re-joining as a Special Constable
We welcome applications from Special Constables who are current serving with another police force to transfer to us as well as Special Constables recently served within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and wish to re-join. Depending on the circumstances there is a bespoke process for this, please email [email protected] to find out more.
Applicants with previous regular officer experience
We welcome applications from people who have recent experience as a regular officer; we have a bespoke joining process for this, please email [email protected] to find out more.
Employer Supported Policing
Employer Supported Policing (ESP) is a partnership scheme in which employers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight allow their staff to train and patrol as Special Constables. Employers provide paid leave for some of the minimum 16 hours that Special Constables are require to contribute.
Allowing staff to become Special Constables offers huge benefits to the organisations in terms of staff development – benefits that cannot be bought commercially. Transferable skills include communicating and negotiating effectively, staying calm under pressure, problem solving, decision making, team building, leadership and management and responsibility.
There are a number of employers that operate in the Hampshire area that offer ESP to their staff, these include.
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
- Ministry of Defence
- Red Driving School
- Babcock International
- ACRO Criminal Records Office
- Marks & Spencer
- Solent Stevedores Ltd
- University of Portsmouth
- University of Southampton
- UK Power Networks
- HM Prison Service
For more information about ESP, please email [email protected]
Apply
As a Special constable you will work closely with regular officers to police local communities. You will have the same powers and wear the same uniform as a regular police officer, be given full training for the role and gain thorough grounding in many aspects of police work before you are expected to carry out any police duties. This could entail keeping town centres safe at night to conducting house-to-house enquiries or helping prevent vulnerable members of the community from becoming victims of crime. Your responsibilities will also include patrolling crime hotspots and taking part in crime-prevention initiatives.
We look for all kinds of skills, because we know it takes all kinds of people to protect the public. Problem solving, compassion, resilience, respect, courage and teamwork. These are the qualities we are looking for, and if you think you might have the skills to serve why not apply?
If you are interested in applying for the Special Constabulary, it's recommended that you attend one of our virtual awareness seminars before applying for the role.
Please click here to register for the seminar