Devon and Cornwall Police open recruitment of special constables

Devon and Cornwall Police is beginning a round of recruitment for special constables.

The process will be open from the 1 to 22 October 2013.

Special constables have equal powers to police officers to make arrests and cautions but do not receive a wage for performing their duties.

To join, volunteers must complete a six-month police training course run on weekends where they learn basic criminal law, arrest procedure and proper use of equipment.

Volunteers typically have a full-time job alongside their role as a special constable but must be able to fulfil the minimum 16 hours per month time requirement.

Being first on the scene of a road collision, making an arrest, patrolling on a busy Friday night and writing statements are a few of the challenges a special constable can face.

Special constables work alongside regular officers to deal with local policing issues and help prevent crime and disorder. They play a crucial role in forging stronger links between the police and the community.

Full details on how to apply to be a special constable will be available on the Devon and Cornwall police website from the 1 October.

The recruitment announcement follows a decision by Police and Crime Commissioner, Tony Hogg to increase the number of special constables from 600 to 800 over the next four years.

Commissioner Hogg has said the funding for training special constables will be made available from a contingency fund.

This follows the lifting of the force’s 2010 recruitment freeze, since when the number of serving officers has dropped from 3,500 to 3,090