Devon & Cornwall Police
Special Constables

We are open for the recruitment of Special Constables with a start date of 5th March 2023.

The recruitment process can take several months and at times you may have questions or need more information. The recruitment team will guide you through the process and can be contacted for help at any stage.

You will be invited to attend a Virtual Awareness Event nearer the time of recruitment opening or you can register at anytime by clicking the button at the top of the page.

We strongly recommend you attend as you will hear from serving Special Constables who will talk about their experiences of joining and serving as a Special Constable, as well as how they fit this unique volunteering opportunity into their home and working life. You will have the chance to ask them questions, as well as hear about the recruitment steps and training required.

During this first stage of the process you are required to enter your personal details such as your full name, residential address, and National Insurance number. You will then be asked questions to check your eligibility in line with the national recruitment standards.

If you meet the eligibility criteria you will be progressed to the next stage. If you do not pass this stage as a result of any of your answers, a member of the recruitment team will contact you.

The next stage is to complete the Special Constable Application Form, where we ask for further information such as your employment history. If you have tattoos you will be asked to upload clear photographs and a description. If you have previous convictions, including any speeding offences, please make sure you provide as much detail as you can.

Reasonable adjustments and Accommodations
You will be asked if you have a disability or learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, which requires a reasonable adjustment. Every request is considered individually, reflecting our understanding that everyone has unique requirements. You may be asked for supporting information in the form of a medical or specialist’s report.

When you have received notification that your Application Form has been accepted you will be invited to complete two online assessments which form a Police Assessment known as the National Sift. To complete the assessments you need to register on the Assessment Information Management System (AIMS).

The two exercises, Situational Judgement Test (SJT) and Behavioural Styles Questionnaire (BSQ), are designed to assess your potential to perform effectively in the role of a Special Constable, and allow you to demonstrate your suitability to be invited to an interview.

No knowledge of policing or the role of a Special Constable is required to successfully complete this stage. A full explanation and examples can be found in the National Sift Candidate Guidance in the following link - here.

You will have 7 days to complete the assessments from the date you log on to AIMS.

Those who pass the National Sift will be invited to attend this virtual event. Again, we strongly recommend you attend as this will include information about the structure of the interview, tips on how to prepare including an explanation of the Competency Values Framework (CVF), and more detailed information about the training. There will also be the opportunity to ask questions.

Those who pass the National Sift will be invited to attend a formal interview. The interview will be held at Devon and Cornwall Police Headquarters and is expected to last approximately 30 minutes. The questions are aimed at exploring your values and motivation to join as a Special Constable, are structured against the role profile for a Special Constable and based on the CVF.

If you are unable to attend the date we will try to arrange an alternative date for you.

There are no other assessments however, you will be required to attend for approximately 2 hours on the day of your interview . This is because we will ask you to provide a biometric vetting sample (hand and finger prints, and DNA swab) and complete a drugs test (further information below) as well as check your ID documents.

If successful at interview, you will be required to complete the police Job Related Fitness Test (JRFT) which is a critical component of the recruitment and deployment of Special Constables. This test ensures that prospective Special Constables have a minimum level of fitness in order to undertake personal safety training.

As a Special Constable you may find yourself in a variety of physically challenging situations. You will need strength and stamina to deal effectively with these situations as well as be able to defend yourself and others.

The fitness test is benchmarked against the aerobic demands of Personal Safety Training (PST) and comprises of an aerobic shuttle run test (15m Multi Stage Fitness Test – 15m MSFT at level 5:4).

For further information about the fitness test and some tips to help you prepare, please read our:

• Fit to Pass guide.
• Fitness Test FAQs

If successful at interview you will need to be declared medically fit for the role of Special Constable by our Occupational Health Unit (OHU), and required to attend a face-to-face medical appointment where OHU will check the following:

• BMI (Body Mass Index)
• Eye sight test
• Colour vision
• Lung function
• Hearing

You will be asked to complete a confidential medical history questionnaire. You are advised not to pay for your GP to sign these forms until you know you have been successful at interview. Depending upon your medical history, OHU may need to contact your GP/ specialist for further information.

Vetting – The vetting process is entirely confidential and the outcomes (other than pass/fail) are not shared with anyone else in the organisation (including recruitment, trainers, future line managers or fellow trainees) or anyone outside of the organisation (including family).

We will carry out security checks on you and your partner's immediate family, including parents Children/children of your partner (age 10 years and over), and any other adult living at your address. Candidates will also have their financial status checked. These checks are carried out because Special Constables have access to privileged information, which may make them vulnerable to corruption.

Those with outstanding County Court Judgements (CCJs) or who have been registered bankrupt with outstanding debts, will be rejected. If you have discharged bankruptcy debts then you will need to provide a Certificate of Satisfaction with your application. At least three years will need to have passed since the date of discharge.

Applicants with cautions/convictions/reprimands, other than some motoring offences, may not be accepted but all are considered on a case-by-case basis. References – We request references from all your previous employers in the last 3 years. If you haven’t been in employment during the last 3 years, we will ask for a character reference or an educational reference.

Drugs Testing – As part of the Vetting process you will be required to undergo a drugs test. All processes are entirely confidential and only the presence of illegal substances will be disclosed to the Force Vetting Unit (by the third-party drug testing laboratory). Prescribed medication, including that for individuals with certain disabilities or individuals that may be transitioning, is not tested for in the process.

Congratulations! Having successfully completed all stages of the recruitment process you will be issued with your Force Number and start your training on 5th March 2023.