Devon & Cornwall Police
Special Constable – Eligibility

You can apply for the Special Constabulary if you are over the age of 18. There is no upper age limit for applying but following legislative changes that were introduced on 5 April 2011 the compulsory age for retirement will remain at 60 with the potential for an extension to 65 with permission and if the individual is physically fit.

To be eligible for appointment, you must be a British citizen or a citizen of a country that is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals are also eligible but only if they are resident in the UK free of restrictions.

If you are a Commonwealth citizen or other foreign national, you must provide proof that you have no restrictions on your stay in the UK. You should therefore send a copy of your passport showing that your stay is free of restrictions. Do not send your actual passport with this application. Other documentary evidence of your status may be required.

After 30 June 2021, nationals of the EEA or Switzerland will also need to provide evidence that their stay is free from restrictions.

There are no height restrictions.

You must be physically fit and in good health and will undertake a fitness and swimming assessment. All candidates will complete a medical questionnaire and may be required to undertake a medical assessment. Your BMI must be between 18 – 30.

All candidates will be subject to a pre-employment drugs test.

You must have good unaided vision, not suffer from any morbid eye conditions or any condition liable to aggravation or reoccurrence and meet the national eyesight standards.

Severe colour vision deficiencies (monochromats) are not acceptable. However, other defects in colour vision will not be a bar to entry.

All candidates will be asked to provide proof of eyesight testing 12 months prior to appointment.

Tattoos on the face or neck are not acceptable for special constables, and any tattoos which could cause offence to any person will exclude you from applying. However all applicants will be assessed on an individual basis.

Candidates are requested to submit a colour photograph of all tattoos with their application.

Even though being a Special is a volunteer role, it's a very serious and important one. So you'll understand we need to carry out checks on our volunteers and their families.

This includes you, your spouse/partner (and their children if over 10 years old), family members (including step relations) and any other adults who live at your address.

Convictions or cautions will not necessarily prevent you from joining. It will depend on the nature and circumstances of the offence. Your application may be terminated if you fail to disclose any convictions or cautions.

We also have a policy of prohibiting any of our officers, staff and volunteers from becoming members of the BNP or similar organisations whose aims or pronouncements may contradict the duty to promote race equality.

Applicants to the police service should not be under pressure from undischarged debts or liabilities and should be able to manage loans and debts sensibly to avoid making themselves vulnerable to corruption.

Applicants who have County Court Judgements that have been satisfied may be considered.

Applicants who have been registered as bankrupt but their bankruptcy debts have been discharged will only be considered after three years from discharge of the debt.

Applicants who have existing County Court Judgements outstanding against them or who have been registered bankrupt and their bankruptcy debts have not been discharged will NOT be considered

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and will do all we can, within medical and fitness restrictions, to make reasonable adjustments which will allow disabled applicants to undertake the role of a special constable.

Please let us know if you have a disability and the type of adjustment which you might need to enable you to apply for and do the job.

Business interests and current employment must be declared to ensure they do not conflict with Force policy.

Some areas of employment are incompatible with the office of special constable as they may conflict with the duties and requirements performed by our officers and staff.

Applicants within the following occupations are ineligible to join the Special Constabulary:

• Magistrates
• Clerks to the justices
• Clerks to the courts
• Highways agency traffic officers
• Civil enforcement officers
• Neighbourhood and street wardens
• Serving armed forces personnel
• Crown Prosecution Service employees
• Immigration officers
• Members of a police force maintained by a commercial organisation or private company
• Licensees of betting and gaming establishments
• Working in a licensed premises (for example, waiting staff in a restaurant or public house)
• Lottery promoters
• Bailiffs
• Members of private security organisations
• Private detectives and enquiry agents
• School crossing patrollers

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other exceptions which arise.
Other occupations will be considered subject to the agreement of their employer and the Chief Constable:

• Fire service personnel
• Armed services reserve personnel
• Members of the medical and health professions

Other occupations where eligibility should be carefully scrutinised by the Chief Constable include:

• Holders (and their partners) of licensed premises
• Probation officers, youth and social workers involved in the administration of criminal law
• Bailiffs, warrant officers, private investigators and inquiry officers

If you have any queries please email specials recruitment.