Recruiting now for Special Inspector 

Recruitment is now open to join our Police Family and become a Special Constable Inspector. This recruitment window closes on Sunday 15th January 2023. Why wait, apply today and be part of something bigger. Read all of the accompanying documents below before submitting your application form. If you would like to know more about the role and how to apply, we are holding a virtual awareness event on 04th January 2023. To sign up please click the appropriate button below.

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Make a change for the better and apply today to become a Special Constable

 

 

We're open for recruitment now to join our Special Constabulary. Become a special and find out what you’re capable of – for yourself and your community. To apply click the button the below, you have until midday on Friday 06th January to submit your application.

 

Apply now

 

 

 

What is the Special Constabulary?

The Special Constabulary is a force of trained volunteers who work alongside, and support, their local police.

  • Specials are volunteer police officers with the same powers as regular officers.
  • Specials spend a minimum of 16 hours per month, or more, supporting the police to tackle crime in their communities
  • Specials are recruited locally by all police forces in England and Wales
  • Specials work in partnership with regular officers and the wider policing family.

 

What does a Special Constable do?

Specials take part in front-line police work. They spend most of their time on the streets, doing intelligence-based patrols in crime hotspots or taking part in crime-prevention initiatives.

This could mean anything from keeping town centres safe at night through to conducting house-to- house enquiries or helping prevent vulnerable people from becoming victims of crime. It’s hard, demanding work, but from your first day on duty, you’ll see the impact you’re having.

You will be able to specialise too! After you have completed your training and are proficient in your core role, there are plenty of specialisms you could move into such as a dedicated Traffic Special Constable and many others.

Sign up for Positive Action support

If you are thinking of applying for a role within our Special Constabulary and Positive Action support is something you think would be appropriate for you click the sign up button below and fill in the form and a member of our Positive Action Team will contact you. For more details around who can receive this support, click the appropriate button below.

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Our recruitment timeline

Recruitment Window Opens
We are open for the recruitment of Special Constables with a start date of 16th April 2023. The initial Registration, Eligibility and Application Form stage closes at midday on Tuesday, 13th December 2022.

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.
Registration and Eligibility
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.
Application Form
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.

  • Closing Date - Registration, Eligibility and submission of Application Form: midday on Tuesday, 13th December 2022.
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. You may receive a notification to advise that your application has been rejected on initial eligibility criteria. If this occurs, we will be in contact with you to ask for further details to determine if it is possible for your application to be progressed.

National Sift
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.
Force Interview
Those who pass the National Sift will be invited to attend a formal interview. The interview will be held at Winfrith 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.

The interview date is:
  • Saturday, 7th January 2023
If you are unable to attend this 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 and complete a force fitness test.
Medical Suitability
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.
You start your journey
Having successfully completed the recruitment process you will be issued a force number and start your training on the 16th April 2023.

Entry Requirements

Age
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.
Nationality
You must be a British citizen, an EC/EEA national or a Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the United Kingdom and have been resident in the UK for three years.
Height
There are no height restrictions.
Health
You'll be asked to complete a medical questionnaire which must be signed by your GP and returned directly and confidentially to our Health Team. You will then have an appointment with a medical practitioner who will check: lung capacity, eyesight and colour vision, hearing, mobility, any existing conditions, urine and height/weight and BMI. Please note - BMI should be within 18-30.

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

HM Government provide detailed information on medical standards including which illnesses, injuries and disorders will affect your ability to perform the role of the Special Constable.
Vision
An eyesight test will also form part of the medical. The standard you need to meet can be found here.
Tattoos
Tattoos are assessed on an a case by case basis. If you have tattoos you will need to make a declaration at the time of application.

We will ask you to send in two digital pictures of each tattoo. One distance photograph clearly showing where on your body the tattoo is located and a second close up photograph that we can use to assess this against our standards.

We would require a verifiable translation of any any tattoos containing non-English words, characters or representation and an explanation of the tattoos’ meaning or significance.
Criminal record
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.
Financial vetting
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.

Financial checks will be carried out to make sure you don't have an outstanding CCJ, IVA or are registered bankrupt. IVAs will be considered on a case by case basis.

If you've discharged your bankruptcy debts you'll need verification from the Court that 3 years has passed since the date of discharge.
Physical and learning disabilities
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.
Ineligible occupations
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 ineligible to join the Special Constabulary:
  • Magistrates
  • Clerks to the justices
  • Clerks to the courts
  • Highways agency traffic officers
  • Police community support 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
  • People who work in licensed premises, including bar staff and waiting staff
  • 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 contact People Services Centre (Resourcing) on 01392 452020 or email specials recruitment.
Fitness Test
You will have to run a 15m track in time with bleeps which get increasingly faster (level 5.4 bleep test).

Don't worry if you fail on your first attempt, you are allowed two more attempts within 12 weeks.
Vetting checks
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.

A workforce that reflects our communities

Our ability to build trust, understand problems and support our communities across a range of policing matters, relies on us having a workforce that is reflective of our communities and all the unique individuals that exist within them. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity within our workforce and to eliminating discrimination.

We are very keen to encourage applications from those that have never considered policing as a career. Representation within our workforce from black and minority ethnic communities and females is currently much lower than we want it to be; by improving this we will be better able to serve our local communities and our work place will benefit from all the differences in thinking, points of view, and approaches that diversity brings.

In order to achieve this we are proud to pursue a policy of ‘positive action’.

For further information and to register for this scheme please click the button below.

Positive Action