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.
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.
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.
Our recruitment timeline
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.
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.
- Closing Date - Registration, Eligibility and submission of Application Form: midday on Tuesday, 13th December 2022.
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.
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.
The interview date is:
- Saturday, 7th January 2023
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.
- BMI (Body Mass Index)
- Eye sight test
- Colour vision
- Lung function
- Hearing
Entry Requirements
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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.
Don't worry if you fail on your first attempt, you are allowed two more attempts within 12 weeks.
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.