Essex Police Celebrates National Specials Weekend

 

 

Tuesday 9 June

It takes a special kind of person to be a Special Constable – and we’re lucky enough to have an abundance of them protecting and serving Essex.

Last week was National Volunteers Week, which celebrates the work of all those selfless individuals who give up their free time to support their communities. It coincided with National Specials Weekend, from June 5 to 7, which specifically highlighted the work of Special Constables, who are volunteer police officers.

Over the course of the week, 322 Specials carried out at least one shift each and contributed 5,207 hours – the equivalent to 216 days or around seven months.

Over the weekend alone, 285 were on duty in our communities and worked a total of 3,399 hours – equivalent to 141 days or four months. They attended more than 400 incidents as well as carrying out patrols across the county.

Superintendent Cat Barrie, head of the Essex Special Constabulary, said: “Our Specials really are incredible people and play a key role in working alongside everyone in Essex Police to protect and serve our communities.”

Here’s just a snapshot of some of their work during the National Specials Weekend:

• Patrols of villages in the Colchester district and vehicle checkpoints in Dedham, Boxted, Birch and Tiptree on Sunday. The Specials ensured drivers were licensed and insured to drive, and that vehicles were in roadworthy condition.
  
  
• Seventeen Specials spent a shift responding to incidents, carrying out patrols and speaking to residents across Southend. They spent a total of 148 hours on vehicle patrols.
  
  
• Specials in Chelmsford, Maldon, Braintree and Uttlesford and our road crime team supported an operation to tackle drugs-related crime. They carried out patrols and executed two drugs warrants. The road crime Specials also attended other incidents including emergency calls.

There has never been a better time to join our Special Constabulary. We want to harness the skills and experience that our volunteers bring to Essex Police and in turn can offer an extraordinary volunteering experience like no other.

We offer a diverse mix of roles for Special Constables, including supporting our local policing teams, working in the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, and completing attachments with teams including those based in our Dog Section, Marine Unit, Operational Support Group, Police Online Investigation Team and at Stansted Airport.

If you would like to become a Special Constable and help us make a positive difference to our community, please visit: www.essex.police.uk/specials

 

Saturday 6 June

We’re supporting National Specials Weekend by celebrating the work of our dedicated Special Constables, who sacrifice their free time to help keep Essex safe.

We’ll be putting them in the spotlight this weekend, 6 and 7 June, to highlight just some of the valuable work they do - day in, day out - to help people, keep people safe and catch criminals.

"The contribution our Special Constables make to operational policing is incredible and I’m so proud of everyone.
If you think the role is for you, don’t hesitate to apply. It’s a unique role like no other and you’ll never look back."
Superintendent Cat Barrie, Head of the Essex Special Constabulary

Special Constables are volunteer police officers. They have the same policing powers and uniforms as Police Constables but do the role voluntarily to keep Essex safe.

Did you know we have 130 Volunteers who have contributed more than 24,000 hours and 513 Special Constables who have contributed 198,377 hours of their own time in the last year? That’s 609 hours every day.

We offer a diverse mix of roles, including supporting our local policing teams, working in the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, and completing attachments with a variety of different teams including those based in our Dog Section, Marine Unit, Operational Support Group, Police Online Investigation Team and at Stansted Airport.

There has never been a better time to join our Special Constabulary. We want to harness the skills and experience that our volunteers bring to Essex Police and in turn can offer an extraordinary volunteering experience like no other. If you would like to find out more about this opportunity, visit essex.police.uk/specials