Community Special Constables
Special Constable recruitment event
Are you interested in becoming a Volunteer Police Officer for Essex Police? If so then join us for our Recruitment Information Event.
The event will consist of a series of short presentations about being a Special Constable; the various roles available within the Special Constabulary and the recruitment process. There will be an opportunity after the presentations to ask any questions.
Please note that these are not drop in sessions and you must register via the link below. Further information about the event will be sent to you once booked.
This Recruitment Event will take place on Saturday October 14, 2023 from 10.30am at Essex Police College, Headquarters.
Book your place on the in-person Special Constable recruitment event
Special Constables are volunteer Police Officers. They have the same police powers, uniforms and equipment as regular Police Officers but sacrifice their free time on a voluntary basis, organising their busy personal lives, day jobs and other commitments around police duties. They do not get paid, but are reimbursed for expenses.
You probably care most about the places where you walk, cycle or drive; where you exercise the dog, go for a jog, let your kids out to play or where you pop to the shops. You might have thought that you don’t see enough “Bobbies on the Beat” in these places? Well, why don’t you volunteer as a Community Special Constable and be that bobby?
We want a Special Constable in every community in Essex. We already have Specials working on local policing and community policing teams and across a number of specialist areas, but Community Special Constables are something new, something different, something that delivers visible policing at a really local level.
The majority of Special Constables will work in our main busy towns and cover large areas, responding to a wide variety of incidents and challenges. A Community Special Constable is more focussed, they dedicate their voluntary service to the area that matters most to them - their town or parish. In return the local council will pay the allowances and expenses of their officers and they’ll have a say in the issues that their local Specials deal with.
Community Special Constables will:
- Be integrated into a Community Policing Team
- Start and end their duty as close to their community as possible.
- Spend the majority of their time within the council area’s neighbourhoods.
- Be visible and accessible in local communities on uniformed patrol.
- Help address local issues and priorities as informed by the local council and police intelligence-led tasking.
- Patrol hot spots identified through intelligence or which have been deemed to be priority areas.
- Respond to police-related incidents within the council area.
- Engage with local communities and support further recruitment of Specials.
- Attend suitable local council meetings where available to do so.
- Have regard to the Council’s aims and objectives in their voluntary service.
Community Special Constables will get the same training as regular officers and will have to complete the same accreditation, but once they’ve got independent patrol status then they can really get committed to their local communities.
If you’re looking for breadth to your policing duties then applying as a generic Special Constable is probably best for you, but if you’re looking for depth, if you’re looking to make a dedicated difference to your own area, to problem solve, to build relationship and be recognised as a local peacekeeper then the Community Special Constable route might be best for you.
Begin your application
So if you’re interested in really looking after your little piece of the world please either call the Recruitment Team on 01245 452234 where we can discuss a modified quick application (quoting the role of Community Special Constable) for you or complete the online application form. Your local area would love to have you as part of their community team and we’d love to help you keep your area safe.
You can apply to become a Community Special in the following areas:
Alresford
Billericay
Birchanger
Black Notley
Boreham
Bradwell
Brightlingsea Town Council
Broomfield Parish Council
Buckhurst Hill
Burnham on Crouch
Chelmsford Garden Community Council
Chigwell
Colne Engaine
Danbury
Dedham
Elsenham
Feering
Galleywood
Great Baddow
Great Burstead & South Green
Great Dunmow
Great Wakering
Great Waltham
Gosfield
Halstead
Hatfield Heath
Hatfield Peverel
Hawkwell
Herongate & Ingrave
Hockley
Hullbridge
Ingatestone & Fryerning
Kelvedon
Lambourne
Leigh on Sea
Little Baddow
Little Clacton
Little Yeldham
Maldon
Mayland
Myland
Newport
Ongar
Ramsey & Parkeston
Rayleigh
Rayne
Rettendon
Rochford
Roydon
Runwell
South Hanningfield
Springfield
Stanford Rivers
Stansted Mountfitchet
Stanway
Stebbing
Stock
Thaxted
Tiptree
Weeley
West Bergholt
West Hanningfield
West Mersea
Wickford
Witham
Wivenhoe
Woodham Ferrers & Bicknacre
Writtle
