Meet Special Constable, Tom
Special Constable, Tom, began his volunteering career with Essex Police as a Community Special in Saffron Walden. Now Tom volunteers his time helping our Specialist Team at Stansted Airport.
Tell us about yourself
I have been a Special with Essex Police for three years; I spent two years working as a Community Special Constable in Saffron Walden and the last year as an acting tutor Sergeant, having recently moved to Stansted Airport.
Outside of my role as a Special I work full time as a first-aid trainer and medical assessor and I’m also studying a for a degree in Policing and Criminology.
What do you enjoy most about your role
I love lots of things about being a Special, so picking just one is hard. However, I think it would have to be the public engagement side of things.
I love talking to people, understanding their problems and then getting to help resolve them. Not just in the short term but also for the long term as well.
Being a Special is not all about racing around on blue lights chasing cars, it’s about making a difference and helping those who can’t always help themselves.
Talking to people through different situations such as domestic incidents, fraud and animal cruelty, are the kind of jobs that make me proud to be a Special Constable.
Where there any barriers to joining Essex Police?
I am dyslexic and struggle with spelling and mathematics and when I first read the information on the Specials recruitment page it was not very clear if there would be any support available.
However, after a phone call to the Recruitment Team, I was much more confident in applying for the role.
They provided me with steps I could take and information about all the support and help I could receive.
Why do you think it is important that our force values difference?
In my role as a Special it’s important to take each situation as it comes as not all victims and suspects are the same and nor are their needs.
This approach is something that is actively encouraged by Essex Police, and it has helped me to improve my own understanding of diversity and inclusion.
How has Essex Police as an organisation supported your career?
Essex Police has provided me with many extra skills that I can use outside of my role as a Special such as conflict resolution, and leadership skills.
It has help to increase my confidence and I have found it quite helpful to have co-workers and friends with first-hand experience and knowledge to ask when I get stuck with the legal aspect of my studies.
Tell us something interesting about your role?
Being a Special at Stansted Airport is an exciting and varied role, where I get to make a real difference to people.
I have been able to get to be involved in operations and develop my skills all the time.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining Essex Police?
Go for it, don’t let the recruitment process put you off.
There is help available every step of the way and the end result is definitely worth the effort.
I love knowing that I can now make a real difference to people’s lives. Don’t sit behind a desk looking at Excel spreadsheets all day, give yourself a challenge and achieve your true potential.