Tag: special constables

Police Scotland: Special Constable Recruitment Event

Are you looking for a volunteering opportunity like no other? Then don’t miss our Special Constable Recruitment event at the Scottish Police College on Saturday, 11 May 2024.

Sign-up today using the below link to guarantee your place.

Being a Special Constable is not just about upholding the law and catching criminals, it’s also about supporting communities by building trust, respect, and positive relationships. You will be there to make a difference to those who need it most.

Do you want a volunteering role that is built around you, one that will improve the safety and wellbeing of the people, places, and communities of Scotland, one that upholds the law and our values of integrity, fairness, respect, and our commitment to upholding human rights, we want you to apply to become a Special Constable.

The benefits are:

• You will be part of a team of highly trained professionals.

• You will have identical powers to that of a police officer.

• You will receive excellent training and wellbeing support.

• You will find out if the job of a full-time police officer is for you.

Napier students take the oath as Special Constables

University pioneers on-campus training programme

A second cohort of Edinburgh Napier students have been sworn in as Special Constables. The six students, all following courses in the School of Applied Sciences, can now go out on the frontline and join Police Scotland community teams.

They follow in the footsteps of five fellow Edinburgh Napier students who completed an on-campus training programme a year ago and have nowracked up around 2700 hours of police service.

Special Constable training requires a combination of face-to-face and online inputs over a series of several weeks.

The in-house programme was devised to meet a growing demand from students to get involved as Special Constables and from Police Scotland to increase the numbers of Special Constables. Edinburgh Napier’s Dr Andrew Wooff worked with Police Scotland to adapt the training to allow it to be built into the students’ timetable.

The first five students undertook their training every Wednesday at Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus, allowing them all to continue their studies and work part-time as they trained.

The training for the second cohort was further adjusted, with elements of the programme moving online to take into account Covid-19-related social distancing requirements.  The students used online programmes to get to grips with legislation, while learning about the more physical aspects of the role at the Tulliallan-based Scottish Police College.

Dr Wooff, Associate Professor of Criminology at Edinburgh Napier, said: “It’s great to see another six Special Constables sworn in and able to assist Police Scotland.

“The training is demanding and takes commitment, but the students find it very rewarding and we have tailored it to fit round their studies as best we can. These students will now be involved in supporting the police in a wide range of roles. 

“This training scheme has been so successful that we are now looking at replicating it across universities and colleges from September, where students from all institutions will train online and in person together. 

“This will hopefully enhance the programme further and allow more students from across Scotland to access the opportunity of becoming a Special Constable more easily.”

The Special Constable role is diverse, demanding and rewarding. New recruits can be doing anything from policing a football match to assisting at a road accident.

Special Constables also police major sporting and public events and provide an excellent bridge between the police service and the public, representing both the community within the police service and the police service In local communities.

Chief Inspector Claire Miller said: “I am delighted to welcome six new students from Edinburgh Napier into Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary.

“I am well aware of the significant time and effort that is required to complete the training programme, which is over and above their other studies, and I would like to thank them for their ongoing commitment and wish them every success in their frontline deployments.

“I would also like to thank Dr Andrew Wooff for working with Police Scotland to adapt the training, to allow it to be built into the students’ timetable, especially during such a challenging year.

“Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience our volunteers bring, however we also believe that the Special Constabulary offers an exceptional opportunity where you can gain confidence, acquire new skills and truly make a difference in improving the safety and wellbeing of people, places and communities in Scotland.

“I hope the students who became Special Constables last year have discovered this during the extraordinary number of hours they have volunteered for so far. Their dedication during the past year has been outstanding and is greatly appreciated.

“I wish our new recruits the very best for their future journey within Police Scotland”  

For more information on joining the Special Constabulary, visit: 

https://www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/special-constables/ 

Edinburgh Napier students join the front line as Special Constables

Innovative training while they studied sees students join Police Scotland Covid-19 response

Five Edinburgh Napier students are ready to support Police Scotland in its Covid-19 response after becoming the first individuals to qualify in the country as Special Constables through a new on-campus training programme.

The students – Larissa Engelmann, Campbell Cunningham, Annelise Hoey, Sumaiyah Shafique and Amy Murphy – who all study within the University’s School of Applied Sciences – have been training as Special Constables since January and have completed 136 hours of training while studying at Edinburgh Napier.

The project to bring the Special Constable training in-house was led by Edinburgh Napier’s Dr Andrew Wooff, who worked with Police Scotland to adapt the training to allow it to be built into the students’ timetable.

Regular Special training requires three full weeks at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan or every weekend for 12 weeks. The in-house training saw the students undertake their training every Wednesday at Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus, allowing them all to continue their studies and work part-time as they trained.

The training also included a visit to Tulliallan for officer safety training alongside giving the students a chance to meet other probationers and to learn about the discipline required to be a member of Police Scotland.

The programme was devised because of a growing demand from students to get involved as Special Constables, with the five students now ready to go out onto the front line and join Police Scotland community teams in working across their areas. The students will be available to help Police Scotland with its Covid-19 response, alongside offering support during periods where officers may be self-isolating because of the virus.

Dr Andrew Wooff, Lecturer in Criminology at Edinburgh Napier University, is delighted to see the first cohort of the training pass out as qualified Special Constables.

He said: “We are delighted that Edinburgh Napier could be the first to use this new on-campus training module so that our students could train to become Special Constables as they continue their studies at the University.

“Our main priority when devising – and carrying out – the on-campus training was maintaining the high Police Scotland standard while supporting students to become Special Constables. Their time at Tulliallan also gave them an insight into the discipline and standard required by a member of Police Scotland. The training is rigorous and will hopefully facilitate the successful candidates in pursuing a rewarding career with Police Scotland.

“The feedback from both the students and Police Scotland has been great and we’re really proud to see them out on the frontline already, supporting the Force in its community operations. Planning for the next cohort is already underway and we’ve had more than 50 individuals express an interest so far. We feel this type of flexible training benefits our students greatly and we look forward to playing our part in strengthening Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary in the coming months.”

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “Police Scotland is extremely grateful to all five students for the time and effort they have already dedicated to their roles as Special Constables, from juggling their studies alongside training to now deploying on the frontline.

“Special Constables have always been a vital and valued feature of policing in Scotland, however during this extraordinary time the significance of their role is greater than ever and we have been humbled by the response of our volunteers.

“Our thanks also goes to Dr Andrew Wooff at Edinburgh Napier for committing his time to working with Police Scotland to adapt the training to allow it to be built into the students’ timetable.

“While Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience our volunteers bring, we also hope the opportunity is unlike any other where you gain confidence, new skills and get the chance to help people in need. I wish our new recruits the very best for their future on the beat.”

PhD student Larissa Engelmann recently completed her first shifts as a Special Constable. She said: “I decided to become a Special Constable to explore other ways of giving back to the community as I’ve already been involved in a lot of different volunteering opportunities within Edinburgh and beyond.

“The training – even though it was over three months, rather than three weeks – was still very intense. We had to learn a lot of legislation too but nevertheless it was really enjoyable. We had really great police officers who helped us with the training – and we had a lot of fun as well.

“I’ve had my first shifts at the weekend and although it was quiet, it was great to see some of what we have learned in training in practice and develop our own way of working in Police Scotland as a Special Constable.”

The Special Constable role is diverse, demanding and rewarding. Special Constables could be doing anything from policing a football match to assisting at a road accident. Special Constables also police major sporting and public events and provide an excellent bridge between the Police Service and the public, representing both the community within the police service and the police service within local communities.

More details on Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary can be found here.

For Edinburgh Napier students interested in becoming a Special Constable, they can contact Andrew Wooff on a.wooff@napier.ac.uk

Special Constables answer the call

Volunteers who give up their time to act as Special Constables have pledged thousands of hours to support Police Scotland’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Following an appeal to Special Constables and their employers to support Police Scotland in its effort, we would like to sincerely thank all those who have pledged their time so far at this critical period.

A quarter of all of Scotland’s Special Constables immediately made contact to offer their support and increase their commitment, substantially in many cases, while more than 40 employers have granted their employees leave in order to perform their Specials role.

Over the past three weeks, around 140 Specials across more than 885 shifts have volunteered more than 7,500 hours. The Volunteer Co-ordination Unit was also contacted by a number of Specials offering to live away from home so that they can provide full-time commitment to their role.

In addition, a number of Special Constables who have not volunteered in recent months have also sought urgent re-training so that they can be deployed, while some Specials who are already keyworkers in their full-time profession have still offered to work additional hours for Police Scotland.

Among the numerous Specials who are dedicating their time during this extraordinary time:  

•Alex Miller from Falkirk has been released from his full-time job with conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland to support full-time policing duties for the foreseeable future. He said: “Without hesitation, the Trust gave me its wholehearted support and encouragement to deploy.”

•In Argyll & Bute, Stevie Neilson is being supported by his employer Argyll & Bute Council to pledge as much time as possible to supporting his local Community Policing team. Stevie, who is Harbour Master and Port Security Officer, has been a Special Constable for the past 26 years and with his local knowledge and contacts, he is already a vital member of the team.

•In the Scottish Borders, Ali Cameron is dedicating more time to Police Scotland and thanks to his full-time profession as a microbiologist, has been able to advise and support his local policing team on health and safety.

He said: “It has been fantastic to see how the local community has mobilised to support our NHS colleagues over the past couple of weeks. The public have been enormously supportive of our work and understanding of why now, more than ever, it is important to stay home and stay safe.”

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “We have been humbled by the response of our Special Constables. Their commitment to their roles during this unprecedented time is staggering and I cannot thank them enough for their dedication to the service.

“Our thanks also go to the employers who have allowed their employees to dedicate their time to supporting Police Scotland in our efforts to help save lives and protect the NHS.

“Due to health reasons we have asked some Special Constables not to deploy at this time, which I appreciate might be disappointing, however health and safety must come first. Training is being provided to those who have requested it as soon as possible, and we will do everything we can to support those who are giving up their precious time.

“I must also stress that we absolutely understand that all our volunteers might not be able to deploy for the foreseeable future due to care or medical reasons – we appreciate how crucial it is that everyone takes care of themselves and their loved ones at this challenging time.”

ACC Hawkins added: “Throughout Police Scotland’s history, Special Constables have always been considered a vital and valued resource. However during this extraordinary time, the significance of their role is greater than ever.”

Special Constables are warranted officers with all the powers of regular police officers who volunteer their services. They are deployed in local communities to support daily operations and provide resilience at critical times.

Police Scotland wrote to Special Constables and their employers in March, asking them to increase their volunteering hours wherever possible and asking employers to consider paid leave to allow staff to support local policing over the coming weeks.

We have been featuring our Special Constables on Police Scotland’s Volunteer Facebook page and will continue to do so over the coming weeks. Visit www.facebook.com/PoliceScotlandVolunteers to meet some of our incredible volunteers.

Police Scotland appeals to Special Constables to increase their hours

Police Scotland is asking employers to consider providing paid leave to members of staff who volunteer as Special Constables to allow them to support the national effort to tackle the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The service faces unprecedented challenges to maintain policing while managing rising levels of sickness and self-isolation among officers and staff.

Special Constables are warranted officers with all the powers of regular police officers who volunteer their services. They are deployed in local communities to support daily operations and provide resilience at critical times.

Police Scotland is appealing to Special Constables to increase their volunteering hours wherever possible and to ask employers to consider paid leave to allow staff to support Local Policing over the coming 12 weeks.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “This is an extraordinary moment and one that requires a collective response.  It is a moment when the ethos of the Special Constabulary – supporting Scottish communities and local policing – has never been more relevant. 

“The coronavirus pandemic is presenting an unprecedented and dynamic set of challenges and, to support health professionals and maximise public safety, the policing response is crucial.

“The coming weeks and months will be demanding and there will be significant additional duties that we are required to discharge during this critical period. To support our overall response, we would like to include our valued  Special Constables in our resourcing plans.

“We have written to all our volunteers and their employers seeking support to provide additional volunteering hours over the coming 12 weeks, however I should stress there is no requirement being placed on anyone.”

Campaign to recruit special constables

Want to discover a new side of you in 2020 and make a difference? Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary needs you …

A nationwide campaign to recruit new special constables has been launched by Police Scotland.

The Special Constabulary is a part-time volunteer body consisting of officers with identical powers to that of police officers. The role is diverse, from policing football matches to assisting at road accidents, from patrolling the streets of your local community to investigating crime. No two shifts are the same and volunteers play an integral role in providing an important link between the police service and the public.

Following a steady decrease in the number of special constables since the formation of Police Scotland, with a significant number of recruits using the opportunity as a route to becoming a regular police officer, the campaign focuses on encouraging people to give back to their local community by signing up in their spare time and enhancing local policing with their life experience.

From today, social media posts and campaign posters will feature on numerous channels including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, promoting the role of a special constable and why their skills and talent could be crucial to local policing.

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “There are thousands of people living in Scotland who could bring the skills and talents from their own jobs into the role of a volunteer police officer and in support of their local community.

“Joining the Special Constabulary can also be a fantastic opportunity to consider whether policing is the job for you. It provides excellent experience and training for those who would like to become a full-time police officer.

“Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience volunteers bring, but it’s also an opportunity unlike any other where you gain confidence, new skills and get the chance to help people in need or make their life better.

“Anyone is eligible to apply to become a special constable as long as they satisfy some basic requirements for the role but ultimately we are looking for people who want to make a real difference to their communities and can bring a fresh perspective to the team they work in. The more varied your background, the more diverse our workforce will be. “Don’t miss the opportunity to do something great.”

For more information on becoming a Special Constable and to find out more about eligibility, visit – https://www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/special-constables/

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