Kent Special Constables clocked up more than 60,000 hours of voluntary duty this year so far

Kent Police’s Special Constables have undertaken more than 60,000 hours of voluntary duty since the start of 2017.

Kent now has 308 Special Constables including 265 on operational duty and 43 in training.

Special Constables are unpaid volunteer police officers, many of whom have full-time jobs, who give up at least 16 hours of their own time every month supporting regular police officers.

They have full police powers, uniform and equipment, and support a range of different policing roles including the Serious Crime Directorate, Roads Policing Unit, and Rural Crime teams.

Kent Special Constabulary also has its own Mounted Unit where volunteer officers who are horse owners or have access to a horse, and are competent riders, patrol their communities on horseback.

More than a third of the time of Special Constables is spent with Local District Teams providing high visibility patrolling and reassurance in the community.

Special Constables often set up and run their own policing operations to target crime and anti-social behaviour and support local and force-wide priorities.

Each district in Kent has a team of Special Constables who are supported by a full-time police officer who is dedicated to supporting and developing the team.

Terry Connolly became a special in May 1995. He is a dedicated roads policing officer while also holding a full time role as a senior leader within a global technology company.

Terry said: ‘The best thing about being a Special is first and foremost the people that you work with; Specials, regulars, in fact anyone in the police family. They are an amazing group of people. You build close relationships through the type of work we all do. It’s a bond that transcends age, rank, force boundaries. You know if you call for help, people that don’t even know you will drop everything and be there.

‘Time is always a challenge because we all lead busy lives and I’m sure there are people who would be brilliant Specials but they tell themselves they don’t have time for it. My recommendation is that they should try it and see. I would absolutely recommend becoming a Special, it’s the greatest show on earth.’

When becoming a Special in 2003, Alan Watson wanted to give something back to the community.

He said: ‘I like that I am able to make a difference to people’s lives and work with the community and schools around road safety.

‘I’ve learnt a lot from being a Special but most notably how to defuse a situation on a night out and how to step in to prevent a situation escalating. I’m very proud of being a Special, especially after being nominated for the 2016 South East Region Special Constable of the year!’

The Special Constabulary has a long and rich history in policing and the volunteers play a vital role in supporting frontline officers and putting something back into the communities they live.

Chief Inspector Jason Wenlock said: ‘Kent Special Constabulary is recognised as one of the most progressive volunteer police bodies in England and Wales, and Specials are able, upon completion of training, to undertake work with any unit of Kent Police, with the exception of Firearms and Taser, and undertake significant development courses.

For more information about the Special Constabulary visit our website: www.kent.police.uk/jobs-recruiting-now/special-constables/

Follow @KentSpecials on Twitter

Watch a short film about the Kent Specials: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bNan37nyU

Protecting and serving the people of Kent