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Special Constables
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
I want to do something with my time, and I've been researching into Special Constables. I'm keen, but not sure if it's for me. Anyone have any personal stories? Even if you're a regular cop, or have worked with Specials.
I'm just a little confused by the application process. I'm interested in joining on the Merseyside Police, but if you visit this page: http://www.merseyside.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2796 - and enter the job title as anything other than "Any" or "Force wide", there aren't any vacancies. May be a stupid question but I'm wanting to be certain I understand, what exactly falls under force wide? (There is one vacancy for a Special Constable, so I guess I'm lucky there but still want to be certain if force-wide just makes the role vary.)
On another note though, to make this a bit of a chat & debate, I read this in the information pack. "Character and previous convictions" - it made me giggle. :razz:
I'm just a little confused by the application process. I'm interested in joining on the Merseyside Police, but if you visit this page: http://www.merseyside.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2796 - and enter the job title as anything other than "Any" or "Force wide", there aren't any vacancies. May be a stupid question but I'm wanting to be certain I understand, what exactly falls under force wide? (There is one vacancy for a Special Constable, so I guess I'm lucky there but still want to be certain if force-wide just makes the role vary.)
On another note though, to make this a bit of a chat & debate, I read this in the information pack. "Character and previous convictions" - it made me giggle. :razz:
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Comments
Street Pastors patrol town and city centres late at night offering help to people who need it. You only need to volunteer for as little as one night a month. They are nothing to do with the police which is why people are more likely to come forward to them if they are in need of help. Though their work is endorsed and supported by the police.
i'm not a police officer or a special but i'm a police community support officer so i'm a front line member of staff. i've not got any experience working with specials (because we don't have any at our station at the moment but we are due to get some!) but i do have experience working with police officers, etc.
i am actually out and about most of the time (unlike police officers who get tied to their desks doing paperwork!!!!!!) so i have lots of personal stories but i'm not sure what you are wanting to know? any stories i've got might scare you off
as for what idontbelieveit say, what a load of poo. my force is recruiting LOADS of specials at the moment BECAUSE OF the lack of funding. many forces are doing the same thing because they can't afford to recruit police officers. sure, police budgets have been cut but theres enough to cover your training and uniform. its a drop in the ocean compared to what it costs to recruit a PC.
i'd go for it :thumb:
They tend to be people in it for the ego trip.
And Skive, heh, I won't be a cunt.
PCSOs do not have the power of arrest and for that reason, we do not carry handcuffs (well, most don't! i think BTP PCSOs and North Wales Police PCSOs carry them - they don't have the power to arrest though, its just to help them detain someone until a PC arrives). i mean, of course, we can make citizen arrests but everyone can do that! our powers to detain vary force to force as do all our powers. its down to a force's chief constable what we can actually do!
PCSOs do not carry CS spray or a baton. our job is apparently a non-confrontational role so we don't need any of that
so yes, those are the main differences when it comes to power of arrest and equipment.
Fuck that. How ridiculous is this country going to get?
Hi JavaKrypt, I am a Special Constable and have been for two years now, if you have any questions then I can try help you where I can.
And just to clarify, you're unpaid, however, you may get a refreshment allowance and can claim back fuel, and you have all the powers of a regular police officer.
Until you become independent, you're always with a regular officer. You're not let out loose on the street to do as you please without any experience.
For some it's a foot into the door for becoming a regular officer, you get a true insight into what the job involves, as well as giving something back to the community and helping others. As well as that some provide a great help to the regular officers as well as providing an extra visible presence within the community.
It's a backup plan for myself. I don't want to become a cop, but I've had interest. So this is the perfect opportunity. It will also help me in the future if I ever decide of a career change. But as said, the training is 16 weeks if I've learnt right, and I'm always with other full-time officers until I progress.
But anyway, I'm aware its unpaid and I told the Job Centre this but they still said I can't do it and apply for job seekers, because that 4 hours is basically time I could spend elsewhere, in a paid job. Its not like I'm volunteering for something totally off the bat, meaningless and not time-worthy. Plus its still part of the bloody government, does it really matter all that much that it isn't a charity?
I think Katralla was still referring to the fact that you aren't trained as well as regular officers rather that what the job itself involves.
Have a look how much you can claim back, it could be that if you do a lot of shifts you could claim back more than you get through JSA anyway, and it's more worthwhile. Do you drive?
It’s great to hear that you are interested in volunteering as a Special Constable.
As blah blah blah pointed out Special Constables are different from Police Community Support Officers as Special Constables are volunteers (unpaid). Special Constables have the same powers as regular officers and wear a similar uniform. Squeal and blah blah blah can probably give you better information about the day-to-day work of a PCSO or a Special Constable than me
You mentioned that you have already visited the Job Centre for advice. However sometimes Benefits Advisors have been found to be misinformed about volunteering. From what you have said it sounds like you are still entitled to Job Seekers Allowance whilst volunteering so its worth doing some research yourself. Volunteering is generally defined as giving your time and energy to benefit other people without being paid for it. As a volunteer you can volunteer with a charity or other voluntary organisation, a public sector organisation or in your local community. People who are receiving job seekers allowance are allowed to volunteer for as many hours as they want as long as they are still meeting the conditions to get their JSA.
It might be worth checking out this really helpful guide from the Department for Work and Pensions and perhaps print the relevant pages and speak to your Job Centre Advisor again.
Being a Special can be an extremely rewarding role with lots of benefits
Laura
Hopefully I'd get this job I have an interview for so it wouldn't be a problem joining [as far as benefits go anyway].
And I don't drive.
Some forces allow you to claim back the fuel used and also offer a refreshment allowance. It's not a lot but it all adds up which helps. It is unpaid though, like you say. It's very worthwhile, it's a real eye opener and you see things that you just don't see in every day jobs.
I read that PDF, but it doesn't really show why the JCP said I can't do it and claim. To them its strictly one or the other. Normally I would just accept it but this is ridiculous, I really want to give this a shot.
In fact you can also work under 16 hours a week and still get Job Seekers. As long as you are still actively looking for and available for work (which you will be if you are only volunteering 4 hours a week) then you should still get Job Seekers.
As Laura said, taking the PDF along with you and, if your advisor insists, asking to speak to a manager, might help.