The Special Constabulary
1. The Special Constabulary is a reserve of men and
women trained in basic police duties who are readily available to
supplement the regular police. Being a Special Constable is a
valuable form of voluntary service to the community and can by very
satisfying.
2. Special Constables receive basic training in the
theoretical aspect of Police duty and legislation, which is
complemented by "on the job" training with regular officers in a
wide variety of police work.
3. Every effort is made to ensure that Special
Constables are given the opportunity to work along with regular
police officers at times which are mutually convenient. Obviously
the hours of duty which a Special Constable is willing and able to
work will vary according to individual circumstances but a regular
commitment is essential.
4. Applicants must be a British citizen, a member of the
EU or other states in the
EAA, a Commonwealth citizen or a foreign national free
of restrictions. You should also have been resident in the UK for a
minimum of three years immediately prior to application. In certain
circumstances, it is possible for the minimum residency period for
vetting to be waived. This can only be done where it is possible to
make, or confirm, checks in the relevant jurisdictions with local
Law Enforcement and National Security bodies, which are equivalent,
and of similar standard, to enquiries which would be made in the
UK, on both the applicant and all family members and associates. In
cases where it is not possible to make the equivalent checks, the
residency criterion will be stringently enforced.
5. They must be 18 years of age on
appointment.
Candidates must have unaided vision of not less than
6/36 in each eye, correctable to 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 or
better, binocularly. Very minor defects in colour vision may be
acceptable and aided vision is acceptable. You are required at your
own expense to submit with your application an optician’s
certificate, which must give details of your unaided and aided
vision, according to Snellen’s Chart Formula. The examination must
have been made within the last six months. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT AN
EYESIGHT CERTIFICATE WHEN YOU RETURN YOUR APPLICATION FORM, THIS
WILL BE REQUESTED AT A LATER STAGE IN THE PROCESS.
6. A reasonable standard of education is required but no
formal educational qualifications are necessary. All Candidates
will be required to sit the Standard Entrance Test (SET) and
Critical Thinking Test (CTT). The Critical Thinking Test contains
written, illustrated Police-based scenarios, but it is not a test
of prior police knowledge, further information can be obtained from
our website www.northernconstabularycareers.co.uk .
7. Applicants must be medically fit and will receive a
medical examination, and substance misuse test prior to being
appointed. Applicants are expected to have a reasonable level of
physical fitness and pass the National Fitness Standard. Candidates
are expected to have a Body Mass Index of less than
30.
8. Special Constables receive reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses but the work is voluntary and unpaid.
9. Uniform and equipment is provided free but it remains
the property of the police authority and must be returned on
leaving the service.
10. Special Constables may terminate their appointment
at any time by giving notice in writing to the Chief Constable of
their intention to resign.
11. Certain occupations or posts prevent a person from
joining or retaining the post of Special Constable. This includes
any person, or member of that person’s family who holds or has any
financial interest in any certificate, licence or permit granted in
pursuance of the laws relating to;
· liquor licensing
· betting or gaming
· regulating places of public interest
in the police area of the force of which that person is
a Special Constable or to which that person is applying for
appointment
or
if that person is employed in any occupation or holds
any appointment which, in the opinion of the Chief Constable, might
cause a conflict of interest with that person’s service as a
Special Constable. Each individual application will be judged on
it’s own unique circumstances.
12. Serving Special Constables who wish to apply to the
Regular Force must undertake the full Recruitment Procedure and
will not be given preferential treatment in their
application.
13. Northern Constabulary promote Equality and
Diversity. The Chief Constable is determined to ensure that no
candidate or holder of position in Northern Constabulary receives
less favourable treatment by reason of sex, marital status, sexual
orientation, religion, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or
national origins, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements
which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.
14. Fingerprints
All special constables, except those who are appointed
following their transfer from another police force, must on
appointment and in accordance with the directions of the chief
constable have their fingerprints taken. The fingerprints shall be
taken for the purpose of enabling a check to be carried out against
any other fingerprint taken by or on behalf of any police force or
in connection with or as a result of an investigation of an
offence.
15. Form of Notice
All Special Constables, except those who are appointed
following their transfer from another police force, must on
appointment and in accordance with the directions of the Chief
Constable have a DNA sample taken.
The sample is to be used for elimination purposes only
and will be held on the Police Elimination Database.
The purpose of the DNA database is to enable the
elimination of police officers from crime enquiries in situations
where DNA samples may have, or believed to have, become
accidentally contaminated.
The samples or the information derived from samples of a
special constable taken in accordance with this regulation, and all
copies and records, must be destroyed upon that person ceasing to
be a special constable of that police force, except that, where
that person becomes a Special Constable of another police force,
that person’s samples or information and all copies
and records must be transferred to the chief constable
of that other police force.