NEWS


VOLUNTEER HEROES


International Volunteer Day is celebrated every December to recognise the dedication, kindness and compassion of volunteers


Special constables are volunteers who have all the same powers as a regular police officers, and offer support to the regular constabulary, facing the same risks and dangers. They have a long and rich history of serving our society and are appreciated by members of the public and our police service for assisting our regular police officers and supporting in the protection of our communities. Special constables play a vital role in our mission to make communities safe. Special constables and volunteers are


a vital part of the police service and help prevent and investigate crime, as well as helping to reduce disorder and antisocial behaviour. We currently have 8,545 specials who – year to date – have volunteered more than 1,932,895 hours. International Volunteer Day is the perfect opportunity to recognise the hard work they do and say thank you to those who go above and beyond to help the police service. Specials provide support where it is needed the most, and their altruism and the smallest of actions can have more of an impact than you might imagine. National Citizen in


make their communities better, safer places to live. Secondly, it gives them something powerful back. Their confidence will grow through being involved in the work that comes their way, they will learn new skills, how to communicate, and it gives them a real sense of purpose and value. “Over the years, we have seen specials learn various important skills from volunteering that they have used in their work and day-to-day lives. We have seen young people join us and get promoted to leadership levels within the Special Constabulary and, at the same time, reap the benefits of that in terms of getting promotions within their paid work.” With more than 30 years’ experience


National Citizen in Policing Manager and Special Constable Senior Officer in North Wales, Mark Owen.


volunteered more than 1,932,895 hours in the past year and are a vital part of the police service and help prevent and investigate crime


Policing Manager and Special Constable Senior Officer in North Wales, Mark Owen, said: “It is established science that volunteering is good for your mental health, it keeps you alert, and it gives you a sense of purpose. Often people do not realise specials are volunteers. They wear the same uniform, they have the same training, and give their time for nothing in return, supporting the police service and their communities.


“What is brilliant about that is firstly, it gives them an opportunity as a volunteer to


08 | POLICE | DECEMBER 2022


as a police officer who manages the volunteering sector within the police service, Mark says there’s no greater feeling of satisfaction than seeing specials flourish. We are unique in that a lot of our


volunteers within the Special Constabulary aspire to paid roles in the police service, and it is massively satisfying to play a part in their journey,” continued Mark. “Developing them as volunteers makes them better and more competent police officers when they join the paid service. That is a fantastic


There are 8,545 special constables who have


benefit for the organisation as a whole, not just the individuals.” More than 140 specials worked at the Commonwealth Games this summer alongside their paid colleagues in a way that was “totally seamless”, he added. “One of the things that I think is really powerful about police volunteering is they still live and work outside the police service, so they have a strong connection to the


communities they serve. If police forces get it right, they can use the knowledge and experience they have in a way that reaches out to the communities,” concluded Mark. The Police Federation of England


and Wales respects and appreciates tremendously all those who volunteer and give up their time to help us protect our communities, and were delighted to welcome them to PFEW as members earlier this year.


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