GUEST COLUMN
Image courtesy of Gwent Police
14th-century Britain when Justices of the Peace (JP) were given authority to swear in members of their localities as SCs uphold law and order. This remained the case until the 1831 Special Constables Act – enacted because in Hull that year only seven out of a sworn 1,000 SCs had turned up to suppress a political demonstration. Back to 2026 and forthcoming changes intended to innovate against current criminal threats, appear to regurgitate some of these historical precepts. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act, 1984, included closer ties with the community and it led to greater inter-agency co-operation and now the twenty-first century challenge is to innovate by offering progressive solutions whilst in the meantime recognising the spending-cut culture which is placing more and more value on the work carried out by SCs. Policing is caught in decades of
stagnation and underfunding; feelings now often exasperated by issues of positivism, immigration, anti-social behaviour, VAWG and organised crime along with the most serious of crimes both within our communities but also within policing itself. These
have adversely affected trust and confidence in the service and while it is for politicians to rebuild the confidence of civil society it’s up to us to provide pragmatic solutions. I think that Community Intelligence-Led Policing
“In wider context, it is intended that the Special Constabulary is inextricably linked within policing practice and not an understatement of it.”
Methodology is one such suggested progressive development and I think the Special Constabulary can consider itself a champion within the mainstream of neighbourhood policing, and not just for the reasons I’ve already listed here. Further acknowledgment was given in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours list. Awards such as the King’s Police Medal (John Donaldson Philip) and the British Empire Medal (Damien Penman) offer formal recognition and gratitude for the contribution of those representing the Special Constabulary.
CHALLENGES AHEAD Memory serves that SC Colin Brooks, at the time a Sergeant with Gwent Police, gave an insightful interview back in 2023. His enlightening comments focused on
some of the discrepancies in professional support which were evident at the time. Thankfully, some of these have been rectified but the need for change is ongoing. Yes, the work of SCs is now viewed more accurately with parity in that both SCs and full-time officers undertake the same responsibilities. Areas of note include tackling anti-social behaviour, answering 999 calls, hot-spot targeting, ‘power of arrest’, deployments (PSU), same uniform & equipment,
Taser training, evidential requirements and duty of care. Despite these similarities and despite the progress that has been made, SCs have been embarrassingly neglected in terms of rights, privileges and protections over the years. The uniqueness of the Special
Constabulary should not be forgotten or taken for granted. Being almost as old as any standing force in England and Wales, the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 is only a mere two years older. This a clear illustration of the Special Constabulary’s importance to the democratic values held across the United Kingdom.
WIDER POLICING CHALLENGES This article is tempered by more than one salutary thought when it comes to policing; the October 2025
33 | POLICE | FEBRUARY | 2026
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