SPECIAL CONSTABLES
PROTECTION FOR EVERYONE
Colin Brooks, a Special Constable in Wales, talks about his journey, from serving in the army to becoming a police officer in 2015
it plays. In the early years, I had no idea that specials did not fall under the protective umbrella of the Police Federation. I assumed that as we carry the same equipment (apart from tasers), attend the same calls, and undertake the same risks, we would be covered by the same legal protection and representation as our full-time colleagues. I make arrests and use a
variety of tactics to achieve these arrests. Any one of these may result, justly or unjustly, in a complaint, injuries to myself or the suspect, or even to members of the public. It’s remarkable to think that I carried out these duties without the protection afforded by PFEW membership. I’m a PSU (Level 2) officer and have been deployed on numerous operations. To look back, knowing I was not covered is
As part of the campaign to open PFEW membership to members of the Special Constabulary, who were previously unable to join the Federation, we have been in conversation with specials across England and Wales. Colin Brooks of Gwent Police gave his feedback on the process: I joined Gwent Police Special Constabulary in 2015. After two years as a special constable, I was promoted to special sergeant. I had served for almost 25 years in the army, where we did not have a union or representative body, so when I joined the specials, I did not imagine that there would be a staff association. Over time, and after speaking with my regular colleagues, I became aware of the Police Federation and the vital role
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incredibly scary and hard to believe. Our then-chief inspector formulated a plan to open PFEW membership to
the fee, enabling free membership for all specials, which was a huge relief. Tasers had been authorised for specials, with the a caveat that we must be part of the Police Federation.
Around mid 2020, I attended a briefing
by a Fed representative that covered membership and the benefits of joining. After that meeting, the unanimous feeling was that we must be part of the Federation. It was crazy to believe we weren’t already. My understanding of the Federation had been that it gave officers protection when attending calls, and the confidence to deal with what’s in front of them, so they did not have to worry about other factors that may arise after an arrest or incident. Now I am a member, I feel more confident at incidents and get on with the job, safe in the knowledge that I have the protection and assurance that comes with PFEW membership. Looking ahead, I think twice-yearly
“I honestly feel more confident at incidents and get on with the job in hand, safe in the knowledge that I have the protection that comes with PFEW membership”
all serving Gwent specials. This effort helped lay the path for the current membership deal.
The membership fee was a concern, as it
was widely felt that the monthly fee was too high for volunteers. With some prepared to pay and others unable, an uneven playing field would have been created. I had been a special for around five years when a solution was found to cover
briefings by a local Fed rep to specials would be hugely beneficial in aiding a wider understanding of the assurance that comes with membership and the work that PFEW does. Getting into our basic training process would be greatly helpful too. The reps work closely with us and have a greater knowledge and understanding of our concerns. This has been amazing to witness. It’s a tremendous boost to our confidence, knowing we will be heard and represented appropriately. I know there are a few regular
colleagues across the ranks who do not understand the role of a Special Constable, or what we all sacrifice just to attend a shift for Gwent Police. Now that we are part of the Fed, I hope this can change so reps can best represent our experience to our full-time colleagues. I, for one, am immensely grateful for my
PFEW membership and the wider work that PFEW reps and colleagues undertake.
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