Two Police Specials walking along the waterfront A speedwatch Police Officer

This weekend Merseyside Police's Special Constabulary will be taking part in a number of Roads Policing and City Centre operations as part of the National Special Constabulary Weekend.

Special Constables are volunteers, who give a minimum of four hours of their time each week to help police Merseyside. The Merseyside Police Special Constabulary is made up of 413 officers who work across the Force, helping to reinforce strong community links and working closely with regular officers. They provide a vital link between the regular force and the community, and with the same training, uniforms and powers of arrest as regular officers, form a valued part of Merseyside Police's extended police family.

Special Constables will be working alongside their regular colleagues across the Force this weekend, carrying out roadside checks to target vehicles that are not roadworthy, promoting in car safety and conducting road-side checks supported by ANPR technology.

Paul Robinson, Merseyside Police Special Constabulary Chief Officer, said: "Being a special constable gives people from all walks of life, the opportunity to experience something different, learn skills that they can use in their full time occupation, and give something back to the community. I think our special constables bring a great deal of energy to the force, and carry out their vital role alongside regular colleagues."

Andy Stephens, who by day is Force's Director of Resources has been in the Special Constabulary for over 10 years, starting as a Special Constable with Thames Valley Police in 1997: "I was working as a newly qualified accountant at the time and had just relocated to a new area. Being a Special Constable was a great way of meeting new people and has given me a raft of skills that I have been able to use in my day job. It gave me a real insight and interest in policing and is part of the reason I wanted to work for Merseyside Police."

Different backgrounds

Rising through the ranks, Andy is now a Special Inspector who regularly works in Liverpool City Centre. The officers that he works with come from a range of different work backgrounds: "We can bring the benefits of a life outside the Force to our patrols which could range from language skills to nursing. Our regular colleagues appreciate the fact that we can bring another element to policing and may see things a little differently.

He added: "Being a special gives you the best of both worlds, providing you with an insight into life that no other job or voluntary work can offer. It can provide you with a real level of confidence, boost your communication skills and give you the opportunity to make a real difference. At the end of the day it is about being on the streets, talking to the public and providing a visible and reassuring presence."

The National Policing Improvement Agency is responsible for national policy on Specials. Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA, said: "Specials provide a unique link with the communities they work within. They have a key role to play in neighbourhood policing with the diverse skills and experiences drawn from a life outside the force, as well as within. Specials are often frontline responders, and a key part of this is the contribution that they make is in Roads Policing, emphasising the importance of this event."