Special constables
Special Officers are volunteer police officers, who come from all walks of life.
They work both independently and alongside regular officers in Local Policing, Response, Roads Policing and other specialist departments within the Police, helping to keep communities safe.
Do you want to do something special and rewarding?
There’s nothing quite like it
Special constables are volunteer police officers who play a pivotal role in Merseyside police, becoming a special constable provides you with the opportunity to work alongside regular full time police officers and other special constables in a one team approach. By doing this you will be contributing to implementing the Forces priorities of Preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, Supporting Victims and vulnerable people, tackling serious and organised crime and providing visible and accessible neighbourhood policing.
Being a special constable allows you to bring along and transfer relevant skills and experiences from your day job or previous experiences and give something back to this world-class city.
As a Special, you’ll make a real difference to Merseyside whilst gaining unique experiences you simply can’t get anywhere else. If you have the spare time, we couldn’t think of a better way to spend it.
Same uniform, same powers
Volunteering as a Special is a great opportunity to give back to your local community, build new relationships and develop new skills. We require our Special Constables to offer a minimum of 16 hours per month. However, please note that you can choose when you work those hours and can volunteer more if you’d like.
Undergoing the training and then undertaking patrols makes a welcome break from day-to-day life, bringing excitement and challenge with every day you volunteer
Merseyside Police are fully supportive of diversity, equality and inclusion and strives to employ a workforce which is representative of the community it serves. We want great officers, and we also encourage individuality.
We want you to be you.
Specials get involved in lots of different aspects of policing helping to tackle anti-social behaviour, prevent crime and police events. They have the same powers as their full time, paid colleagues including power of arrest.
We ask our Specials to volunteer 16 hours of their time a month. Training to be a Special Constable takes place over 13-14 weekend across a 6 month period. Please consider this when you apply.
- Ability to deal with confrontation
- Excellent customer service skills
- Confident communicator
- Strong community focus
We welcome applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender, sex (or gender), employment status. If you have a disability or health condition that requires adjustments during any element of the selection process please provide us with details of the adjustment you would require at the earliest opportunity. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances so to do.
This post is open to British citizens, nationals of the EEA or commonwealth citizens who have no time limit on their stay in the UK, and who have lived in the UK continuously for the past three years.
Applicants to the Special Constabulary must be at least 18 years old at time of application.
The recruitment process will assess your suitability in a variety of areas, but we are mainly looking for:
- Commitment
- Motivation
- Flexibility
- Good interpersonal skills
- The ability to think on your feet in challenging situations
- The satisfaction of knowing you’re helping to make your community a better place
- A chance to learn new transferable skills and gain valuable life experience
- The chance to work in a professional environment, supported by up-to-date training and knowledge
- A chance to challenge yourself and show what you are capable of
- Find out more about a career with the police and gain experience of what it’s like
Convictions and cautions
Convictions or cautions will not necessarily preclude you from appointment. It will depend on their nature and the circumstances of the offence. Failure to disclose convictions or cautions will, however, result in your application being terminated.
Tattoos
Tattoos are not a bar to appointment however some tattoos could potentially offend members of the public or colleagues or could discredit the police service. It depends on their size, nature and location, and sometimes on the extent.
We won’t accept candidates with tattoos, which are visible on the hands, face or neck.
We won’t accept candidates with tattoos considered offensive by Merseyside police i.e. rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic or violent, whether the tattoos are visible or not.
We will consider candidates with tattoos that are non-visible and considered to be non-offensive by Merseyside Police provided that they can be covered by uniform or clothing whilst on duty (for example, a tattoo on the forearm should be covered by long sleeves).
Financial position
Special Constables are in a privileged position with regard to access to information and could be considered potentially vulnerable to corruption. Applicants should not therefore be under pressure from undischarged debts or liabilities and should be able to manage loans and debts sensibly.
People with certain occupations are not allowed to become a special constable. These are:
- Armed forces personnel
- Traffic wardens, civil enforcement officers and school crossing patrols
- Neighbourhood, street wardens and other uniformed patrol wardens
- Highways England Officers employed in an "on-road" capacity
- Police Community Support Officers
- Members of employers’ police forces and private constabularies
- Magistrates, judges, justices' clerks and CPS employees
- NCA staff designated with immigration officer and/or revenue and customs officer powers
- Members of police authorities
- Immigration officers
- Holders of SIA Badges
