Long-service Special looks back on ‘proud’ career
20 October 2025
Haydn Bradley-Davies joined Dyfed Powys Police’s Special Constabulary back in 2016, looking to be the change he wanted to see in his hometown of Aberystwyth.
Across nine years as a Special, Haydn managed to make a significant difference in his local community with an average of 50 to 60 hours dedicated a month at the sustained peak of his service.
Throughout multiple roles – including a step-up in rank – this commitment was focused almost exclusively both to Aberystwyth and to response policing, where he says he ‘never really swayed away from’.
Special Constable Haydn Bradley-Davies
And while the 29-year-old believes the time is right for him to say goodbye to the Special Constabulary, he also argues this steady consistency shows he has enjoyed plenty of fulfilment as a police volunteer.
“From a young age, I would listen to people voicing their opinions on policing, because I was always interested in it, and I liked that idea of doing something to change things rather than just commenting from afar,” Haydn said.
“Naturally, though, you make progress with other things, and I quickly built up a career I loved in the Welsh Government. So, I decided to become a Special to see what being a cop would be like before committing to a full job change.
“I may not have made the switch to a regular officer, but that doesn’t matter, because it didn’t take me long to enjoy being a Special simply for what it was.”
Ambition
The way Haydn has stayed grounded in the police, nevertheless, has not come at the expense of any ambition.
During his first spell as a Special Constable, he also contributed to the Force’s offender management team, police cadet programme and management of various community events.
In one of his most memorable achievements, he then became a Special Inspector for Ceredigion, overseeing a team of up to 12 voluntary colleagues, before returning to his former rank and role on the frontline in 2021 for the remainder of his career.
“Another highlight was during Covid, when my day job released me to work full-time as a Special, and I acted as a visible presence for the Force,” he added.
“This was obviously only ever temporary, but it was another way I was able to show my dedication to the cause.”
Conversely, a lack of flexibility between his paid and voluntary responsibilities in the present day is the main driver behind Haydn’s decision to step away from policing.
Haydn, who currently works in Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, says his aim was always to ‘leave naturally’, and he believes he has achieved this by earning his long-service medal.
“There is no big negative behind my decision – just that it’s increasingly harder to find that work-life balance nowadays, which I think is normal as you get older and your circumstances change.
Ceremony
“Receiving my medal was an absolute honour. Delme, the Federation chair, was there at my ceremony, and he is someone I have known for years in our time working together in Ceredigion.
“I would like to thank him and the other branch officials at the time for giving me the opportunity to act as a point of contact for Specials when we were first allowed to join the Fed. To help my colleagues in this way was a proud moment for me.”
As for Haydn’s standout highlight, ranking above an impressive three nominations for the Force’s ‘Special of the Year’ award was the many friendships he has made along his journey.
“Delme is just one of the many good relationships I have made over my nine years – I’ve now got some lifelong friends who will continue to be a part of my life beyond the police,” he continued.
“I think, ultimately, as well as wanting to find a natural end, that’s been a big part of why I’ve stayed so long.
“Overall, I leave with my head held very high, because I’d like to think I have made an impact on the people around me – both inside and outside of the Force."
READ MORE: In our latest edition of the Federation magazine.
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