International Volunteers Day: Fed chair pays tribute to Specials

5 December 2024

Federation chair Simon Riley has praised the efforts of Special Constables in the police force on International Volunteers Day (5 December). 

Special are volunteers who typically dedicate a minimum of 16 hours a month to their respective force, where they are often at the heart of operations including neighbourhood, roads and public order policing. 

They were granted membership to the PFEW (Police Federation of England and Wales) in July 2022 after a new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act was introduced.

Thanks to this change in legislation, the Special Constabulary gained representation from an overarching staff association after previously having gone without this since its inception back in 1831.

Simon said: “Specials are invaluable when it comes to supporting the work of regular officers and backing them up in any circumstances, come rain or shine.

“But they are also more than officers who just help and facilitate – they come into the police force with a unique perspective, often having a working life outside of policing. They can offer skills and knowledge that the force might not otherwise get without their existence.

“As volunteers, their levels of effort know no limits, and that should never be forgotten. I would like to say a big thank-you to them for everything they do.”

Special Constabulary

The dedication of voluntary cops in Nottinghamshire Police was illustrated earlier in 2024 when Federation member Ryan Calvert was named as the Force’s Special Constabulary Officer of the Year, having completed 1,000 hours of duty over the previous year despite being a 21-year-old university student.

Along with Ryan, Simon paid tribute to all of Nottinghamshire’s Specials, adding: “It makes me proud to think we now have these officers within our Federation.

“Specials genuinely make a difference to policing, and I want to reiterate the Fed’s commitment to making a difference for them, so they feel protected and represented as much as possible.”

Special Constables interested in joining the Federation can discuss membership by contacting them here, before filling out an application form.

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