Volunteer Special Constable
Volunteer officers, or Special Constables, work alongside serving officers to fight crime and keep people safe. It’s a volunteer opportunity like no other – a chance to do something different after the 9-5, shake up your routine and enter the world of frontline policing
Shake up your routine, learn new skills and make a difference in your local community.
What is a Special Constable?
Special Constables are volunteer, warranted Police Officers who play a key role in helping us to keep people safe and to fight crime.
Our 100+ Northumbria Specials have the same uniform and powers as their regular Officer colleagues and deal with the same types of incidents. Our invaluable volunteers help to build links between policing and the communities in which they live, work and serve and form an integral part of British policing.
Applications to join us as a Special Constable are open year-round and we are always looking for individuals to join us as a volunteer at TeamNP.
Same powers. Same uniform. Same impact.
Special Constables are volunteer, warranted Police Officers who play a key role in helping us to keep people safe and to fight crime.
Our 100+ Northumbria Specials have the same uniform and powers as their regular Officer colleagues and deal with the same types of incidents. Our invaluable volunteers help to build links between policing and the communities in which they live, work and serve and form an integral part of British policing.
Applications to join us as a Special Constable are open year-round and we are always looking for individuals to join us as a volunteer at TeamNP.
What could I be doing on an average shift as a Special Constable?
Volunteering as a Special Constable offers plenty of variety. It is a chance to mix it up from your day job and experience a unique volunteering opportunity. You could find yourself:
- responding to 999 calls
- foot and vehicle patrols
- tackling antisocial behaviour
- road safety initiatives
- house-to-house enquiries
- helping ensure public safety and security at both local and major events
- presenting evidence in court
- taking part in ‘hotspot’ operations to tackle underage drinking, criminal damage, and nuisance and public disorder
- offering crime prevention advice
Besides volunteering alongside officers in our Response and Neighbourhood teams, more experienced Specials also have the opportunity to join our Traffic team, helping to keep our roads safe and tackle dangerous drivers.
How will you take care of my wellbeing as a volunteer?
We invest in a whole host of wellbeing measures to make sure you’re safe, healthy and supported while you’re volunteering for us. Our 24/7 employee assistance line gives you access to welfare counselling, our mental health first aiders are on-hand to offer immediate support and our award-winning trauma team are available if you’ve attended an incident of a distressing nature or faced an assault whilst on duty. Meanwhile our range of staff support associations – from the AccessABILITY association to our LGBT+ association are here to support and represent your needs, beliefs and values.
What skills do I need to join?
We are looking for much of the same personal qualities in Specials Constables that we look for in regular Police Officers – integrity, honesty, tact and communication skills. We are looking for individuals who thrive on variety, extensive public contact and a high level of personal responsibility. Make sure to read our full eligibility criteria before you apply.
About the Special Constabulary
What benefits will I receive as a Special Constable?
We want to get the most out of the time you volunteer at TeamNP. As a Special Constable, you’ll have access to many of our force benefits including in-station gyms, access to our employee assistance programme and discounted travel. Find out more about benefits and reasons to volunteer at TeamNP.
What you need to know before you apply
What you need to know before you apply
Frequently asked questions
No, it is not essential to hold a full UK car driving licence to be a special constable at Northumbria Police. However, if you aspire to be a volunteer officer in our traffic team this will be a requirement and you should disclose this during your application.
You can request to operate from a particular location and we will aim to accommodate your preference. Once you’re at the final offer stage of the application process, you’ll speak with our Talent Acquisition team where you can let them know you’re preferred area. If successful, we’ll update you on the station you’ll be based at before you begin the training programme.
Those committed to taking on this exciting and rewarding role will need to complete a minimum of 200 hours annually, equating to 4 hours per week. This includes time spent performing duty and undertaking training. However, you will get most benefit if you are able to work a full 8-12 hour shift with your regular officer colleagues.
You can also get the best from your volunteering by working our peak times of evenings/nights, weekends, bank holidays and key events in the sporting calendar. Becoming a volunteer Special Constable is a commitment and it’s important that you consider how this will fit into your work, family and social life.
Special Constable training is currently a blended approach of classroom based training, pre-recorded sessions and live online sessions which you log into from home.
The training will be held over an 18-week period, made up of Saturdays (8am to 4pm) Thursdays (6pm to 8pm/10pm) and some Sundays.
The course will involve training in: Professional Standards, Self Defence, First Aid, ICT, Legislation, Powers, Policies and Procedures and more.
After successful completion of your training, you will be expected to work through a portfolio, demonstrating your competency in different areas of the Special Constable role – once complete, you will have demonstrated that you can carry out the role safely and lawfully, and will be given a level of independence.
No, Special Constables do not get paid as they work on a voluntary basis. However, you are entitled to claim expenses for your mileage to and from your police base. We will of course provide your uniform and kit required for duty too. As a special constable, you’ll unlock a number of other benefits in your role as a volunteer at Northumbria Police.
We accept applications for Special Constables year-round. When you join a mandatory, online information event you’ll find out when our next cohort of Special Constables will join TeamNP so you know when you might expect to join us when you apply.
The fitness test is designed to assess whether you’ve got the stamina needed to be a volunteer Special Constable, not an Olympic athlete.
It involves a multi-stage shuttle run, also known as the ‘bleep test’, which is a physical test of your aerobic capacity (stamina). It involves running between two points that are 15 metres apart (a “shuttle”). Your pace will steadily increase with each shuttle. The idea is to reach the other side before the next bleep. You need to be able to reach level 5.4 – which is around a steady jog pace.
If a disability or medical condition makes it difficult to complete the standard fitness test, we offer an alternative test, where candidates can walk or run on a treadmill, with the gradient increasing over time.
TAKE YOUR FIRST STEPS INTO POLICING
Before you apply to become a Special Constable, you’ll need to join a mandatory information event.
Here you’ll gain insight into what volunteering at Northumbria Police is really like, find out more about the application process, eligibility requirements, benefits, and you’ll have the opportunity to speak to current serving special constables, and members of the training and talent acquisition team.
Choose your preferred date below to sign up to an upcoming Teams, online event.
Can’t make these sessions? We’ll be running regular events, check back for later dates or get in touch with the talent acquisition team.