What is a Special Constable?

Special Constables are volunteer police officers. You’ll have the same powers as a regular officer. Taking part in frontline work, the role can be what you make of it from ensuring public safety to preventing, tackling and investigating incidents, all while building positive relationships in the area you work in.

The list is endless from where our current Specials come from! From a pilot, doctors, students, stay at home parents, bank workers and even other West Midlands Police staff. There are many ways to make a Special Constable role work with your lifestyle.

To become a Special Constable you need to be prepared to commit to training hard in your own time during evening and weekends, and after completing your training we ask for you to give a minimum of 16 hours a month to West Midlands Police. While some our Specials do may more hours, the role is very flexible to allow you to fit your duties around your work and home life commitments.

In return for your dedication we offer full training and support to make sure you are prepared and fully equipped for your role. This includes providing you with your uniform, and you will be entitled to be reimbursed for any reasonable expenses incurred in the course of your duties.

As a Special Constable you have a fantastic and unique opportunity to contribute to the safety of the West Midlands, and many of our current Specials are driven by wanting to give back to their community and the feeling that they’re making a difference.

Each shift you do will always vary, but you could be…

  • responding to 999 calls
  • conducting foot and vehicle patrols
  • priority anti-crime initiatives
  • working in schools to provide advice on safety and crime
  • conducting road safety initiatives
  • doing house-to-house enquiries
  • helping ensure safety and security at public events
  • presenting evidence in court
  • offering crime prevention advice and promoting property marking initiatives

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for people who share our values and have a real passion for people and communities, with a desire to make a difference through policing. We want good communicators with a calm, confident personality. People who are problem solvers, team players and can easily build relationships with other people.

We welcome applications from all members of our local communities as we continue to promote diversity across the whole of our workforce.

What is West Midlands Police like to be a part of?

Successful applicants will be joining the second largest police force in England, covering an area of 348 square miles and serving a population of almost 2.8 million.

Some of our greatest achievements are the ones which never hit the headlines. It’s the peace that returns to a once troubled street, the criminal whose life we helped to turn around and the child who can sleep at night without fear of abuse.

Little things which make a difference happen every day in West Midlands Police. We know that everything we do has the potential to change people’s lives.

Every single one of us plays an important part in making our plans come to life. We know that volunteering for West Midlands Police is not just a job. We know that this work matters.

SC Iain Hulbert on patrol in Dudley – click on the image above to view his film