‘Exciting, rewarding, satisfying’: What it’s like to be a Special Constable

ON PATROL: Special Sergeant Tom Hindley. Pictures by Tom Arran Commercial Photography

Volunteer officers provide a crucial service across the Humberside Police force area. Rick Lyon found out what life is like as a ‘Special’

Tom Hindley was looking for a volunteer role that would allow him to give something back.

As a full-time Process Engineer for a multi-national paint company, he was happy in his work, but he had a burning desire to do more to help others.

It came, he believes, from his background with the Scout Association, both as a Scout himself when he was a child, and as a Scout Leader in later years.

Tom looked into become a Reserve Firefighter, and he considered joining the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), among other options.

But it was when he attended a Special Constable information evening organised by Humberside Police at the Courtland Road Training Centre in north Hull that he knew he’d found his calling.

FIGHTING CRIME: Tom Hindley loves being a ‘Special’

“I wanted a volunteering role that would help others in some way, which I’d also find exciting,” says Tom.

“I was invited along to the information evening. There were about 40 of us in a room with a couple of Specials talking about what they did, why they did it, and the training they’d had – and I was hooked.

“The more I listened, the more I thought it sounded really exciting, really rewarding, and that I could really make a difference. I knew I’d get to see a lot of things and experience things I otherwise wouldn’t.

“I knew it’s what I wanted to do, so I filled out the application form straight away and sent it off.”

Tom, from east Hull, had a fitness test to ensure he had the physical capacity required to carry out the role of a Special Constable.

He had an interview and assessment and, when background checks and vetting were complete, he started his training.

PROTECTING THE PUBLIC: Tom Hindley works alongside Special Constables and regular officers in north Hull

“You’re educated about what it’s like to be a police officer,” says Tom. “You go through the law, the powers you’ll have, how to use them and when to use them, lawfully and safely, with the minimum amount of force necessary.

“You learn how to use your handcuffs and baton, and you’re tested all the way through.”

Six months later, Tom was attested as a Special Constable with Humberside Police at Hull City Hall, swearing before a magistrate to uphold the values of being an officer.

Unlike Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), Special Constables have the same powers as full-time, paid officers.

The volunteer officers are ordinarily required to work a minimum of 16 hours a month, although many do significantly more.

Newly recruited Special Constables are classed as “non-independent”, and must be supervised by an experienced colleague as they complete a training plan.

‘I GET A LOT OF SATISFACTION FROM IT’: Tom Hindley in his role as a Special Sergeant

When their training plan is complete – which normally takes between six and nine months – a Special Constable can then be dispatched to any situation that a regular officer can.

“I’ve been sent to all sorts of jobs, ranging from missing persons to people wanting to harm themselves, to burglaries in progress,” says Tom.

“It’s very interesting to find yourself searching a leisure centre at 3am, walking along the side of a swimming pool in the pitch black with your torch, thinking ‘this is not normal’! But you’re there and there’s a job to do.

“I absolutely love it. I get a lot of excitement from it, being involved in adrenaline-inducing operations. I also get a lot of satisfaction from protecting people.

“I’ve dealt with people who are at the lowest point of their lives and contemplating some very, very dark things, and I’ve got them the help they needed.

“To know you’ve saved someone from serious harm, or even death, is incredibly rewarding.”

POUNDING THE STREETS: Tom Hindley recommends becoming a Special Constable

The Special Constabulary has its own rank structure, consisting of Special Constable, Special Sergeant, Special Chief Inspector, Special Superintendent, and Special Chief Officer.

Having qualified as a Special Constable in 2018, Tom went on to earn promotion to Special Sergeant after being interviewed for the role.

He heads up a team of six Special Constables based at the North Hull Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), working closely alongside the regular Sergeant and other officers, both in uniform and in plain clothes.

Tom, 33, says the camaraderie and togetherness he has experienced between Special Constables and regular officers makes the role even more satisfying.

“We 100 per cent feel part of this force. All I’ve ever felt from a full-time officer is that I’m a colleague going to a job with them,” he says.

“If an officer needs emergency assistance and a Special comes round the corner, they’re the cavalry, whatever type of officer they are.

PROUD: Tom Hindley outside the North Hull Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT)

“That’s what it’s all about. You’re a proper family, working together, side by side.

So, what does it take to be a Special Constable?

“Almost anybody from any background and with any experience can do this job,” says Tom.

“You have to be at least 18 and able to pass the fitness test, but if you’re hard working, dedicated, have a measure of empathy and a level head, you can do it.

“I did, and I’ve never looked back.”

• Humberside Police currently have a recruitment drive on to attract more Special Constable, running until Wednesday, June 29. To find out more about becoming a Special Constable, visit https://www.wearehumbersidespecials.com/