Avon and Somerset Constabulary is keen to recruit more Special Constables and we recognise that it is sometimes difficult for individuals to offer their service without the support of their employers.

Our offer to employers is strictly business - designed to provide you with a tangible and attractive return.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary are asking you to consider sponsoring your employees, by undertaking to invest an agreed number of days per month of an employee's normal working hours to serve their local community as a Special Constable.

We believe that all parties will benefit from this partnership initiative.

Benefits for your Company

• Innovative opportunity for your employee's personal/professional development
• Increasing your employee's expectations of having a work/life balance
• Contributing towards the personal growth and fulfilment of your employees
• Reducing loss by theft and fraud through heightened security
• Media opportunity demonstrating direct company action in the community

Benefits for your Employees

• Opportunity for giving something back into the community
• Positive addition to the C.V.
• Career development possibilities
• Personal development of inter-personal skills:
  • Self confidence
  • Decision making
  • Conflict resolution
  • Problem solving
  • Effective listening
  • Effective negotiation
  • Exercising empathy
  • Team building

Benefits for the Community

• Raising the police profile reassuring the public and helping to create a safer local community
• Increased visibility of uniformed police staff
• Local crime and disorder issues tackled more effectively
• Helping to reduce crime and fear of crime

Benefits to Avon and Somerset Constabulary

• Ability to provide a more visible uniformed presence to assist in dealing with incidence of crime and disorder and to reassure the public
• Public satisfaction and feeling of security enhanced
• Greater partnership working
• Positive media opportunities demonstrating community partnership

Through the Employer Support for Special Constables Scheme an agreed number of employees apply to become Special Constables subject to our normal recruitment procedures and standards. If the employee is selected for appointment your company would be asked to sponsor the employee by undertaking to invest an agreed number of days per month of the employee's normal working hours for duty as a Special Constable.

The employee's commitment would be to donate this time off to their community in service as a Special Constable and your company would be informed of the duty time and receive feedback on their achievements and development. The employee would also contribute additional hours of their free time to match and possibly exceed that donated by the employer.

We would be happy to make contact with your company/organisation and are able to offer you:

• Our special constable web pages and localised on-line application request facility
• Presentations to management
• Presentations to employees
• Face to face meetings
• Posters for display on notice boards
• Literature for distribution to employees
• Visits from serving special constables

If as an employer you want to find out more about the Employer Support for Special Constables Scheme you can directly contact the local police commander by ringing 0845 4567000.

Many thanks in anticipation of your valued partnership in this joint venture.