Could you be a special constable?

Have you got what it takes to become a special constable in the twenty-first century? Could you join?

Find out by reading the guidance below:

Age

Over 18 years.

Nationality

Are you a British citizen, citizen of the Irish Republic, Citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA) , a Commonwealth citizen or other foreign national whose stay in the UK is unrestricted?

Residency Requirements"

Vetting is part of the application process and for meaningful vetting enquiries to take place an applicant is required to have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last three years.

Medical fitness

Special constables on occasions encounter stressful situations, trauma and physical confrontation. They need to be resilient enough to cope with the demands and pressures of police work. Applicants must therefore be in good health mentally and physically to undertake police duties. Appointment is subject to satisfactory medical clearance by the force medical officer. You will be required to complete medical history documentation and you may be asked to undertake other medical tests, like hearing and lung function.

Disability

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and will do all we can to make reasonable adjustments, which will allow disabled applicants to undertake this role.

Please let us know if you have a disability and the type of adjustment which you might need to enable you to apply for and do the job.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines a person with a disability as having "A physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial adverse long term effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities."

Eyesight

There are minimum vision standards which must be met.

Criminal record

A court conviction or finding of guilt as a juvenile does not automatically bar you from becoming a police officer. However, such convictions or findings must be declared on your application form as the post of police officer is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

Ineligible occupations

Employment in certain areas (like the armed forces, fire service and security industry) is incompatible with the office of constable.

Equal opportunities

Having read the Constabulary's equal opportunities statement, which can be downloaded below, are you prepared to comply with it?

Positive action

We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups including those who are gay, lesbian, female or from an ethnic minority group.

Duty times

Your duty times will be agreed locally to accommodate your own availability.

We are looking for a commitment from you to perform a minimum monthly average of 16 hours' duty, spread evenly throughout the year, exclusive of your training.

Personal life

Are you prepared to avoid any conduct likely to bring the Constabulary into disrepute and to limit personal activities, eg not taking an active role in politics?