The nominations for the Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer Awards 2012 has been launched on Friday 9th December 2011. This year a new category has been added to the awards for Police Support Volunteers which is 'Achievement in Recruitment and Retention'. It should also be noted that the awards have also been extended to encompass British Transport Police specials and volunteers. The following documents are now available to download: If you have any queries, please email the specials and volunteers policy team at specialsteam@npia.pnn.police.uk. To view the special edition magazine covering the 2011 award ceremony click here. This circular provides updated guidance to police forces about the application of the Working Time Regulations 1998 SI 1998/1833 (WTR) to members of the Special Constabulary in England and Wales. It supersedes the guidance contained in Home Office Circular 54/1999. The WTR transpose the European Union Working Time Directive to UK legislation. Volunteer police officers are expressly included within the scope of this directive, as special constables are classified as workers under the WTR. This circular is intended as a means to support and assist forces by highlighting particular areas and issues of relevance relating to members of the Special Constabulary, rather than a way to prescribe a rigid set of procedures to which police forces must adhere. Updated guidance on eligibility for the Special Constabulary was formally released on 9 March 2011. This guidance supercedes the prior NPIA circular on this subject NPIA(WSU)(SC)(07)1. See below a link to an explanatory letter sent to Chief Officers on this matter and also a link to the circular itself. Explanatory letter to Chief Officers. Numbers of special constables in England and Wales continues to rise. A Home Office statistical bulletin on police service strength shows that as of 31 March 2011 there were 18,421 special constables in England and Wales. This represents a 18.8 percent increase since the previous year. Please click on the link below to view the bulletin. Police Service Strength England and Wales, 31 March 2011 To view the special edition magazine covering the 2011 award ceremony click here. A new NPIA circular concerning payments for special constables for temporary injury or illness was released on Friday 3rd December. The circular concerns what to do in certain instances where special constables because of their particular circumstances are not covered by the 1965 Special Constable Regulations for temporary injury or illness. The circular seeks to address gaps in existing regulations. A copy of this circular can be downloaded here.
Employer Supported Policing (ESP) web pages now include the new DVD and Implementation Guide Tool Kit. The NPIA has developed a National Recruitment Process and Standards for the Special Constabulary. The new process and standards were formally approved for national roll-out from 1 April 2010 by the Special Constabulary National Consultative Group (SCNCG). Each force that adopts the new process will receive two free training courses, Assessor and Quality Assurance training, and other support free of change during this period. For more information read the NRS - fequently asked questions Read more about Specials recruitment The Special Constabulary Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention Report, designed to support the development and enhancement of force retention strategies is now available: Read the Special Constabulary Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention Report Please see below the two surveys on which the Special Constabulary Recruitment, Marketing and Retention Report were based: Retention Survey (2009) Download Welsh language brochure. If you need legal advice or assistance due to an incident on duty call: Personal Injury - 0800 916 9005 - 0800 - 2000 from Monday to Friday, and 0900 - 1600 on Saturday If you're injured in an accident either on or off duty, you can call the Specials' PI Claimline to register a claim. Your family can too, even if they're injured in a different incident. Criminal Assistance - 0800 916 9075 (24hrs) In the event of potential criminal or misconduct proceeding against you in the course of your duty, you can access a solicitor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling the Criminal Assistance line. Legal Helpline - 0800 884 0240 - 0800-2000 Monday to Friday, and 0900-1600 on Saturday For advice in the event of discrimination allegations, breach of road traffic regulations or any other general legal matter, you can contact the Specials' Legal Helpline for initial advice. For further information please view the summary of cover. It is not guaranteed all claims will be met.Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer Awards 2012
The Working Time Regulations 1998 and the Special Constabulary- New NPIA Circular 03/2011
Letter to Chief Officers
Executive Summary to NPIA Circular 03/2011
NPIA Circular 03/2011: The Working Time Regulations 1998 and the Special Constabulary
NPIA Circular 01/2011
Special Constable numbers
NPIA Circular 04/2010
Employer Supported Policing
Visit the ESP Home Page.National Recruitment Standards (NRS)
Recruitment Survey (2009)Special Constable Recruitment Brochure
A recruitment brochure for the Special Constabulary has been produced by NPIA. It is hoped this will help forces in their recruitment campaigns. Forces are welcome to make copies of this brochure and use it as they see fit. Special Constables Legal Fees Insurance Scheme
