Special constables stepping up to help

More than 100 of Leicestershire Police’s special constables are stepping up as frontline officers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The move comes following a request from the National Police Chiefs Council to employers to provide paid leave to special constables so they can support each force in managing the impact of Covid-19.

The training to become a special constable is at the same level of that undertaken by full-time police officers. Special constables also hold the same powers and responsibilities of a full-time officer and manage the role alongside their normal employment.

Under Operation Formidable, the special constables will be placed into teams and work a minimum of one early and one late shift over a seven-day period.

Superintendent Adam Slonecki is the force’s lead for Volunteers in Policing and oversees the role of the special constables.

“Covid-19 is a serious national threat,” he says.

“Our special constables are stepping up to provide vital support at a time when our regular workforce numbers are compromised by the virus.

“We’ve developed an operational plan that involves officers from our Special Constabulary to devote more hours of part of our resilience to Covid-19 and the impact on our resources. It doesn’t override any advice that’s been given to the public in terms of self-isolation.”

Supt Slonecki says that he believes both the special constables and their employers will see long-term benefits from stepping up.

“I’m grateful to those people and those businesses who employ special constables across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for supporting their staff and allowing them to help us at such an unprecedented time,” he adds.

“I realise it’s been such a big ask, especially as many organisations are also having to manage and operate on low staffing levels and asking employees to work from home.

“But Employer Supported Policing is a powerful way for organisations to demonstrate their social responsibility and I am confident that both employer and employee will benefit from the experience gained during such a critical time.”