The Home Office recently announced a £200m funding boost to enable forces across England and Wales to begin recruitment to rebuild their local neighbourhood policing teams. This announcement doubled the anticipated provisional £100m funding commitment.
This means that Durham will now receive £2m rather than £1m to recruit extra Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers and Special Constables into neighbourhood roles. This new funding will enable us to put more uniformed officers on our streets, increasing visibility in our communities and ensure every neighbourhood team has a named contactable officer.
The new neighbourhood officers will focus on tackling crimes that matter most to the public, such as antisocial behaviour and neighbourhood crimes like burglary, vehicle crime, theft and knife crime that are blighting our towns and villages.
Realistically though, our local neighbourhood policing teams will not be restored overnight, but we will see more officers in our town centres and rural areas over the coming months. In fact, ten new fully trained Special Constables are hitting our streets this week!
With this I am delighted to report that Durham Special Constabulary’s new recruitment drive will be opening soon. The next recruitment will start late May 2025, but you can express your interest now to ensure you are kept up to date.
They will also be hosting a recruitment event in April 2025, where you can learn more about the role, about the impact you can make, and meet current Specials.
As PCC, I value the role of Special Constables who are fully warranted Police Officers, meaning they have the same powers, responsibilities, and accountability as their full-time colleagues.
Since my election I have invested in the Special Constabulary, ensuring they have the necessary equipment and training to excel in what they do and I have set out in my new police and crime plan my ambition to see the development of a specialist Rural Special Constabulary.
Special Constables often engage in proactive policing initiatives, such as patrolling high-crime areas, roads policing operations, community outreach and participating in crime prevention campaigns. By being visible in the community and building trust and confidence with residents, Special Constables can gather valuable intelligence that can help identify potential criminal activities and prevent them from happening.
Special Constables versatility and willingness to take on different responsibilities make them an asset to any police force, and they play a vital role in maintaining public safety and upholding the rule of law.
By working alongside regular Police Officers and engaging with the public, they contribute to creating safer and more secure environments for all members of society. Volunteering can be undertaken around your existing commitments, with no minimum hours required.
The Special Constabulary are looking for individuals who:
Are aged 18 or over.
Are motivated, resilient, and committed to public service.
Can work independently and as part of a team with officers and partners.
Have excellent problem-solving and communication skills.
How to Apply
Express your interest today by completing the online form in the careers section of the website at durham.police.uk. Just follow the links to careers and Special Constabulary.
Signing up early ensures you will be the first to hear about our April 2025 recruitment event, where you can ask questions, meet current Specials, and learn what it’s like to step into the role.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
