Avon and Somerset Police and the Role of a Special Constable
The last Police Officer you saw could have been a Special Constable from Avon and Somerset Police
In their day job they may have been leading a project to build the new school close to you, driving the train you took on your commute to work, working self-employed from home during the day or answering the call you placed to book your travel insurance for your break away. Our volunteers come from all walks of life. One of our Special Inspectors Kelly MacBryde gives an insight to why she joined the organisation. I’ve been a Special for 14 years, and the time has flown by! I'm enjoying it just as much now as I did when I first joined! I found out about the Special Constabulary when I saw a "Could You" advert on the TV and was interested to find out more. I was working in an office and I thought that doing something completely different would be a good idea (and it was!). The idea of working as part of a larger team, learning new skills and taking myself out of my comfort zone all appealed to me.
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I'd always thought that Special Constables just policed low key events but as a response officer in Bristol, I attend the same jobs as my regular colleagues. As a Special Constable, you never know what's going to happen and jobs rarely turn out to be what you're expecting, you often formulate a plan of how to deal with an incident and then have to change it completely when you get there. I thought I might miss going down the pub on a Friday night but now I'd rather volunteer for a shift, I could end up with a suspect in custody or helping someone having a mental health crisis get to A&E. I love the camaraderie and the fact that everyone looks out for one another, you work with so many different people, there's rarely a dull moment! Why not come along and make a difference, to support the communities in which we all live and work. Find out more https://www.avonandsomerset. police.uk/apply/jobs-and-volunteering/special-constabulary/
