Volunteer Police Officer

Volunteer Police Officers or Special Constables are warranted Police Officers who play a key role in helping us to keep people safe and to fight crime.

Our 100+ Northumbria Specials have the same uniform and powers as their regular Officer colleagues and deal with the same types of incidents. Our invaluable volunteers help to build links between policing and the communities in which they live, work and serve and form an integral part of British policing.

Volunteering as a Special Constable offers plenty of variety. It is a chance to mix it up from your day job and experience a unique volunteering opportunity. You could find yourself:

• responding to 999 calls
• foot and vehicle patrols
• tackling antisocial behaviour
• road safety initiatives
• house-to-house enquiries
• helping ensure public safety and security at both local and major events
• presenting evidence in court
• taking part in ‘hotspot’ operations to tackle underage drinking, criminal damage, and nuisance and public disorder

Besides volunteering alongside officers in our Response and Neighbourhood teams, more experienced Specials also have the opportunity to join our Traffic team, helping to keep our roads safe and tackle dangerous drivers.

We are looking for much of the same personal qualities in Specials Constables that we look for in regular Police Officers – integrity, honesty, tact and communication skills. We are looking for individuals who thrive on variety, extensive public contact and a high level of personal responsibility. Make sure to read our full eligibility criteria before you apply.

We want to get the most out of the time you volunteer  a Special Constable, you’ll have access to many of our force benefits including in-station gyms, access to our employee assistance programme and discounted travel. Find out more about benefits and reasons to volunteer at TeamNP.