Lancashire’s Special Constabulary is allowing the public to get an insight into the work that they do as they launch an awareness-raising week.
Volunteer officers from Lancashire Constabulary will be taking part in a range of operations across the county from Wednesday 30th October until Tuesday 5th November.
They will be taking part in a range of policing activities, ranging from policing the busy towns and cities during the evening and carrying out reassurance patrols, to getting involved in specialist operations for Halloween and bonfire night.
Nigel Walters, the Chief Officer of Lancashire’s Special Constabulary, said: “The intention of this week is to raise awareness of the work that the Special Constabulary does in Lancashire.
“In 2012/2013, over 400 special officers contributed more than 120,000 hours of volunteering, working alongside their regular police officer and police community support officer colleagues.
“The Special Constabulary is an integral part of policing in the county and we simply want to reflect on the work we do to keep communities safe.”
Chief Superintendent Bill McMahon added: “Our Special Constabulary is a valuable resource – special constables get involved with the community and make a real difference to the people living there.
“This week is an opportunity to recognise the fantastic work that our Special Constabulary does day-in-day-out to help keep the communities of Lancashire safe.”
Officers will be tweeting throughout the week using the hashtag #specialsweek on their Twitter account, which can be followed @LancsSCCOTeam. The Special Constabulary also have a page on Facebook which can be found be searching ‘Lancashire Constabulary specials’.
Chief Officer Walters will also host a question and answer session on Twitter on Friday 1 November from 7.00pm until 8.00pm.
Lancashire Constabulary has a total of 443 special constables. They have full police powers and perform the same duties as regular officers. These can range from general patrol to the policing of events and road traffic incidents.
Specials wear the same uniform as police officers and are issued with the same equipment. Aged 18 and above, they work flexible hours with a minimum requirement of four hours per week and provide their time and expertise without financial reward.
• Anyone interested in finding out more about the work of the Special Constabulary or who is interested in becoming a special constable should call 01772 410392