Policy Scope:

All Special Constabulary Officers

Aims and Objectives:

The South Yorkshire Police Special Constabulary is a valued policing resource, assisting the regular force in the performance of its duties.

Special constables are drawn mainly from the communities served by each local area. It is made up of members of the public and police staff who give up their free time to assist the regular force in seeking to achieve its policing objectives. They are a manifest sign of partnership between the police and the public.

Special constables perform constabulary duties and exercise constabulary powers under the supervision of, and supported by, regular police officers.

Special constables undergo classroom-based training programmes as well as exposure to everyday incidents.

The policy concerning special constables follows, in the main, that for the regular force. On occasion it differs slightly to recognise the unique position they occupy in being a volunteer service.

The role of the Special Constable is:

• To supplement their regular force colleagues by providing a visible and proactive uniformed patrol presence on the streets of South Yorkshire to help reassure its citizens. As a general rule, special constables will be aligned to Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
• To initiate action plans to help achieve the Force and District Policing Plans in consultation with regular officers and the public.
• To engage in operations for which the use of plain clothes may be appropriate under the supervision and guidance of regular officers.

Associated Procedural Instructions:

This policy is supported by the following procedural instructions:

Special Constabulary Procedural Instructions D51092

See also:

Special Constabulary Recruitment Procedures D50174

Specials Through Employer Partnership (STEP) - Instructions D51381

Suspension frm duty of Members of police officers and Special Constabulary D51329

Human Rights/Discretion:

The purpose of providing policy is to give an indication to staff of the expected course of action. However it is not possible to cater for every possible combination of factors that would justify a departure from stated policy. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires the proper use of discretion at all times and nothing within this policy and associated procedural instructions prohibits the proper use of discretion in appropriate circumstances.

Where action is taken that has the potential to interfere with an individual’s Human Rights, the reasons behind the making of the decision to act in that way should be recorded on the appropriate forms, or where this is not practicable, in pocket books or policy logs.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Exemptions do not apply to this Statement of Agreed Policy under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Management of Police Information (MoPI)

This policy falls within MoPI: No

Audit Arrangements:

This policy together with its Equality Analysis will be reviewed every 2 years.

Rights of redress for members of the public:

Anyone who feels that a member of SYP staff has behaved incorrectly or unfairly has the right to make a complaint. Initial action should be taken in one of the following ways:

• Complaint in writing or in person to the Senior Officer at the appropriate police station or in writing to the Chief Constable of the force concerned.
• Visit a local Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
• Contact a solicitor.

Rights of redress for South Yorkshire Police staff:

South Yorkshire Police staff who feel they have grounds for concern in relation to the implementation of policies may:

• Pursue concerns through their line manager.
• Contact their First Contact Advisor.
• Pursue a grievance formally through the South Yorkshire Police Fairness at Work Procedure.
• Seek advice from their staff association or trades union.

• Use procedural instruction D50241 Management of Complaints, in the section entitled Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control.