On International Volunteers Day (5 December), branch deputy chair Matt Ward has paid tribute to the work of Special Constables and says he remains proud to have welcomed them as Federation members two years ago.
Thanks to a new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, voluntary police officers have been able to join the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) since July 2022.
Before this point, the Special Constabulary had no far-reaching representation from a staff association, despite forming back in 1831.
As of July 2024, Cambridgeshire Constabulary has 67 Special Constables – all giving up at least 16 hours of their time a month to support the Force’s operations across the county.
And Matt was full of praise for their efforts: “I think Specials are absolutely crucial to the policing picture in Cambridgeshire.
“While they can provide back-up and resilience to regular officers, which is amazing, they also do great work completely in their own right.
“I know there are projects in the Force virtually made up entirely of Specials, and the way they take initiative like this goes to show how committed they are to making a difference.
“In terms of them being in the Federation, we are so glad to have them as part of the family and I can promise we will always strive to give them the best service possible as members.”
Recently, Fed member and Ely-based voluntary cop Fiona Braybrooke was named as Special of the Year at Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s annual awards ceremony in November.
Matt added: “This is just one example of the recognition Specials deserve, because they truly go and above and beyond for policing. On behalf of the Federation, we want them to know that we appreciate everything they continue to do.”
Special Constables interested in joining the Fed can discuss membership by contacting them here, before filling out an application form.