Talk:Special Constabulary

message: I've known this for a long time and I read it again today that SPC's do not have any powers more than a citizen of the UK. They can only execute a citizens arrest. Some are paid up to £26,000 a year.
:They're unpaid and they're sworn constables, just like the regulars, with the same powers (hence their title). Don't know where you got that from. See here. -- Necrothesp 23:23, 14 Jun 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Not merely "suspect", the grounds for the suspicion in practice need to be rather more positive than those that a constable might have.--MBRZ48 01:37, 20 January 2007 (UTC)

text: Re: Both citizen and constable can also arrest if they "have reasonable grounds for suspecting to be about to commit an arrestable offence". Not true; this is a police-only power, not an any person power. For a non-constable to arrest, an offence must have been committed or be being committed. -- Necrothesp 01:54, 20 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Their powers 

message: Removed reference to the effect that BTP do not have a special constabulary. They have had an active Special Constabulary for a number of years and are currently expanding the numbers of volunteer officers: http://www.btp.police.uk/recruitment/special.htm
:Readded the reference. Reread it. It says BTP does have a Special Constabulary, not that it doesn't. -- Necrothesp 01:08, 28 February 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  British Transport Police 

message: This is currently being reviewed with the likelyhood of being implemented in the next year.--Pandaplodder 20:58, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Grading 

message: Just wanted to note that a brief history of specials going back to the Great War would add much to this article. I don't have time now, and will try to get to this later, but if someone else feels the same way ... Bobanny 18:11, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: We were celebrating our 175 year anniversary on Sunday 29th October, so the history goes back somewhat further than World War One and it might aswell all be in there :)--SGGH 13:02, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text:  It seems to me that at some point the specials went from an ad hoc measure in times of crisis to a permanent auxiliary force as a complement to the regular force, as well as a vehicle for recruiting newbies (as noted in the article). I'm guessing it was the 1930s, or perhaps the result of lessons learned from the 1926 strike. Seems that would be an important chapter in the development of the organization, (and maybe even a better date of origin for the present organization -- but I won't push that point here... Historians still can't agree whether to date the "modern" regular police to 1829, to the Bow Street Runners, or earlier;) Also, I believe their primary role in WWI was to compensate for the loss of regular police that went off to war, though at the time that job description would've included watching out for those dastardly German agents lurking in every corner.Bobanny 00:05, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  History section needed 

message: Certainly does not have Special Constables, the Northern Territories Police do employ Aboriginal trackers who may be termed Specials but they are do provide any normal policing, reference removed. --Pandaplodder 20:55, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: FYI, there's also a section on Australia on the Special constable article, but it looks to be consistent with your remarks here. Bobanny 21:00, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Australia 

message: It would be useful to explain what this is in greater detail, for the benfit of non-police readers.  In other words, what's the significance of this level of training etc? Regards. Escaper7 16:56, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Level 2 PSU 

message: AFAIAA there is currently no specific obligation to assist a constable in England and Wales. Is there a source to support such an obligation existing in the past?--MBRZ48 01:16, 25 January 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: It is an offence for a member of the public to not assist a constable if the constable requests the assistance of that member of the public, assuming the member of the public doesn't have a good reason for not helping. Is this what you mean? If so, it is an offence, can be found in the Beat Companion (a good source for many offences). SGGH 23:41, 29 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  History (requirement to assist) 

message: Hi,
I just wondered if it is a really good idea to add this section. Wiltshire for example takes a lot less than the time specified (6 months application to attestation is not uncommon) and has no fitness test. Millis 16:44, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I've edited the section to make it more general. Attestation in my force, for example, comes after basic training, not before, we do now have a fitness test (although we didn't when I joined), which is, I believe, identical to that of the regulars, and the application process takes a fraction of 16-18 months. -- Necrothesp 17:10, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Additon of "Application" section 

message: Since this article deals pretty much exclusively with the UK, I suggest it be renamed Special Constabulary of the United Kingdom or British Special Constabulary or similar. --Helenalex (talk) 11:33, 15 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Renaming 

message: :Applicants must pass a security check (which is generally the longest process, as the checks have to be sent away to be completed), followed by a written Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT; identical to that taken by regulars), an interview normally held with two or three current officers and/or civilian staff,
My application actually had a PIRT followed by a security check, then an interview with a terrorism and financial check followed by a eye test and a medical questionnaire. Is that just specific to my local force (Merseyside) or is the above way mentioned in the article more commonplace? Uksam88 (talk) 18:28, 1 March 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Application 

message: I've added a small section to the page about the Olypics and the role the Special constabluary will have in the overall security at the event. As I feel it's an important part of the direction of the Special Constabulary.
Please add to it any more relavent information. 
--Kingsmill (talk) 19:16, 31 March 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: As an SC i can safely say most of the 10,000 will be taken from other forces who will then be paid a wage to make sure they don't go awol.Uksam88 (talk) 21:32, 10 May 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: FYI that plan has now changed in most forces to regs going with specials backfilling. Obviously liable to change. Narom (talk) 20:24, 18 September 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Olympics 2012