Long serving Special Constables across Cheshire were honoured at an awards ceremony held at Cheshire Police headquarters last week (18th September 2013).
Special Constabulary Chief Officer Brian Woodward presented long service awards for five years’ service to Lee Bellfield, Christopher Johnson, David Jones, Adam Langley, Steven Parry and Gary Rawlinson. Timothy Williams was also presented with an award for nine years’ service.
The evening’s highest accolades went to Mark Jones, Steve Jones and Richard Streets who each received an award for 19 years’ service.
Mark, 47 became a Special Constable in 2003 to help his local community. He said:
"I got involved because ultimately I wanted to help the community that I live in."
"I never envisaged being a Special for so long, but I have made some good friends and have seen no reason to stop."
"Myself and Steve (Jones) started together in Chester, and we have built up a good camaraderie."
Steve Jones, 58 added:
"Being a Special Constable is something that I always wanted to do and being able to help people, often when they are in distress, is incredibly rewarding."
"Over my nineteen years service I have seen many changes within the force and have had some great experiences."
The evening saw the attestation of thirty-three Special Constables. In front of family and friends, they all read the oath of allegiance and received their warrant cards from Magistrate Gillian Becket.
Addressing the audience, Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer honoured the dedication and service given by the Special Constabulary:
"It is an honour to be here to recognise the commitment and dedication of our Special Constabulary. These are people who generously give of their spare time to work alongside regular officers and play an active and vital role in tackling crime and maintaining public safety."
"We are working towards the goal of doubling the Special Constabulary by the end of my term in office and I have been delighted about how supportive the community has been."
The ceremony also saw the Passing out Parade of twenty-two Special Constables, who received certificates to mark the completion of their training. They will continue to work on operational duties within the community.
The Special Constabulary is a voluntary body to help the regular police force in meeting the policing needs of the community. Their roles include providing highly visibility patrols and helping to police major incidents and events. They provide a vital link in the partnership between the police service and the public.
To find out more about becoming a Special Constable, including frequently asked questions and details of the recruitment process, please visit the Cheshire Police website jobs page or use the following link to get to the Special Constabulary pages www.cheshire.police.uk/jobs/special-constables.aspx.
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