Transferee Special Constables - Crime and Specialist Operations
**This opportunity is for existing Special Constable ONLY who have independent patrol status - Please do not apply if you are not currently serving as a Special Constable with another force**
Our mission is to protect and serve the public. As a police force, we’re there for the railway environment and its community, keeping levels of disruption, crime and the fear of crime as low as possible and helping look after vulnerable people. Our Special Constables are vital to achieving this.
We are delighted to announce that we will be launching posts in our Crime, Disruption and Specialist operations units.
County lines team
Available posts in London, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham and Exeter
The taskforce was set up in December 2019 following a home office grant and has since experienced outstanding results nationwide. The team has had a profound impact on the work of County Lines gangs, and their couriering of drugs and exploitation of vulnerable children on the railway network.
The taskforce deploys across England and Wales to tackle county lines offending, protect vulnerable people at stations and on the strategic railway route, and often works alongside other police forces. Tasks are set on a weekly basis and an ever-developing intelligence picture dictates where the team is deployed next. We are keen to incorporate members of the Special Constabulary into our teams. This will involve working in plain clothes with a small team, national travel and staying away from home overnight.
Disruption Team
Available posts at Birmingham, Finsbury Park, Rugby, Waterloo, London Bridge, Derby, and Croydon
We have successfully deployed specials in out Anglia and Manchester route area and so we would like to start rolling outposts in the other areas, above. Officers will be deployed to target crime across the two Network Rail routes.
Duties will be working with our regular colleagues and include, deploying in an overt capacity to engage in high visibility patrols in problem areas along the route to deter route crime. Conducting operations at level crossings to prevent offences and detect offenders. Working alongside security partners such as Land Sheriffs to conduct joint patrols along the route. Engaging in community events to educate the public as to the dangers of the railway and promote safe use of the railway. Working with local BTP units and the Emergency Intervention Unit to provide an effective response to live incidents and emerging trends.
Special Constabulary CT Support Team
Available posts at London, Birmingham & Manchester
Officers will assist DEO, dogs, SRU and firearms. Specialist operations will provide officers with specific awareness training, then use your team to support us on operations and in general patrolling. Our Specials will come in and crew up one of our marked vehicles and be deployed by the CT duty officer to assist with whatever we are doing on the day. You’ll will be equipped with the extra awareness of how we operate and what to do if any of our resources are deployed. You can then put in blocks and cordons, search subjects, be a link between us and the Divisional assets etc. With the DEO training you will be asked to deploy with the team on large events where we need extra officers, such as key sporting events, nationally significant days, and other such events such as state visits.
What skills do you need to apply?
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As one of our Special Constables, you’ll need to love variety and to not shy away from what can sometimes be difficult situations.
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You will need to be a natural communicator who is able to build instant rapport with people from all walks of life.
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As a Special Constable, you’ll need to be diplomatic in your approach and able to remain calm under pressure.
What’s in it for you?
Being a Special Constable is not an easy role and you may be thinking ‘Is it worth it? What will I get out of this?’
The answer is: A lot. There’s so much to gain from becoming a Special Constable.
In return for your hard work you will:
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As a volunteer police officer, make a difference in society, helping reduce and resolve crime, keep people safe including the vulnerable
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As a volunteer, give back to the community
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Have a rewarding role where no two days are ever the same
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Have the same powers and uniform as full-time officers
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Boost your CV
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Travel Benefits (dependent on location)
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Learn new skills including understanding law and police procedure, communication skills, IT skills, first aid, self-defense and railway track safety skills
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Increased self-confidence
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Have the opportunity of internal progression to become a regular Police Officer (fast track scheme)
To apply you must meet the following criteria:
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Achieved Independent Patrol Status (England and Wales only)
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Received First Aid Training
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Free from any convictions/cautions/reprimands and penalty notices (other than driving penalty notices) even if you are serving as a Special Constable at the moment with another force.
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Thoroughly grounded in the operational aspects of police work
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Free from any ongoing investigation in your current force
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Have completed your minimum required annual hours and live in or near the BTP policing area you wish to transfer to.
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Be currently serving as a Special or have been within the last 12 months
We want our organisation to be as diverse as the community it serves and welcome applications from everyone. Please be assured that all applications will be judged on their individual merit and no other factors. We are committed to improving inclusivity, accessibility and employment opportunities throughout our organisation. We welcome applicants to share any specific needs or requirements with us throughout both the recruitment process and in the workplace. Please let us know if there are any adjustments you require, and we will be able to discuss this with you in further detail.
Application process and eligibility:
Applying is easy; simply click on ‘Apply’ at the bottom left of this page and you will be taken through the process. All applications must be completed online via this method. You need to answer all the questions asked as, unfortunately, if any parts are unanswered your application will sadly be declined from the process.
We do need to let you know that you will not be eligible to apply if:
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You have been unsuccessful following a BTP Special Constable interview in the last 6 months.
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You have been unsuccessful following BTP vetting checks within the last 12 months.
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You have ever received a custodial sentence (other cautions, convictions and involvement with the police must be declared but are not necessarily a bar to employment).
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You have been declared bankrupt, have a CCJ or an un-managed IVA.
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You have tattoos of any kind on your face or neck.
Prohibited Occupations - Please download and check the document below before applying. If you do sit under any of the prohibited Occupations that BTP do not allow, then you will not be eligible to apply and will be sifted out at shortlisting stage.
For further information on our eligibility criteria, please have a read through the attached recruitment pack as it contains lots of useful information for you.
You can apply if you have a live application with another Police force.
The closing date for applications is 10:00 am on Tuesday 4th April 2023. We won’t be able to accept applications after this time for any reason, including technical errors. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to submit your application prior to this deadline. Following your application being completed and submitted, our team will then let you know if you have passed or failed the application form stage of the process via email and the next stages.
Positive action
At BTP we are proud guardians of the railway and it is crucial that we represent the diverse communities we serve and protect. As ‘One BTP’ across the UK, we know that diversity, inclusion and belonging help us improve our decision making, foster creativity and drive innovation so all our people can thrive.
Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit. So that we can become more diverse we encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, women, people who have a disability, those who are neurodiverse and persons who identify as LGBTQI+. We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted workshops or advice sessions. If you have the skills, experience and values that here in BTP we pride ourselves on then we would welcome you to apply.
For more information on Positive Action please click here or email the team on lets-talk@btp.police.uk
On a final note... if you want to ask us any awkward or ‘obvious’ questions, if you are you unsure whether your personal circumstances are suitable for a career as a Special Constable but don’t know how to talk to us about it OR you have any questions about the application process, please email our friendly and helpful team where we will be happy to help you: RecruitmentTeam@btp.police.uk.
We look forward to receiving your application!