Special recruits wanted for crime hot-spot beat

4:34pm Wednesday 31st January 2001

A recruitment drive to find more volunteer police officers to patrol Hertsmere's problem crime areas has been launched by Hertfordshire Constabulary.

The force has begun a campaign to find more special constables because it is concerned at the low number currently serving in the borough.

Hertsmere has only six special constables to support regular officers, compared to an average of 25 in the county's other policing divisions.

The role of special constables is becoming increasingly important in the county, largely due to the problems with recruiting regular police officers.

Special Constabulary County Commandant Peter Mould said: "Hertsmere is proving a difficult area to recruit in and we have far fewer volunteers than we would have hoped for.

"The problems we are having in attracting new recruits reflects the problem nationally and the difficulty in recruiting regulars has a bearing on this too."

An appeal for new recruits was made to the organisations involved with Borehamwood, Elstree and Shenley Crime Reduction Group at a meeting on Thursday.

Out of a total of 139 regular police officers in Hertsmere, 115 have been seconded from the Metropolitan Police, which policed the borough until last year.

In just two months time these officers are expected to start returning to the Met, and Hertfordshire is having difficulty recruiting replacements.

Special constables are voluntary, part-time unpaid police officers, who are used to support the work carried out by regular officers.

Although they can be involved with most areas of police work, in Hertfordshire they are are now mainly being used for patrols in crime hot-spots.

Insp Dave Rankin, of Borehamwood police, said: "We are moving away from the special constabulary being used simply for fete and football policing."

Special constables, who must be aged between 18-and-a-half and 50, carry out a minimum of 16 hours of police work each month.

They must pass the same recruitment exam as those wishing to be regular officers, and then attend 14 days of training at weekends.

Hertsmere Borough Council is currently involved in discussions with Hertfordshire Police about funding four extra officers to carry out patrols.

It is proposing to raise Council Tax by an average of £3 in order to pay for the officers, and is waiting for police to confirm whether the plan is feasible.

For further details about becoming a special constable phone Mr Mould on 01923 472000, extension 2576.

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