A Special day for a Special

Peter Laker is well within his rights to call himself special.
The 52-year-old from Chartham has retired as a special constable with Kent Police after 33 years’ service.
The employee at Chartham paper mill saw the role as something to do in his spare time when it was advertised in the local paper and he went to chat about it with an inspector who lived in the village.
He said: “When I first started, I was told by one of the officers that if I was going out with him, there were two rules: watch his back and don’t tell him how to do his job! You got on well if you were willing to do the work. I have worked with some excellent people and can call them friends.
“My time as a special has been very enjoyable, especially in my parish role in Chartham, Petham and Waltham. Every day was different. And it has been rewarding knowing you have made a difference to your community.”
Notable moments on duty have included the day the Pope came to Canterbury and the visits by the Tour de France as well as bearing a wreath as part of many Remembrance Sunday services as a representative for the Specials in the district.
One of the proudest occasions for both him and his family came in 2003 when he was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE for services to his community as a special officer (pictured above).
Peter is married to Sue and has three children and three grandchildren, with who he is looking forward to spending some more time. One of his sons Darren is a police officer in one of Ashford’s neighbourhood teams.
A party for friends and colleagues, past and present, was held at Chartham village hall.

Volunteer as a Special

Insp Steve Fennell invites new recruits:

Being a Special Constable is a fulfilling role. Not everyone who volunteers can commit as much time as Peter and Carole, but you can volunteer for as little as 16 hours a month. And it gives volunteers the same powers as regular officers.

There are many varied roles that Special Constables can perform and which can fit around other commitments. You could be a Parish Special Constable like Peter, or a Neighbourhood Special, dealing with community issues. Or you might prefer to work alongside the full time patrol officers responding to requests for assistance from members of the public.

You could also be policing special events such as carnivals, sporting events, music concerts or other major events. Alternatively you could be responsible for maintaining public order on a busy Friday or Saturday night.

Initial training is delivered through a combination of weekend sessions at police headquarters at Maidstone and training evenings at Canterbury and Thanet police stations. The training will involve law and procedure inputs, role-plays, practical exercises and officer safety training. More experienced Specials or regular officers will also guide you through the various policies and techniques providing on-the-job training.

Being a Special can be a welcome change from the normal routine and give you the opportunities to make new friends and work together as part of a team.

To become a Special you must be over 18 and free of convictions or cautions for serious offences. You will need to be in sufficiently good health to perform the duties of a police officer and a medical examination and fitness test will need to be undertaken.

Applications can be considered from people who are not British Citizens but there are some conditions that are relevant to applicants of other nationalities.  There are also some jobs that might affect the eligibility of some applicants due to a conflict of interests.

If you would like to know more about becoming a Special then why not log on to the Kent Police website at www.kent.police.uk and click on the Work for the Police tab on the left- hand side. Alternatively you can call 0500 78 77 00 or e-mail specials.recruitment@kent.police.uk for further information.

If you would rather speak to a serving officer about becoming a Special in the East Kent Area covering Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable and the Thanet towns then please call either Inspector Steve Fennell or PC Paul Gasson on (01843) 222150.