Special Constable (DP26B)

Make a Difference. Protect Your Community. Become a Special Constable.

Got the drive to make Derbyshire safer?
Use your spare time to fight crime, support your community, and do something genuinely extraordinary.

Our Special Constables are an essential part of policing in Derbyshire. After completing their day jobs, they still bring the commitment, resilience and passion needed to protect others and make a real impact where it matters most.

Volunteering as a Special Constable isn’t just giving time — it’s stepping into a role of responsibility, challenge and pride.

Why become a Special Constable?

Special Constables work side by side with regular police officers and Police Community Support Officers, playing a vital role in:

• Tackling crime and anti‑social behaviour
• Supporting victims and communities
• Responding to incidents and emergencies
• Preventing crime through visible, proactive policing

In uniform, there’s no distinction between a regular officer and a Special Constable. You’ll hold the full powers of a police officer and make a real difference every time you’re on duty.

If you’re looking for a unique, stretching and rewarding volunteer role, this could be exactly what you’re looking for.

What you’ll be doing

As a Special Constable, you’ll get involved in real policing, including:

• Conducting high‑visibility foot patrols to deter and detect crime
• Engaging with local residents and businesses to prevent crime and reduce fear in the community
• Working with schools and young people to promote community safety
• Tackling anti‑social behaviour such as gangs or intimidating behaviour
• Managing alcohol‑related incidents, including public disorder and violence
• Enforcing road safety laws in local communities
• Carrying out house‑to‑house enquiries to support investigations
• Supporting police operations to disrupt and arrest offenders

No two shifts are the same — every duty brings new experiences and challenges.

Training and Start Date

If successful, your anticipated start date will be 26 February 2027. Your training will include:

• 20 weeks of weekend training (Saturday and Sunday)
• Classroom‑based learning alongside guided self‑study

Please note: you must be able to commit to the full training programme and start date. If this isn’t possible right now, we encourage you to set up job alerts for future recruitment campaigns.

The Must Haves 

You must:

• Be 17½ years old at the time of application and 18 by appointment
• Be a UK Citizen, EU Citizen with Settled or Pre‑Settled Status, a Commonwealth Citizen, or a Foreign National with no restrictions on your stay in the UK
• Be in good health and of good character

What’s in it for you?

At Derbyshire Constabulary, we believe in putting people first. You’ll be supported throughout your journey and gain skills, confidence and experiences that last a lifetime.

Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV)

Many employers support Special Constables through the Employer Supported Volunteer (ESV) Scheme, offering up to 8 hours of paid leave per month to volunteer.

• Speak to your employer to see what support they offer.
• Internal candidates should check Connect for more information.

Key dates

• Vacancy closes: Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 23.55.
• Assessment Centres: July to September.

Ready to challenge yourself and support your community? This is your opportunity to make a difference when it matters most.

To support you with your application we have provided some guidance on our recruitment process. Learn more about being Special by visiting our careers page here.

Who we are

Derbyshire Constabulary has a firm and unequivocal commitment to delivering a high-quality policing service for everyone in the county - whether for our one million residents or our ten million visitors to the Peak District. By joining us you'll play a unique role in helping us to keep Derbyshire as one of the safest places to live and work in England.

To understand how you can make Derbyshire safer together visit our careers website.

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and encourage anyone who has considered a career in policing to apply. We’re particularly keen to increase the number of females and candidates from black and minority ethnic communities and the LGBT community, so that we can truly reflect the communities that we serve in.