Morning:
12°c
Mayor Boris to flood capital with Olympic army of 10,000 police specials
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard27.03.09
AN ARMY of 10,000 volunteer police officers with the power of arrest will help the Met guard the 2012 London Olympics, the Standard has learned.
Mayor Boris Johnson will today pledge £32million for a huge increase in the number of special constables on patrol during the Games.
About 700 "specials" have already been recruited in the last year, taking the number in London to 2,600.
The new officers' duties will include stop and search, foot and vehicle patrols and house-to-house inquiries. They will be part of the £1billion Olympic policing operation, with 5,000 officers working on event days to ensure the smooth running of the Games.
The Metropolitan Police Authority will provide most of the funding, while the Home Office will supply a 25 per cent contribution and also help to fund recruitment campaigns and training.
The money can also be paid to employers so specials can take paid leave for training and police patrols. Mr Johnson said: "I'd like to see a massive increase in numbers to 10,000 specials patrolling the capital's streets by the Olympic Games in 2012, and I am pleased that the Government is providing funding to make this a reality.
"Specials do a fantastic job and I am full of admiration for these wonderful people who give their time freely to help the Met make London a safer city.
"I'd encourage all Londoners who have a hankering to do something different or want to help their local community to train as a special."
Specials have the same powers as regular officers and wear the same uniform but are unpaid volunteers who work up to eight hours every fortnight. Applicants must be over 18 but youth workers, magistrates, private detectives and fire officers are among those not allowed to apply.
The new target is an expansion of an earlier Home Office pledge to recruit an extra 6,000 in England and Wales.
Labour policing minister Vernon Coaker said: "I am delighted we are contributing a significant proportion of the funding for the recruitment of 10,000 new Metropolitan Police special constables by 2012."
Tim Godwin, Acting Deputy Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Service, said: "The Met has long valued the immense contribution and breadth of experience that specials bring to policing in London. MPS specials come from a variety of backgrounds, from accountants to graphic designers, from health workers to retail employees.
"Not only do these skills mean that people with diverse experience are contributing to policing, but people employed in other sectors can contribute directly to the safety and security of their community."
The Mayor was speaking at the launch of a new, nine-strong transport policing team in Harrow, part of his commitment to increasing the security of transport hubs in London.
Reader views (15)
Did the Specials for nearly 18 years. 500 hours a year. Never achived any promotion though - my face didn't fit - and that's very important if you want to get on.
Favouritism was rife and leadership from the top - certainly at my division - was worse than very poor.
I once had a criminal complaint made against me that went nowhere. But I received no support in my defence. Luckily I represented myself more than adequately and the matter was dropped.
Want to join that to Police the Olympics? I wouldn't bother - its policing on the cheap, little or no promotion, and what thanks do you get - the long service and GC medal after 9 years ---- if you're lucky.
- Ex Msc, London
Could he not spend the money on cardboard cut-outs? I mean, they'll probably be just as effective ...
- Marianne, SW France
All this assumes people other than Politicians on freebies and so called corporate celebs will actual attend this pantomime !!!
- Ad, London
It appears that many good folks know nothing about what Special Constable are. They are all volunteers who spend a few hours a week assisting the regular police. They are trained over a number of weekends and are training continually from time to time. Once trained and attested, they have all the legal powers of arrest of a regular Police Officer. Special constables wear the same type of uniform to regulars, but they have 'Special Constable' on their shoulder boards along with their collar number.
This might be a good idea, but it is problematic. There is alwasy a high turnover of Specials. Those who are 'wannabee cops' soon find out that it is not what they expect. Its not about 'strutting your stuff in a uniform'. The regular police expect Special Constables to 'get stuck in' and do what they are there for. It soon sorts the men from the 'wannabee cops'.
Special Constables are not paid, are not armed, and are not trained or used in crowd or disorder control. However they do carry a baton, handcuffs and probably pepper spray just like their regular colleagues. They are trained in the use of all this equipment just like regular police.
Whether Boris can persuade the METS to embark on a major recruitment drive for volunteer special constables remains to be seen.
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK
We are well on the way to becoming a fully certified Police State. How nice to coincide it with the Olympics.
- Mr S.Port, London
10,000 Specials is 10,000 potential security risks. How are they all going to be vetted?
Please don't answer this question by saying CRB Checks. They have an inherent flaw in that they only identify people who have a criminal record.
Terrorist plotters, without criminal records, are being discovered on a regular basis. It won't take many of them posing as "Specials" to cause carnage.
- Andrew, London W1
as i remember, during the deep desperate depression of the 20's there was a major demonstration as the hopeless and downtrodden victims of the terrible times came together in Hyde park to demonstrate and beg for help.
the specials, and there were a vast army of them, lost the plot, due to inadequate training and the fact that they were total 'amateurs' (a cheap and token excuse for the real deal). i believe they were so brutally out of control that even the trained and professional boys in blue were appalled and stepped in big time to protect the unfortunate demonstrators from the 'specials'.
in Ireland, the name ' specials' was used for the black and tans and the hit squads.
they may be well intention and pleased to lend a hand, but they are just playing with fire and somebody will get burnt.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
- Joe, USA... We police by consent in the UK, it's not a 'taser' first ask question later set up like the USA.
- Grim Reaper, Hell... Which part of 'volunteer' don't you understand!
- MickeyinLondon, London... I suggest you take a trip to the Imperial War Museum, they have an excellent exhibit on the Holocaust, potentially it might help you understand why 'Internment' isn't an option.
- Jon, London
Special Constables are not paid - Boris is just policing the Olympics on the cheap.
The large number of Specials in World War II was due to regular Metropolitain Police Officers being called up to the armed forces. It was not a cunning plan for effective policing and it didn't work - the murder rate for 1945-6 is still the highest on record.
- Dm, London
Police State.
- Joe, USA
At least it will give work to EU migrants and asylum seekers. British jobs for British workers
- Grim Reaper, Hell
It makes sense to have ten thousand volunteer police officers; we did things like that in WW2; and ten thousand volunteers are better than none at all.
The other alternative is to round up all known and suspected terrorists, and detain them well in advance of the games; and until the games are finally over.
As for any human rights violations involved in a procedure like that; the defence of it could be argued; that the human rights of all the people; over-ride the human rights of a few people with the murder and mutilation of innocents in their mind etc.
Tough times demand tough methods; if not, then you will face the consequences of inaction.
- mickyinlondon, london
Another drain on Londoners' taxes. The time has come to cancel the games. This country is bankrupt yet some people are still willing to waste billions on worthless pastimes like running, jumping and throwing things. Members of the olympic committee ought to go out and find proper jobs.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
Michael, your 'concerts' may deserve 'moronic thugs', but I've a suspicion that Boris is again getting it right here. Did you ever, ever, have a problem with a trained 'Special'? Thought not, unless you deserved it. You're right that it's a big effort but 1/ it might work and 2/ what might Boris then have to tell us nationally?
- Steve, London, England
I suspect Boris has totally underestimated the effort required to do this properly. The last thing we need is the equivalent of the moronic thugs wearing reflective jackets saying "Security" who appear at concerts given these powers! Potentially very worrying.
- Michael, London
