Specials and laser gun
Discussion
Got pulled the other week 46 in a 30. Fair cop & bang to rights.
On getting home I noticed on the ticket it was signed and issued by a special constable.
Not trying to get out of it but it got me thinking, Are specials trained appropriately in speed gun use? I know they are not in as much so wondered whether their skills are the same as a full time officer carrying out speed gun enforcement.
On getting home I noticed on the ticket it was signed and issued by a special constable.
Not trying to get out of it but it got me thinking, Are specials trained appropriately in speed gun use? I know they are not in as much so wondered whether their skills are the same as a full time officer carrying out speed gun enforcement.
HantsRat said:
Yes. To use a speed gun you must be trained. We have neighborhood team specials and roads policing specials in Hampshire who are trained in it's use.
Usually these are the sort of people (usually pedestrians/Honda Jazz drivers/cyclists/dog show attendees) who frown at you for "driving too fast" when you have anything other than an OEM exhaust system.Gallen said:
Usually these are the sort of people (usually pedestrians/Honda Jazz drivers/cyclists/dog show attendees) who frown at you for "driving too fast" when you have anything other than an OEM exhaust system.
I think you are referring to community speedwatch and ratty and the OP are discussing Specials.Bert
Gallen said:
Ah yes you're correct!
Specials are the ones who do someone else's job for nothing, right?
No they do not do someones else's job. They are volunteers and an additional resource. There are lots of volunteers in the emergency services such as RNLI, Air Ambulance Staff, Search & Rescue. I actually admiring them for doing something and helping out instead of sat in the pub moaning how the police aren't out 'catching rapists and murderers' Specials are the ones who do someone else's job for nothing, right?
Think the OP is getting confused over 'special constables' and PCSOs etc.
A special constable is a sworn police officer with all the powers of a regular but doesn't get paid to do the job.
Once they have had the appropriate training in its use they can use the various items of equipment.
Some of those I worked with were very good indeed & some were uniform carriers. Much the same as the regulars.
A special constable is a sworn police officer with all the powers of a regular but doesn't get paid to do the job.
Once they have had the appropriate training in its use they can use the various items of equipment.
Some of those I worked with were very good indeed & some were uniform carriers. Much the same as the regulars.
HantsRat said:
You can't. A special is still a police officer and is trained to use a speed gun.
Sure - I am clear on that.More to the point OP wrote the article irrespective of that fact, and positioned it in a way seemingly to preempt the inevitable contribution from PH's holier than though brigade.
We have some very good specials in Hampshire. You will always get a few that just do it for the uniform and powers (the same as some regulars) and you will also got those that join and don't get stuck in and are nervous. They usually only last a year or 2 though.
The specials I know go out on their own, take on their own jobs and workload and I can rely on them more than some regular officers! I think that as specials are only in one every week or two, the motivation and enjoyment stays there whereas doing it for years full time, you tend to lose the enjoyment.
The specials I know go out on their own, take on their own jobs and workload and I can rely on them more than some regular officers! I think that as specials are only in one every week or two, the motivation and enjoyment stays there whereas doing it for years full time, you tend to lose the enjoyment.
HantsRat said:
Gallen said:
Why not?
If you can, you should.
You can't. A special is still a police officer and is trained to use a speed gun. If you can, you should.
Gallen said:
Why not?
If you can, you should.
Perhaps, but one shouldn't say "not trying to get out with it" if it's going to be followed by some specious question about a trivial technicality of it, like whether the guy that had the gun was wearing a hi-vis, or his hat, or was a Special.If you can, you should.
HantsRat said:
We have some very good specials in Hampshire. You will always get a few that just do it for the uniform and powers (the same as some regulars) and you will also got those that join and don't get stuck in and are nervous. They usually only last a year or 2 though.
The specials I know go out on their own, take on their own jobs and workload and I can rely on them more than some regular officers! I think that as specials are only in one every week or two, the motivation and enjoyment stays there whereas doing it for years full time, you tend to lose the enjoyment.
...admirable - yes. Useful - yes.The specials I know go out on their own, take on their own jobs and workload and I can rely on them more than some regular officers! I think that as specials are only in one every week or two, the motivation and enjoyment stays there whereas doing it for years full time, you tend to lose the enjoyment.
But I can't help feel that there has to be resentment for a number of reasons.
Surely it devalues the wage offered to a full time employee (if there's a queue of people lining up to do that job for nothing).
Personally I would see more money invested in full time career police. Not like there's no queue is it?
HantsRat said:
Gallen said:
Ah yes you're correct!
Specials are the ones who do someone else's job for nothing, right?
No they do not do someone else's job. They are volunteers and an additional resource. There are lots of volunteers in the emergency services such as RNLI, Air Ambulance Staff, Search & Rescue. I actually admiring them for doing something and helping out instead of sat in the pub moaning how the police aren't out 'catching rapists and murderers'.Specials are the ones who do someone else's job for nothing, right?
It's also worth mentioning some forces are only issuing applications internally so being a special is the only realistic way of becoming a full-time officer.
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