Student Special Constable Internship Programme

We’re keen to attract the very best students to join us as Special Constables – ideally with the long-term goal of joining Hertfordshire Constabulary when you graduate. It’s a career with great potential, as we’d expect you to rapidly progress through the ranks and aspire to senior roles in the future.

At the same time, we understand that the vast majority of students won’t be able to commit the usual time we require from our Special Constables. Normally, you’d need to be able to volunteer 16 hours per month, in order to clock up the 192 patrol hours over a year (plus training) you need before you can reach independent status – which means that you’re allowed to patrol the streets alone.

Because we’re aware of this, however, we’ve developed a new fast-track two-year Internship programme – designed to enable you to reach independent status more quickly. While this will be unpaid, we’re happy to cover your expenses. On this voluntary programme, you’ll have the opportunity to complete a three-week intensive training course over the summer – which is, in turn, immediately followed by a week of Personal Safety Training (PST). Then, for the rest of your holidays, you’ll be able to work full-time on patrol and clock up a maximum of 180 hours – which will count towards the total 192 hours you’ll need.

After that, you’ll commit to spending an agreed number of hours with us during your term times for the next two years. You’ll still need to reach your 192 hours, but because you’ll be able to do as little as four hours a month, it shouldn’t interfere with your studies. During this period, you’ll have a regular officer to act as your ‘buddy’, sharing their experiences and on-the-job skills with you – you’ll also have an assessor to assess your portfolio.

Rest assured that during this time, you’ll never be bored for a second. The role’s so diverse and unique, it’s true to say that there’s never a dull moment. Whether you’re doing office based work, monitoring CCTV, liaising with the local community or supporting crime scenes, you’ll constantly be building key skills – skills in teamwork, leadership, communication, risk assessment, problem-solving and much, much more. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that volunteering with us will change the way you see the world. And that you’ll learn things about yourself and your potential that you may never have suspected before.

Then finally, once you’ve completed the necessary hours on a voluntary basis, you’ll receive full independent status – and you’ll be able to apply to join us as a regular Police Officer, and start progressing from there, as soon as you’ve graduated.

To join us, you’ll need to be an undergraduate in the first or second year of your university degree, aged eighteen and a half or over, and with a good level of general health, fitness and eyesight. It’s also important that you’re either a UK or EC/EEA citizen, or a resident with the unrestricted right to live and work in the UK.

Here’s the proposed timeline:

• On the 6th January, we’ll hold an Insight Day at our Welwyn Garden City headquarters, which covers a range of activities and a trial fitness test. Candidates who don’t meet the standard in this area will have the chance to work with a member of our PST team on a personal fitness plan, with the opportunity to take the test again if they succeed at our Assessment Centre.
• We’ll then require application forms to be completed by the 6th February, and will inform candidates who’ve been shortlisted by the 10th February.
• Our Assessment Centre will be held in Stevenage on the 25th February. Successful candidates will be informed – and will receive the necessary paperwork – by 27th February.
• Between March and May, all pre-employment checks will be carried out – including vetting, medical and reference. During this time, candidates must complete a medical check-up and an eye test – you’ll be charged for this by your GP and optician, but we’ll reimburse you in full for these costs.
• In June, the three-week initial training begins, which will be based at police stations in Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. During this time, you’ll be expected to complete work-based assessments.
• Having completed this crammer course, you’ll then begin your internship as a Special Constable for a period of roughly six weeks. In this time, you’ll be able to make significant progress towards your required 192 annual hours – work 30 hours per week, and you’ll have completed 180 hours already.
• You can then make up the remaining hours in your second year, with the option of working at weekends and during your holidays. Also, between June and September 2013, you’ll be required to undertake another two-to-three-week full-time internship to complete your portfolio and qualify as Fit For Independent Patrol.
• After that, when you graduate, you’ll have the opportunity to join us through our internal recruitment processes, including attendance at an assessment centre. Succeed in your application, and you’ll be free to progress as far as your talents permit – in an organisation where you can rest assured that there’ll be nothing holding you back.

For more information and to apply, please click here.