Special Constables

The British Transport Police are recruiting Special Constables - Join us and make a difference!

Our goal is to protect and serve the public, particularly in the railway environment and its community. We strive to minimise levels of disruption, crime, and the fear of crime while also assisting vulnerable individuals. Our Special Constables play an essential role in achieving these objectives.

As a volunteer police officer, you will have the same powers as full-time officers and will play a critical role in ensuring that the public arrives home safely, securely, and on time. The railways are fundamental to the UK's community, commerce, and industry, with over six million passenger journeys and 400,000 tonnes of freight being transported every day. Our primary responsibility is to guarantee that all of this occurs in a safe and secure environment.

You will work alongside full-time officers and experience the diverse challenges of policing the railway, from dealing with offenders and victims of crime to assisting vulnerable individuals and the community we serve. Your duties will vary, from patrolling on foot or in a vehicle, to providing a reassuring presence on trains or at stations and responding to incidents such as theft, assault, or ticketless travel.

You will be based at one of over 90 police stations scattered across England, Scotland, and Wales, but you will travel when on duty. You may be carrying out your duties while traveling at 125 miles per hour from one city to another, and you will undoubtedly come into contact with individuals from all walks of life, and sometimes during stressful or emotional circumstances. One thing is certain - no two days will ever be the same.

To join us, you must possess exceptional resilience and dedication, and commit to a minimum of 16 hours per month - the maximum number of hours you deliver is up to you. If you have never been a Special Constable before, we will provide unrivalled training and invest in your development, as we need you to be the best you can be. Regardless of your background, you will be an integral member of our force, and we will reimburse all of your expenses. We will assist you in developing skills, from leadership to responsiveness, that will benefit all aspects of your life.

What skills do you need to apply?

• As one of our Special Constables, you’ll need to love variety and to not shy away from what can sometimes be difficult situations.
• You will need to be a natural communicator who is able to build instant rapport with people from all walks of life.
• As a Special Constable, you’ll need to be diplomatic in your approach and able to remain calm under pressure.

What’s in it for you?

Being a Special Constable is not an easy role and you may be thinking ‘Is it worth it? What will I get out of this?’

The answer is: A lot. There’s so much to gain from becoming a Special Constable.

In return for your hard work, you will:

• As a volunteer police officer, make a difference in society, helping reduce and resolve crime, keep people safe including the vulnerable
• As a volunteer, give back to the community.
• Have a rewarding role where no two days are ever the same.
• Have the same powers and uniform as full-time officers!
• Boost your CV.
• Travel Benefits (dependent on location)
• Learn new skills including understanding law and police procedure, communication skills, IT skills, first aid, self-defence, and railway track safety skills.
• Increased self-confidence
• Have the opportunity of internal progression to become a regular Police Officer (fast track scheme)

We are looking for Special Constables in the following areas:

We are recruiting for new Special Constables to join us throughout the country at the following locations. Joining the UK’s only national police force as a volunteer, you’ll take on a crucial frontline role in one of the most challenging environments there is.

B Division: London, Ashford, Bournemouth, Brighton, Camden Road, Colchester, Croydon, Liverpool Street, Euston, Finsbury Park, Gatwick, Kings Cross, Luton, Maidstone, Norwich, Milton Keynes, Paddington, Southend, Southampton, Stratford, London Bridge, Richmond, West Ham and Wimbledon

C Division: Birmingham, Cardiff, Carlisle, Bristol, Chester, Manchester, Coventry, Darlington, Wolverhampton, Derby, Exeter, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Plymouth, Rugby, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Swansea and Swindon.

*Please note this is a talent pool for future intakes throughout 2024.

We want our organisation to be as diverse as the community it serves and welcome applications from everyone.  Please be assured that all applications will be judged on their individual merit and no other factors. We are committed to improving inclusivity, accessibility, and employment opportunities throughout our organisation. We welcome applicants to share any specific needs or requirements with us throughout both the recruitment process and in the workplace. Please let us know if there are any adjustments you require, and we will be able to discuss this with you in further detail.

Application process and eligibility:

Applying is easy! Simply click on ‘Apply’ at the bottom left of this page and you will be taken through the process.  All applications must be completed online via this method. You need to answer all the questions asked as unfortunately if any parts are unanswered, your application will be declined from the process. 

We do need to let you know that you will not be eligible to apply if:

• You have been unsuccessful following a BTP Special Constable interview in the last 6 months.
• You have been unsuccessful following BTP vetting checks within the last 12 months.
• You have ever received a custodial sentence (other cautions, convictions and involvement with the police must be declared but are not necessarily a bar to employment).
• You have previously been dismissed from another force.
• You have been declared bankrupt, have a CCJ or an un-managed IVA.
• You have tattoos that are deemed offensive;  A visible tattoo is permissible, as long as it is not on the face, head or front or side of the neck. Visible tattoos are permissible on other areas of the body, including hands, arms, legs, and feet. A visible tattoo is also permissible on the back of the neck as long as the tattoo is discreet and behind the ear lobe. Discreet tattoos on the ear are also considered acceptable. Consideration will be given to tattoos on the face that were necessary following medical procedures or for cosmetic procedures e.g. eyebrows.
• You have the permanent right to live and work in the UK without any restrictions.

Prohibited Occupations: 

Please download and check the document below before applying. If you do sit under any of the prohibited Occupations that BTP do not allow, then you will not be eligible to apply and will be sifted out at shortlisting stage. 

For further information on our eligibility criteria, please have a read through the attached recruitment pack as it contains lots of useful information for you.

You can apply if you have a live application with another Police force.

Closing Date:

The deadline for submitting your application is 12:00 PM (midday) on Friday 16th February 2024. We will not be able to accept applications after this time for any reason, including technical errors. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to submit your application before this deadline. After you have completed and submitted your application, our team will inform you of your result via email and explain the next stages of the process. Please note that this campaign may close earlier than expected based on the volume of applications received.

Positive Action:

At BTP we are proud guardians of the railway, and it is crucial that we represent the diverse communities we serve and protect. As ‘One BTP’ across the UK, we know that diversity, inclusion and belonging help us improve our decision making, foster creativity and drive innovation so all our people can thrive.

Our vacancies are open to everyone, and all appointments are made based on merit. So that we can become more diverse we encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, women, people who have a disability, those who are neurodiverse and persons who identify as LGBTQI+. We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted workshops or advice sessions.  If you have the skills, experience, and values that here in BTP we pride ourselves on then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please click here or email the team on RecruitmentTeam@btp.police.uk

On a final note...

If you want to ask us any awkward or ‘obvious’ questions, if you are you unsure whether your personal circumstances are suitable for a career as a Special Constable but don’t know how to talk to us about it OR have any questions about the application process, please email our friendly and helpful team where we will be happy to help you: RecruitmentTeam@btp.police.uk. If your question related to equality or diversity then you can also contact our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion team directly at: PART-Recruitment@btp.police.uk To reassure you, anything you ask us will be in the strictest confidence and will not form part of your application.

We look forward to receiving your application! Join the BTP family today.