SSgt Ash Wood

Rank: Special Sergeant
Day Job Title: HGV Driver

What made you decide to join the Special Constabulary?
Joining the police has always been a life long ambition for myself. I saw the Special Constabulary as a good insight into the job whilst still sticking to my day job and getting a real feel for what it would be like as an officer.

How do you find the balance between working as a special constable in line with your current employment?
I always find it very easy to achieve the minimum hours (and more) along side my day job as a HGV driver. I can work around 55 hours on a typical week with nights out ‘tramping’ in the week but still find time to do two duties a month, alongside my SGT admin work and my busy social calendar.

Do you feel supported by the Constabulary since joining as a special constable?
Yes! There is always someone you can turn to for help and support and as it is a close knit team - you get to know the supervision well.

What tasks would you undertake during a shift as a special constable?
I usually work alongside response, either single crewed or in company with a student SC. Jobs can range from RTC’s violence, domestic incidents and sudden deaths to name just a few. A main task that I believe we perform is just being there, being visible to the community either on foot or vehicle patrol, and supporting our regular colleagues on the front line.

What do you enjoy most about working within the Special Constabulary?
Being a Special gives me the freedom to experience the job of a regular officer but in my own time allowing me to have the best of both worlds of my day job that I enjoy and the police.

What do you find most rewarding from your role as a special constable?
Being there to help people most in need. Situations can arrise of the blue and when you least expect it. But your presence and support can make a huge difference to peoples lives.

Would someone need prior experience in another field in order to be part of the Special Constabulary?
In short no. There is a vast pool of careers that people come from and join the police, and a vast number of them have transferable skills that you can use as a Special. For example my day job gives me more knowledge of road legislation and highway code which can be used when dealing with traffic related incidents.

What would you say to someone considering joining the Special Constabulary?
Do it! It’s a job like no other. For those wanting to join the regulars it’s a good insight into the job to see weather it is right for you. For those who don’t, it allows you to push yourself and learn things you never knew before and gives you a different perspective of the world.