Introducing our latest "web blog", an online diary by Special Constable Darren Stevens, talking about his role patrolling the Wakefield Division. Based at Wood Street Police Station, he performs a range of duties supporting patrol officers on day to day beat duties as part of a busy Neighbourhood Policing Team.
To find out more about Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT) in West Yorkshire, click the link at the top of the page to visit the NPT website.
It's now been a while since I started with West Yorkshire Police and I'd love to say its been easy and everything has gone smoothly without any hiccups, but we all know that any job is not without its flaws. I won't lie, policing is hard work, it's not like the adverts that you see on the TV and the only thing it has in common with the Bill is the uniform.
You go on shift for a few hours and before you know it something has happened and you end up working an extra three hours. It rains and you get wet, people ask you all sorts of questions and when you're only half an hour away from knocking off you get an arrest and have to kiss goodbye to the normal finishing time.
So if it's like this why do I do it for free?. Like any job it has its down sides. But at the end of every shift - even when you're really tired and sometimes wet - you feel good, you feel like you've made a difference by helping people. I'm lucky enough to be able to work day shifts as well as night shifts as I own a bookshop and write for the newspaper. Since coming out of my probation I'm able to patrol on my own or as part of a team.
I've even been tasked with looking after other Special Constables who have just started and I can relate to them as I know how hard it was to get into the swing of things when I started.
Most people only see Special Constables on a weekend but we do a lot more than most people think and most of the public can't tell us and regulars apart, in fact the public don't care if you're a volunteer or not, as long as you can help them and do the job right.
One of the reasons I asked to be placed in my community was to mix with others and some days I patrol areas and speak with elderly residents who always want to chat and give me pots of tea which suits me. Many of the residents on my beat know me now and often invite me in for tea and homemade sponge cake and buns. I was told when growing up that it's rude to say no to kind hospitality.
School visits are a regular for me and my colleague Neil, we often have a day in the local school showing the children the police equipment and letting them ask questions about local policing. We've found that since staring the visits the children are not afraid of the uniform and on an evening shift we have been recognised by the school children when we have been patrolling the area they live in.
The Neighbourhood Policing Team that I'm part of has proved quite successful in changing the community for the better and most residents see me as a community bobby now.
Thinking back to the day of my interview it's hard to see what I was so nervous about. The Special Constable Liaison's officer that interviewed me has become a friend and mentor and I've actually found that he has a sense of humour. If he doesn't see you for a week or so due to the shifts you're working he'll telephone you and ask how you are. Usually he sticks a favour on the end of the conversation, like "can you police me an event next week?" or "I was thinking that you might want to take such and such out on a shift and show them around" and I'm more than happy to do it because he helps us when we get stuck.
He also shares his office with Karl the divisional trainer who has helped me with most policing problems that I've encountered along the way. Karl's like a walking police library who knows everything and he's always happy to help. He once told me "my doors always open to you" Unless he's not there, then I think he locks it so no one can use his tea bags
From people handing in lost keys at events to guarding serious crime scenes, from issuing a fixed penalty ticket for parking to transporting murder suspects, in the last two years I think I've done a bit of everything and despite the down sides of it like long hours, wet weather, I've loved every single minute of it. My only regret is that I didn't join the Specials sooner.
My first duty was the scariest thing I have ever done in my life. All I could think about was training school. I felt like I had forgotten everything I had been taught - my mind was blank. When I arrived at the station I'd even forgotten the security stuff I was shown during my induction day. I had to queue up at the front desk and say, "err, I'm Daz, I'm new… can I come in please". What a great start I thought. But the constable I was placed with knew I was "new" and didn't make an issue of it. He demonstrated the radio (I'd forgotten some of that too!) and introduced me to a few other regulars. Next thing, we were all in a police van, patrolling a nearby community as part of a Neighbourhood Policing Team. My first tour of duty!
My very first job was dealing with a gang of nuisance youths who were being rowdy and upsetting local residents, quite a common problem. The other officers were keen to let me get involved so I joined them in having a stiff word with the bunch, and checking for alcohol misuse etc. Some names and addresses were taken for future reference. The group dispersed as we left. Hopefully, our intervention will make them stop and think and reduce some of the problems for local people.
Next we were back in the van and the blue lights went on, it doesn't matter how old you are, when you're in a police vehicle with the blue lights on, it feels amazing. In my case I was thinking about "The Bill".
We swiftly arrived at an address to find a worried householder who had seen someone run out of her house, as she was coming home. The team asked if I wanted to go in and reassure her, I was a bit apprehensive but I went in to take some details. She was so reassured by my visit, that I immediately felt I was doing something important to help. The description of the offender was quickly circulated round the area, and my colleagues checked local streets. Something like this can be very worrying for someone and it is part of our role to help reassure that person.
The rest of the duty was taken up with more encounters with noisy youths on street corners. During these enquiries, I ended up chatting to several residents - and I could n't get used to them calling me officer!
It only seemed like I'd been working a couple of hours but the shift had come to an end and I had completed eight hours without realising. Time just flew and I didn't really want to go home. When I eventually arrived home that night I couldn't stop talking about what I'd done and I couldn't wait to go on duty again.
It all started following a meeting with our community constable when I was talking about crime concerns in my local areas. Over a cup of tea, he was talking about various colleagues who were Special Constables, and how much they were valued members of the policing team. This got me thinking.
I'd never met a Special, or at least I didn't know if I had, and I was under the impression that they weren't the same as police officers. He told me all about the work they did, the various duties and, before leaving, he arranged for me to have an information pack sent out. About a week later, a large envelope arrived and after a day or two of looking at the contents I decided it sounded quite interesting, perhaps an opportunity to spend a few hours a week doing something useful, and putting something back into the community. I filled in the form, sealed the envelope and waited to see what would happen.
A little while later, there was a telephone call inviting me for an interview at the local station. Right up until the last minute I wasn't going to go this, I still wasn't sure if I had what was needed to be a bobby or if I had four hours a week to spare, and what about time off for training? But I put on my suit, jumped in the car and went into the police station to see him. One thing that bothers me is an interview. I go to pieces, and what can be worse than an interview with a police officer!
When I arrived at the police station, my future liaison officer came down to greet me, shook my hand, asked how I was and made me feel really calm as he could see I was a bit on edge. After the interview was over he broke the news to me "We would like to offer you a place on our next available special constable training course". I had to pop to my opticians and return a couple more forms, but soon after that I was on my course.
The training lasted around five months, but after the initial two-day introduction, we only had to turn up one Sunday every month. That was great for me because I own my own bookshop and run my own business, so it meant that I could still do the trade fairs and the training wouldn't interfere with my work .
The training staff were great; they were really friendly and didn't expect us all to be clued up on law. All we needed to know was taught to us and we all took home this really big folder full of police procedures and other training materials so that we could study in our own time and at our own pace. To make the course more interesting the trainers set us a quiz every month, they got us involved in the classes and had us acting out scenarios.
Before we knew it, our training was almost finished. We received our uniform and went home to try them on. I tried on every bit of kit and walked around the house with my new helmet on for two days so my uniform wouldn't look so new when I got to my police station. We were given all the same equipment as the regular officers, and you couldn't tell the specials and the regulars apart.
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the training was the self-defence; we were taught how to protect ourselves, how to arrest, how to use handcuffs and the CS Spray and baton.
The final day came when we all received our collar numbers before going on stage to receive our warrants cards in front of around 200 people.
There was one slightly embarrassing situation when I quickly grabbed the nearest guy in uniform to take a photograph and me and my wife. The Assistant Chief Constable turned round to say he would be delighted to oblige - and welcomed me to the Force!
Within a couple of days of finishing my training I received a phone call from Colin, my liaison officer at Wakefield station. He wanted to show me around the police station, introduce me to key people and help me settle in before going on duty for the very first time. That was a very useful day, even though I ended up asking the same question 15 times over!
Part three coming soon: More tales from street duties.
To find out more about Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT) in West Yorkshire, click the link at the top of the page to visit the NPT website.
Part Three:
Life on the BeatIt's now been a while since I started with West Yorkshire Police and I'd love to say its been easy and everything has gone smoothly without any hiccups, but we all know that any job is not without its flaws. I won't lie, policing is hard work, it's not like the adverts that you see on the TV and the only thing it has in common with the Bill is the uniform.
You go on shift for a few hours and before you know it something has happened and you end up working an extra three hours. It rains and you get wet, people ask you all sorts of questions and when you're only half an hour away from knocking off you get an arrest and have to kiss goodbye to the normal finishing time.
So if it's like this why do I do it for free?. Like any job it has its down sides. But at the end of every shift - even when you're really tired and sometimes wet - you feel good, you feel like you've made a difference by helping people. I'm lucky enough to be able to work day shifts as well as night shifts as I own a bookshop and write for the newspaper. Since coming out of my probation I'm able to patrol on my own or as part of a team.
I've even been tasked with looking after other Special Constables who have just started and I can relate to them as I know how hard it was to get into the swing of things when I started.
Most people only see Special Constables on a weekend but we do a lot more than most people think and most of the public can't tell us and regulars apart, in fact the public don't care if you're a volunteer or not, as long as you can help them and do the job right.
One of the reasons I asked to be placed in my community was to mix with others and some days I patrol areas and speak with elderly residents who always want to chat and give me pots of tea which suits me. Many of the residents on my beat know me now and often invite me in for tea and homemade sponge cake and buns. I was told when growing up that it's rude to say no to kind hospitality.
School visits are a regular for me and my colleague Neil, we often have a day in the local school showing the children the police equipment and letting them ask questions about local policing. We've found that since staring the visits the children are not afraid of the uniform and on an evening shift we have been recognised by the school children when we have been patrolling the area they live in.
The Neighbourhood Policing Team that I'm part of has proved quite successful in changing the community for the better and most residents see me as a community bobby now.
Thinking back to the day of my interview it's hard to see what I was so nervous about. The Special Constable Liaison's officer that interviewed me has become a friend and mentor and I've actually found that he has a sense of humour. If he doesn't see you for a week or so due to the shifts you're working he'll telephone you and ask how you are. Usually he sticks a favour on the end of the conversation, like "can you police me an event next week?" or "I was thinking that you might want to take such and such out on a shift and show them around" and I'm more than happy to do it because he helps us when we get stuck.
He also shares his office with Karl the divisional trainer who has helped me with most policing problems that I've encountered along the way. Karl's like a walking police library who knows everything and he's always happy to help. He once told me "my doors always open to you" Unless he's not there, then I think he locks it so no one can use his tea bags
From people handing in lost keys at events to guarding serious crime scenes, from issuing a fixed penalty ticket for parking to transporting murder suspects, in the last two years I think I've done a bit of everything and despite the down sides of it like long hours, wet weather, I've loved every single minute of it. My only regret is that I didn't join the Specials sooner.
Part Two:
My First Day on Duty, the "scariest thing I have ever done in my Life."My first duty was the scariest thing I have ever done in my life. All I could think about was training school. I felt like I had forgotten everything I had been taught - my mind was blank. When I arrived at the station I'd even forgotten the security stuff I was shown during my induction day. I had to queue up at the front desk and say, "err, I'm Daz, I'm new… can I come in please". What a great start I thought. But the constable I was placed with knew I was "new" and didn't make an issue of it. He demonstrated the radio (I'd forgotten some of that too!) and introduced me to a few other regulars. Next thing, we were all in a police van, patrolling a nearby community as part of a Neighbourhood Policing Team. My first tour of duty!
My very first job was dealing with a gang of nuisance youths who were being rowdy and upsetting local residents, quite a common problem. The other officers were keen to let me get involved so I joined them in having a stiff word with the bunch, and checking for alcohol misuse etc. Some names and addresses were taken for future reference. The group dispersed as we left. Hopefully, our intervention will make them stop and think and reduce some of the problems for local people.
Next we were back in the van and the blue lights went on, it doesn't matter how old you are, when you're in a police vehicle with the blue lights on, it feels amazing. In my case I was thinking about "The Bill".
We swiftly arrived at an address to find a worried householder who had seen someone run out of her house, as she was coming home. The team asked if I wanted to go in and reassure her, I was a bit apprehensive but I went in to take some details. She was so reassured by my visit, that I immediately felt I was doing something important to help. The description of the offender was quickly circulated round the area, and my colleagues checked local streets. Something like this can be very worrying for someone and it is part of our role to help reassure that person.
The rest of the duty was taken up with more encounters with noisy youths on street corners. During these enquiries, I ended up chatting to several residents - and I could n't get used to them calling me officer!
It only seemed like I'd been working a couple of hours but the shift had come to an end and I had completed eight hours without realising. Time just flew and I didn't really want to go home. When I eventually arrived home that night I couldn't stop talking about what I'd done and I couldn't wait to go on duty again.
Part One:
How I Came to Join the Special Constables?It all started following a meeting with our community constable when I was talking about crime concerns in my local areas. Over a cup of tea, he was talking about various colleagues who were Special Constables, and how much they were valued members of the policing team. This got me thinking.
I'd never met a Special, or at least I didn't know if I had, and I was under the impression that they weren't the same as police officers. He told me all about the work they did, the various duties and, before leaving, he arranged for me to have an information pack sent out. About a week later, a large envelope arrived and after a day or two of looking at the contents I decided it sounded quite interesting, perhaps an opportunity to spend a few hours a week doing something useful, and putting something back into the community. I filled in the form, sealed the envelope and waited to see what would happen.
A little while later, there was a telephone call inviting me for an interview at the local station. Right up until the last minute I wasn't going to go this, I still wasn't sure if I had what was needed to be a bobby or if I had four hours a week to spare, and what about time off for training? But I put on my suit, jumped in the car and went into the police station to see him. One thing that bothers me is an interview. I go to pieces, and what can be worse than an interview with a police officer!
When I arrived at the police station, my future liaison officer came down to greet me, shook my hand, asked how I was and made me feel really calm as he could see I was a bit on edge. After the interview was over he broke the news to me "We would like to offer you a place on our next available special constable training course". I had to pop to my opticians and return a couple more forms, but soon after that I was on my course.
The training lasted around five months, but after the initial two-day introduction, we only had to turn up one Sunday every month. That was great for me because I own my own bookshop and run my own business, so it meant that I could still do the trade fairs and the training wouldn't interfere with my work .
The training staff were great; they were really friendly and didn't expect us all to be clued up on law. All we needed to know was taught to us and we all took home this really big folder full of police procedures and other training materials so that we could study in our own time and at our own pace. To make the course more interesting the trainers set us a quiz every month, they got us involved in the classes and had us acting out scenarios.
Before we knew it, our training was almost finished. We received our uniform and went home to try them on. I tried on every bit of kit and walked around the house with my new helmet on for two days so my uniform wouldn't look so new when I got to my police station. We were given all the same equipment as the regular officers, and you couldn't tell the specials and the regulars apart.
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the training was the self-defence; we were taught how to protect ourselves, how to arrest, how to use handcuffs and the CS Spray and baton.
The final day came when we all received our collar numbers before going on stage to receive our warrants cards in front of around 200 people.
There was one slightly embarrassing situation when I quickly grabbed the nearest guy in uniform to take a photograph and me and my wife. The Assistant Chief Constable turned round to say he would be delighted to oblige - and welcomed me to the Force!
Within a couple of days of finishing my training I received a phone call from Colin, my liaison officer at Wakefield station. He wanted to show me around the police station, introduce me to key people and help me settle in before going on duty for the very first time. That was a very useful day, even though I ended up asking the same question 15 times over!
Part three coming soon: More tales from street duties.
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