Call to get involved in the community as police volunteer

A Special Constable from Watford is encouraging the public to consider volunteering as a police officer ahead of a recruitment event at Premier League club Watford FC later this month. The recruitment event will be held at on January 19 at 7pm at Watford FC’s grounds in Vicarage Road as part of a drive to recruit more Special Constables. In his day job 49-year-old job Special Sergeant Simon Duncan, based at Watford Police Station, is a chief financial officer for a solar energy company and for at least 16 hours per month he volunteers as a police officer. He said: “My day job mainly involves working with legal documents and numbers, whereas being a Special Constable requires making on-the-spot decisions and interacting with members of the public. “I have been a Special Constable for seven years and volunteer around 40 hours per month to policing duties. I used to complain that there was never a police officer around when you wanted one, but was happy to sit watching television in the evening instead of doing anything about it. Now I do something about it and I have found it very rewarding. “I like the interaction with people, with colleagues as well as the public. I like helping victims of crime, enforcing the law and giving something back to the community.” He added: “At 49 I thought I was too old to become a Special Constable but that definitely was not the case. Special Constables get sent to the same emergency reports as regular officers which include burglaries, missing people, assaults and road traffic collisions. In the last month I have responded to all of these types of incidents. “I would really recommend joining the Special Constabulary to anyone who is looking to add something exciting, challenging and rewarding in their lives.” Special Sergeant Duncan will be attending the open evening should anyone want to speak to him about life as a volunteer police officer. Anyone wanting to attend should register their interest online at www.hertspolicecareers.co.uk