Greater Manchester Police will welcome 43 new Special Constables this week with a ceremony at Hough End including a criminology student from Irlam, Jakub Mielczarek.
All of the recruits attending the ceremony have completed a five month training programme and, once fully operational, will volunteer at least four hours of their free time every week. The main focus of their duties will be to assist GMP officers in serving local communities and preventing crime.
All Special Constables share the same powers as regular officers, including the power of arrest.
GMP Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling said: “Special Constables play an integral role in policing Greater Manchester. Their contribution in preventing and reducing crime, as well as building links with local communities, is really appreciated and valued by both the Force and members of the public.
“They cannot be applauded highly enough for their commitment and dedication to keeping Greater Manchester and its communities safe.”
Special Constable Jakub Mielczarek, 21, is from Irlam, Manchester. Jakub is currently a full-time student in his 2nd year at the University of Manchester, studying Criminology. Before beginning with the Specials Jakub completed his training with the Police Cadets.
Jakub said: “I’ve always enjoyed volunteering and helping in the local community and from a young age I’ve wanted to join the Police.
“Whilst studying Public Services at college, I found out about the Police Cadets and Special Constables. They seemed to offer a perfect stairway to becoming a regular Police Officer, with the training and experiences on offer.
“My interpersonal skills, from conducting presentations, speaking with people from a range of diverse backgrounds, to defusing potentially volatile situations have really come on while I’ve been training up to be a Special and I hope to use these skills and experiences to one day join GMP as a regular officer.’’
