Employee advice
Benefits
Apply to join Employer Supported Policing (ESP) as a special constable and, after training, you'll have all the powers of regular police officers to fight crime, with the life changing experiences and range of skills that this brings. You’ll pick up extra skills and confidence from working for us that can benefit your work life and beyond. Plus, it's a great addition to your CV and great for your employer.
Becoming a special constable offers many benefits in terms of personal and professional development. Working as a police officer means making decisions that have an immediate impact on the people you are dealing with, so getting those decisions right is crucial. People look to police officers for direction in stressful situations and taking charge of incidents will give you confidence and assertiveness which you can bring to your workplace. The experience will quickly develop you to make you more effective at work. Three quarters of volunteers say volunteering has made them feel physically healthier and lowered their stress levels which not only benefit you, but your employer and community too.
Benefits include:
- increased participation, volunteer hours and confidence
- enhanced skills and training, valuable for career progression and in your personal life
- giving back to the community with support
- feel supported – leading to fulfilment and improved relationship with your employer
- sense of well-being within the workplace
- more flexibility to attend training/police duty which supports further development
Skills
There are a range of skills you can gain from volunteering, these include, but are not limited to:
- ability to remain calm under pressure
- administration
- communication
- computer skills
- decision making
- interpersonal skills
- self-confidence
- time management
Training
The training will develop the seven core skills that every police officer must be proficient in. These are:
- customer focus
- effective communication
- personal responsibility
- problem solving
- resilience
- respect for diversity
- teamwork
These skills are transferable, which you will be able to use, not only in your professional capacity but also in your personal life, such as managing confrontational situations, leadership and personal safety.
You'll have the satisfaction of knowing that your colleagues at your place of work, your friends and family will be more reassured as a result of your new skills and confidence.
You'll have the possibility of gaining promotion at work as a result of acquiring a new set of skills, experience, assertiveness and confidence that you have been taught.
The level of commitment your organisation can make is flexible, with our partner employers supporting varying levels of time, so please ask them to talk to us about how much they can support the programme.
You will really feel that you are making a difference - making a positive contribution in the fight against crime in Kent whilst developing yourself with high-quality police training, all supported by us and your employer, allowing you to gain valuable police experience whilst continuing your chosen career.