MORE than 100 people have said they want to become special constables in a new recruitment drive in North Yorkshire.

In the first ten days of the campaign, which launched on July 18, 108 people have requested an application pack.

York has 35 applicants, Harrogate, 21, Scarborough, 17 and Hambleton, 12. The campaign is aimed at increasing the numbers of volunteer police officers, who are commonly known as specials, across the force, using their skills and local knowledge to compliment the service provided by North Yorkshire Police.

Special constables have the same powers as regular police officers. The volunteers must carry out at least four hours per week.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said: “I am pleased with the level of interest people have shown in joining North Yorkshire Police’s Special Constabulary so far. It is encouraging to see how many people are willing to volunteer to help keep their communities safe places to live and work.

“I would like to see applications from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, so that the force reflects the communities it serves. I am also keen to see applications from people who may not wish to join the police as full-time career, but would like to make a valuable contribution to helping keeping their community a safe place to live and work.”

Specials help police events such as the Tour de France, as well as taking responsibility for local events across the county.

Applicants from this campaign who are successful will take part in a new induction programme which will be launching in early 2015. This will be a distance learning option and will supplement our other classroom based induction programmes, with the aim of providing more flexibility for students, allowing students them to tailor their studies to fit in with their personal circumstances.

For more details information about the Special Constabulary, or becoming a special constable, please visit www.nypspecials.com