James Schofield joins Special Constabulary

Ian Hopkins far left, Martin Reynolds, Tracy Ainsworth-Wrigley, James Schofield and Chief Officer Paul Whittam

Nineteen-year-old James Schofield, a Rochdale lad for his whole life, is joining the Special Constabulary after finishing a Level Three Extended Diploma in the Uniformed Public Services.

He lives with his mum and stepfather.

James said he has wanted to the join the Police since he can remember and it has been a leading factor in his life so far, so much so he actually specifically did a qualification to benefit this career path. He hopes to eventually join the Regulars and looks forward to learning all he can from his colleagues in Oldham.

Special constables are volunteers who have the same powers as regular police officers, but do not receive payment for the duties they perform.

They may be the first officers at the scene of a wide variety of incidents and perform the same range of duties as their regular colleagues. These might include carrying out patrols in town centres or residential areas as part of neighbourhood policing, contributing to special operations, policing football matches or providing a police presence at public events.

At times when regular officers are under pressure or more staff are needed, special constables can also provide support to ensure that normal policing continues.

Chief Officer Paul Whittam said: “During a time when the policing landscape is changing, the special constabulary continues to show unwavering commitment to its duties, and this should be a source of great reassurance to the public in these challenging times. Especially notable this year has been their assistance with policing the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Olympic torch relays and the Olympic football matches, as well as providing the lion’s share of policing for the Labour Party Conference.”