Following a launch event at the Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey, BPHA, DHL Argos, Elster Water Metering and The Mall in Luton have pledged their support to the programme, and will now encourage and support their staff to become Special Constable volunteer police officers.
The Special Constabulary works alongside full- time police officers and Police Community Support Officers on the front line and receive full training and support to patrol Bedfordshire’s rural and urban communities.
Bedfordshire Special Constabulary chief officer Wayne Humberstone said: “This is a fantastic start to our ESP initiative and we hope we will be able to continue to build on this.
“The four businesses which have signed up so far have been incredibly impressed by the work of the Specials and how their employees – and in turn their businesses – can benefit by becoming volunteer police officers.”
Bedfordshire Police currently has over 260 Specials and aims to increase that number to 500 by Spring 2017.
Mr Humberstone called on employers around the county to back the recruitment drive by encouraging their staff to consider becoming Special Constables.
He said: “Employees will benefit from police training and experience which will equip them with new skills including enhanced decision-making, conflict resolution, negotiation, and problem solving skills, all of which would benefit any business.
“The ESP initiative will also allow us to build closer links with Bedfordshire’s business community so we can so we can learn more about the local issues which matter to them.”
To find out more about the Special Constabulary, visit the ‘Join Us’ pages at www.bedfordshire.police.uk or e-mail bespecial@Bedfordshire.pnn.Police.uk