Findings from our latest Special Constabulary Survey

Every year since 2023, Thames Valley Police has surveyed its Special Constabulary to better understand the realities of volunteer policing. The principle behind the exercise is straightforward: if an organisation is serious about improvement, it needs a reliable way of hearing from the people closest to the work.

The latest survey, conducted in September, suggests that approach is delivering meaningful insight. The dominant theme running through the findings is one of continuous improvement. Not dramatic transformation, nor the absence of challenges, but steady progress in several of the areas that matter most to volunteer officers.

That should not be mistaken for complacency. The survey also identifies areas where further work is needed. Yet taken as a whole, the results point towards an organisation that is listening to its volunteers, responding to feedback and, importantly, seeing evidence that those efforts are making a difference.

A Strong Sense of Purpose

One finding has remained remarkably consistent across every edition of the survey: people become Special Constables because they want to make a difference.

At a time when policing faces increasing complexity and public scrutiny, that sense of service continues to be a powerful motivator. The strongest responses in this year’s survey relate to helping others and making a positive contribution to local communities, suggesting that the fundamental appeal of volunteering in policing remains as strong as ever.

The comments behind those findings tell their own story:

“Knowing that you’re genuinely making a difference.”

“Being able to help and comfort others in their time of need.”

“The combination of public service, personal development, teamwork, and the chance to have a positive impact on people’s lives.”

These responses underline something often overlooked about the Special Constabulary. Specials are not observers of policing; they are police officers who make a tangible contribution to public safety while gaining experiences and skills that few volunteer roles can replicate.

A More Positive View of the Special Constabulary Than Policing Generally

Perhaps the most revealing finding in this year’s survey is the contrast between how respondents view their experience as a Special Constable and how they view policing more broadly.

Looking back over the previous 12 months, nearly four in five respondents said their experience as a Special had either remained stable or improved. By contrast, perceptions of policing generally were notably less positive.

The distinction is significant. It suggests that local culture, leadership and day-to-day experience can shape perceptions independently of wider national narratives. While broader discussions around policing often focus on challenge and constraint, many volunteers within Thames Valley Police’s Special Constabulary appear to be experiencing something different: an environment where progress is visible and optimism remains intact.

That optimism is particularly evident when respondents were asked to look ahead. More than four times as many expect their experience as a Special to improve over the next year than expect it to deteriorate. In a profession where confidence in the future can never be taken for granted, that finding is noteworthy.

Feeling Valued: Progress That Matters

Organisations often find it easier to improve processes than perceptions. Yet one of the clearest trends emerging from the survey series is the growing number of Specials who feel valued by the organisation.

In the 2025 survey, the statement “I feel valued as a Special by Thames Valley Police” was identified as the most improved measure since the inaugural survey. The latest results indicate that this positive trajectory has continued.

On the surface, an increase in a survey score may appear modest, yet perceptions of value are often among the most difficult organisational measures to shift. They are rarely influenced by a single initiative and instead emerge from a combination of recognition, communication, inclusion and opportunity.

The continued improvement in this area suggests that volunteers are increasingly seeing evidence of those factors in practice. That interpretation is reinforced elsewhere in the survey, where respondents are now more likely to recommend volunteering as a Special Constable to friends, family and colleagues than they were in previous years.

Engagement Is Moving in the Right Direction

The survey also points to sustained progress in engagement and supervision. Responses to the statement “I feel engaged by my Special Constabulary supervisors” have continued to strengthen and represent one of the most significant long-term improvements recorded since the survey programme began.

What makes this trend particularly noteworthy is that many of the strongest gains have occurred in areas that TVP can actively influence. Leadership, communication, support and supervision were identified in earlier surveys as key opportunities for improvement. The latest results suggest that attention in these areas is translating into measurable changes in how volunteers experience the organisation.

That does not mean every issue has been resolved. Respondents continue to identify opportunities around recognition, development, training and operational integration. However, the overall direction of travel is difficult to ignore. The survey presents a picture of gradual but consistent progress rather than isolated success.

Listening and Acting on Feedback

Perhaps the most important function of a survey is not measuring satisfaction, but identifying where the next improvements should come from.

The latest findings highlight several recurring themes. Volunteers want greater access to specialist opportunities, improved training, better technology and equipment, and more effective use of the professional expertise they bring from outside policing.

The comments are particularly revealing:

“Greater use of the skills and experience that Specials bring from their professional backgrounds.”

“There is a need to better capture people’s professional backgrounds and skills so it can be called upon more effectively.”

Taken together, these observations highlight one of the Special Constabulary’s greatest strengths: it draws people from an extraordinary range of professions, industries and backgrounds. The challenge, and opportunity, lies in ensuring that expertise is recognised and utilised wherever possible.

Importantly, these themes are not disappearing into a report. The value of conducting the survey annually is that it allows progress to be measured over time, helping identify which interventions are working and where further attention is needed.

Looking Forward

Continuous improvement is rarely the result of a single initiative or moment of change. More often, it is the cumulative effect of listening carefully, responding thoughtfully and maintaining a consistent focus on what matters most.

The latest survey suggests that Thames Valley Police’s Special Constabulary is moving in that direction. Volunteers continue to report a strong sense of purpose, increasing levels of engagement and growing confidence that their contribution is recognised and valued.

For those already serving, the findings provide evidence that feedback is helping shape future priorities. For those considering volunteering, they offer a glimpse into a role that continues to provide something increasingly rare: the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the community while being part of an organisation committed to learning and improvement.

Ultimately, that may be the most significant finding of all. The strongest organisations are not those that claim to have all the answers, but those willing to keep asking the right questions and acting on what they hear.

If you’re interested in getting an even closer look at the world of volunteer policing, please visit our Special Constables webpage, and consider applying for a volunteer role yourself.