Terry’s Journey from Special Constable to a Career in Policing

When Terry first heard about the role of Special Constable it was 1965 – a year before England won the World Cup for the only time in their history – and he was 21 years old, having just completing his electrician’s apprenticeship. He hadn’t planned a career in policing, instead it began with a nudge from a colleague in the workshop – an older tradesman who mentioned that he volunteered as a part-time police officer in Burnham. That was enough to spark Terry’s interest.

“I don’t know what made me want to join… but something about it just grabbed me.”

Terry walked into the local police station and began a journey that would shape the rest of his career.

Volunteering as a Special opened a door that he never knew existed. Before long he found himself patrolling the busy streets of Windsor – always on foot. Windsor is a garrison town with two barracks, and Terry and his colleagues would sit outside certain pubs, providing a visible presence which maintained order on a Friday and Saturday night. He remembers the Military Police rounding up soldiers, the camaraderie with the regulars, and the quiet pride in knowing he was helping to ease the pressure on overstretched officers.

A lifelong footballer, he found himself playing for Old Windsor along with a handful of other officers. That club is still going today, albeit having made good progress over the years. They worked together, trained together, and patrolled together. Those friendships helped him take his next steps. When the club players encouraged him to join their night-time patrols, he jumped at the chance. Before long, Friday nights were dedicated to the beat.

“In the end, as you get on a bit, you go out on your own… that’s what you used to do.”

The Specials didn’t just give Terry experience. They gave him stories to tell…

There was the peeping Tom he helped catch as a Special, only to arrest again – ten years later – as a regular officer.

“I said, I can’t believe you’re still doing this!”

There was the night he politely but firmly pulled over a vehicle, only to discover he’d stopped our now king, Prince Charles at two in the morning.

“I was so embarrassed I never told anybody… he was only a young man then”
And there were countless small moments: conversations on street corners, averted crises, glimpses of lives going right or wrong. The kind of moments that quietly convince someone that they’ve found their calling.

“That’s what gave me the insight… that I wanted to do it full time.”

In the end, Terry served as a Special Constable for seven years, before deciding to sign up as a regular in 1972. He wasn’t allowed to serve where he lived, so began his full-time career in Bracknell, then Slough, followed by other postings.

Sometimes he stood his ground – perhaps a little too firmly – such as the time he refused to move his Triumph Spitfire from a car park space claimed by an inspector. The fallout was swift: a disciplinary, docked three days’ pay, and a posting to High Wycombe the following day. But even that became a story he now retells with smile on his face.

Terry has a framed newspaper cutting that announced he was retiring as, at that point, the oldest beat officer in the country. It described him as “old fashioned.”

“I am – I always have been. I like to think I could still go out and do the job the same way I used to.”

His experience in the Specials set him up perfectly for a career in policing

Through all of it, Terry held the same simple philosophy:

“Treat people as you expect to be treated yourself.”

His career could easily have ended early. A severe infection left him hospitalised and off work for 21 months. Today, he still carries the limp as a reminder.

But quitting was never an option.

“I could have gone out on medical… but I enjoyed the job.”

Retirement didn’t mean stepping away from work. He found new routines working as a caretaker at a local school, driving the start at Ascot Racecourse, and staying active in his community.

And if someone today asked him whether they should volunteer as a Special?

“I’d tell them I enjoyed every minute. Try it. See what you think.”

Because for Terry, it was more than volunteering. It was the beginning of his career, and a steadfast belief in treating people with dignity – no matter who they were.

If you’ve been inspired by Terry’s story and would like to learn more about the Special Constables at Thames Valley Police, visit our dedicated webpage where you can find more stories, and even apply for a role yourself.

History