Herts Special Inspector Recognised at National Awards CeremonyPublished 28/11/2017

A Special Inspector from Hertfordshire Constabulary and her employer were named runners-up for a national award in recognition for their contribution to volunteering policing in Hertfordshire on Tuesday, November 28th.

The 26th Lord Ferrer’s awards ceremony was organised by the Home Office and attended by the Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP and the Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service, Nick Hurd MP. It celebrated the outstanding contributions of special constables, police support volunteers and volunteer police cadets from across the UK.

Acting Special Inspector Bates and her employer, Royal Bank of Scotland were nominated and shortlisted for the Employer Supported Policing Award, which recognises the contribution of individuals and teams of employees who support their local police force through volunteering.

ASI Bates, who has served as a Special for 25 years currently receives 10 days paid leave from her employer to perform front-line duties and attend training through the Employer Supported Policing scheme*.

Together with her IT skills from her career and her experience as a Special Constable, ASI Bates was vital to Hertfordshire Constabulary during this year’s response to the heightened threat levels caused by the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester.

She was central to the planning and mobilisation of special constables across the county, enabling regular colleagues to provide protection and reassurance to the people of Hertfordshire.

The ESP scheme is being led by Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, David Lloyd, who wants employers across Hertfordshire to encourage, support and sustain their staff’s duties as a Special Constable alongside their day-to-day employment.

The Commissioner said: “This is a brilliant example of a successful partnership between employers, their members of staff and the Constabulary.

"By providing ASI Bates with paid leave to perform a role in the Special Constabulary, the RBS is directly contributing to the local community and playing a key role in making Hertfordshire a safer place to live and work.

"It also highlights to other organisations the simple and effective way in which this support can benefit the community and the police service.”

Chief Constable Charlie Hall said: “I am very proud of the work all our volunteers and Special Constabulary do on a daily basis.

"I am especially pleased to hear Special Inspector Bates was runner-up in the Employer Supported Policing Category.

"The Special Constabulary is vitally important in Hertfordshire and the value they bring to the organisation and the community cannot be understated.

We all benefit from their policing skills, enthusiasm and commitment. I would like to congratulate ASI Bates and thank her for all her hard work.”

* Employer Supported Policing (ESP) is a national and local national and local initiative that provides businesses with the opportunity to forge closer links with their local policing teams. As part of the scheme employers grant paid/unpaid leave for their employees to carry out necessary training or duties.

If you would like to find out more and share information about Employer Supported Policing with your employer contact the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office ESP@herts.pcc.pnn.gov.uk or call 01707 8061540.

More information is also available on our website: www.hertspolicespecials.co.uk