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A team of special constables is hitting the streets this week under a new program that has expanded their role in policing throughout London.
Nineteen special constables will support front-line officers by responding to non-emergency calls, assisting in investigations, conducting crime prevention patrols, engaging the community, guarding crime scenes and assisting with traffic management, police say.
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The special constables, who completed in-house training in academics and practical skills, will wear different uniforms than sworn officers and drive distinct blue-and yellow-checkered cruisers.
Police Chief Thai Truong first revealed his plan to expand the rank and responsibilities of special constables last fall as part of his vision to modernize the force and change the way service is delivered to the community.
“The introduction of the special constable program . . . will assist us by decreasing response times, adding additional community engagement opportunities and increasing our visibility throughout the city,” Truong said in a statement Monday. “Aligning with our key priorities, this program will help enhance public safety and trust and help ensure the well-being of London’s communities.”
In Ontario, there are more than 3,000 special constables, often referred to as specials, who are granted some or all of the authorities of a police officer depending on how their roles are defined by their employer, according to the Special Constable Association, an organization created to share knowledge about the profession and lobby governments.
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London police previously only used special constables to guard cells at the London courthouse and perform other low-risk duties.
But in recent years police forces across the province have been hiring more of them and expanding their roles in response to challenges facing policing including more calls for service that are taking longer to handle.
One of the new London special constables, Kyle Llewellyn, said he’s always had an interest in law enforcement and helping the community.
“This new position checked off all the boxes in relation to what I was looking for in a career, and I am excited to be a part of it,” Llewellyn said in a statement.
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