Why do London police special constables earn more than entry-level officers?

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Special constables in London are among the highest paid in Ontario and make more than a constable who has been on the job for two years.

London police recently launched the special constable program, hiring an additional 19 and deploying them for a wider range of duties to support front-line officers.

A special constable had a starting salary of $88,241 as of Jan. 1, 2023, compared to $68,873 for a fourth-class constable. The pay for special constable rises to $106,741 after 30 months on the job, while a constable with 31 months’ experience makes $97,106.

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A London special constable also is paid more than their counterpart in Toronto, where the starting salary is $78,963.

The head of an organization which shares knowledge about special constables and lobbies the government says it’s important to offer a competitive rate of pay to attract strong candidates and bolster professionalism.

“And it’s important to recognize that specials don’t have the same career path options to specialize as police, so a strong starting wage attracts strong and competitive candidates and they probably see higher retention,” Special Constable Association president Sarah Kennedy said in an email.

The pay for a London special constable doesn’t increase after they hit the 30-month rate, but a constable’s salary continues to rise with work experience, hitting a peak of $122,471 after 23 years on the job. Sworn officers also have an opportunity to rise through the police ranks, with each promotion bringing more pay.

A London police spokesperson said sworn officers ultimately are paid more than special constables during the course of their career.

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Chief Thai Truong first pitched expanding the ranks and responsibilities of special constables last fall as part of his plan to modernize the force, saying it would free up front-line officers and help reduce wait times for calls for service.

Previously tasked with transporting and guarding prisoners, special constables are now used for everything from assisting at crime scenes and collisions to taking witness statements and canvassing neighbourhoods.

The civilian employees are considered peace officers, but they don’t carry a gun or conducted-energy weapon. Special constables are granted all or some of the authorities of police officers, depending on how their roles are defined by their employers, which include public transit, parks, agencies, ministries, conservation authorities and post-secondary schools.

After London’s special constable program officially launched last week, deputy Chief Scott Guilford said the hiring process for a special constable takes four months, followed by three months of in-house training before they’re ready to work.

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“We’ll be able to get them selected, trained a lot quicker, get them out there and take some of the responsibilities of a sworn officer off of them so they can go on and do the higher-acuity type of calls,” Guilford said at the time.

In comparison, Truong previously said it takes between eight to 10 months, on average, for a new constable recruit to be ready for independent patrol after they’re hired. All constables must complete the 12-week basic constable training program at the Ontario Police College, where London police get 15 spots a semester.

The expanded use of special constables by police forces across Ontario comes amid wide-spread staffing shortages and recruitment issues plaguing law enforcement. In response, the province announced last month it is expanding the annual capacity for the basic constable training program. First Nation, small- and medium-sized police forces will be prioritized for the additional spaces at the Southwestern Ontario campus, where the province previously removed the $17,000 tuition fee.

dcarruthers@postmedia.com

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