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The county’s Special Constabulary recently took part in a cross-border operation to deter travelling criminals.
Specials are volunteer police officers who give up their time to keep the public safe. They play a vital role in preventing, reducing and tackling crime. All have the same powers as regular police officers, including the power to arrest.
On Saturday 15 April, 16 Special Constables and nine officers from the Hertsmere Scorpion Team*, joined up with the Metropolitan Police Service to conduct an operation in the Stirling Corner area of Barnet.
Further support also came from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) who provided a helicopter to assist the operation. The pilots were directed to follow any vehicles of interest.
The aim of the operation was to target those travelling between Hertfordshire and London to commit crime, such as county lines drug dealing. There was also a particular focus on keeping women and girls safe as officers monitored the ANPR network to target any such offenders.
Officers also used the opportunity to deal with road safety – for example, by targeting any suspected drink drivers and any vehicles without correct licences.
The operation resulted in:
Special Sergeant Alex Whittle, who led the operation for Hertfordshire, said: “We teamed up with the Met for a similar operation in February and it had successful results. We promised that more operations would take place and so I hope the public are pleased to see that we’ve been back out again, targeting criminals who use to the road network to travel to the location of their crimes.
“This second operation has seen more dangerous vehicles off our roads and more suspected criminals apprehended. As a volunteer police officer, it’s a great feeling to know you have made a difference to the local community and made people safer.”
For more information about the Special Constabulary, including how to apply, visit Herts police specials web page. If your employer registers with our Employer Supported Policing scheme, you could be eligible for paid or unpaid leave to carry out some of your Special duties. Find out more on the website or email (opens in a new window).
You can keep up-to-date with the Special Constabulary on Twitter (opens in a new window).
*Operation Scorpion are a specialist unit of officers, largely plain clothed, who tackle acquisitive crime.