In this Policing TV special from the second Metropolitan Special Constabulary Conference at the QEII Centre in Westminster, special constables, senior leaders and the policing minister come together to confront a difficult reality: the Special Constabulary is shrinking, and the decline is now impossible to ignore.
The video captures a day of challenge, honesty and ambition. We hear from Minister Sarah Jones MP, academics presenting stark national data, and Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes, who thanks volunteers for 300,000 hours of service while acknowledging the pressures facing both the Met and the wider criminal justice system. Alongside the warning signs, there is also a clear message of hope: if policing listens, adapts and invests in volunteers properly, the future of the Special Constabulary can still be rebuilt.
Key takeaways
- The Special Constabulary is now at its smallest size nationally in around half a century.
- Recent decline is deeper and more sustained than previous drops in volunteer numbers.
- The Home Office wants to reverse that decline and is actively seeking ideas from specials.
- Survey feedback suggests many specials still feel supported, appreciated and positive.
- Recruiting and retaining women and younger volunteers remains a major challenge.
- Around 79% of the MSC now support neighbourhood policing and community crime fighting.
- Despite falling numbers, the MSC still contributed around 300,000 hours last year.
- Leaders left the conference with both gratitude and a clear “to-do list” for change.
Chapters
00:00 – Opening at the QEII Centre
01:21 – Sarah Jones MP: reversing the decline
04:04 – Why diversity and retention matter
04:35 – Survey feedback from specials
06:00 – The national data picture
08:08 – Why the decline feels different this time
10:13 – Matt Jukes on London, confidence and volunteering
12:45 – Community crime fighting and neighbourhood policing
16:33 – Final reflections and next steps
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