AN increasing number of "special" crimefighters are now pounding the law and order beat on the streets of Bolton.

And, with more money being spent on recruiting and training the Special Constabulary, the Government hopes the number of specials will increase further over the next few years.

The special constables come from all walks of life and with an age range of 19-50 they have destroyed the Dad's Army image that dogged the service a decade ago. The modern day "specials" are now highly-trained officers who are involved in every aspect of police work from street patrols, to policing football matches, fetes, festivals and demonstrations.

All rookie recruits to the force have to undertake a 15-week training course at GMP's Sedgley Park Training School. The course is a condensed version of the one full-time officers receive.

Bolton's police chiefs admit that at a time when demands on regular police officers are increasing, and the number of crimes recorded each year is among the highest in Greater Manchester, the role of the special constables in the town is becoming ever more important. The majority of the specials currently join their regular colleagues in patrolling the town during the night time or at weekends. The volunteer police team wear flat hats but otherwise members of the public can hardly distinguish them from their full-time colleagues.

The town's top policeman, Chief Supt John Bartlett, now hopes new recruits from the ranks of the unemployed will help to patrol the streets, particularly in the busy shopping centre, during the day.

Home Secretary Michael Howard is an enthusiastic supporter of the Special Constabulary.

On a visit to the North-west 15 months ago, to meet new recruits to the special constabulary in Greater Manchester, he said they provided a "vital bridge" between the police and local communities.

He said: "We would not make much progress in the fight against crime if everybody said 'it has nothing to do with me, let's leave it to the police'." The origins of the Special Constables probably date back to Saxon times, but it was not until the reign of Henry 11 that a requirement to uphold and maintain the King's or Queen's peace was introduced.

In Georgian and Victorian times parish constables, usually elderly individuals, were appointed to undertake duties and to keep the peace.

In the early 1800s Parliament empowered local justices to appoint unpaid Special Constables to maintain law and order and to prosecute offenders.

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