Northumbria Police launch weekend operation that will see special constables targeting car crime

Police are running a weekend of action by a group of Special Constables as they look to crack down on car crime.
Officers involved in the operation.Officers involved in the operation.
Officers involved in the operation.

More than 30 Special Constables are volunteering their own time this weekend as part of a road safety operation.

They will be armed with a speed gun, a breathalyser and a drug testing kit in a bid to crack down on driving offences across the region.

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It will also involve them stopping vehicles across Newcastle and Gateshead and checking them to make sure that they are road worthy, taxed, fully insured and have MOT.

The Special Constables have run the campaign in the lead up to Christmas for the past two years as they look to take on the ‘Fatal Four’.

- Drink & Drug Driving;

- Speeding;

- Using a mobile phone while driving;

- Not wearing a seat belt.

Although officers will join the Special Constabulary on patrol, the weekend will be led by the huge team of police volunteers.

Chief Superintendent Sarah Pitt, the force's operational lead for volunteers, said the Special Constabulary were a valuable asset in keeping local communities safe.

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She said: "The Special Constabulary play an important role in supporting our officers in their daily duties and I am really proud of the work they do.

"All of our specials volunteer their own time to keep our communities safe and many of them are at university or in full-time employment.

"It is through their desire to keep local people safe that they come into the station at a weekend and run an operation such as this one.

“We are always looking to educate the public about the Fatal Four and our traffic officers do carry out enforcement activity as part of their day-to-day work.

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"But I want to thank the Special Constabulary in particular for giving up their time this weekend and for all the work they do here in Northumbria. They are a credit to themselves and to the people they serve."

Anyone interested in joining the Special Constabulary should visit the Northumbria Police careers website or follow @Northumbriapol on Twitter for news of upcoming open days for potential volunteers.