National Service Would Not Attract Committed People To Policing

National service would not attract committed and enthusiastic young people to policing, just those who see it as a tick-box exercise, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that a future Conservative Government would bring back National Service, meaning every 18-year-old would be in a full-time military role or spend one weekend a month volunteering in ‘civil resistance’, which includes being a Special Constable.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “This is not a good idea from our perspective. Obviously we do need more resources into policing, but we want those resources to be there because they want to be there.

“If you incentivised people to join and volunteer to help the police under their own steam, then I’d absolutely support that. But if you’ve got a scenario where people are being forced into it, are they going to be the right people? Are they going to be invested in what they’re doing, or are they doing it to tick a box?

“I don’t think this is well thought out at all. We need to encourage people who want to become Special Constables, and of course regular officers, and support them to do that, and to grow those numbers.”