ABSTRACT
This chapter sets the scene. We set out the role and purpose of special constables in policing, past and present. We explore the value that Special Constabularies are assumed to bring and whether this is being realized in practice, focusing on the infrastructure that supports special constables, such as the effectiveness of efforts to generate new recruits, the level and quality of support made available for special constables, and the character of the relationship between special constables and other actors in the police service. It is argued that police organizations may not be making the most of their special constables and some of the challenges faced by police organizations are set out. It gives an overview of the rest of the volume, setting out the themes examined in subsequent chapters.
