TEN volunteer Specials have returned from France after helping to police the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

They were part of the first overseas mutual aid deployment of UK Specials, representing THE force with the eyes of the world on them.

Special Constable Leon Dias, who co-ordinated the deployment of Specials from Essex and other Eastern Region forces, says it was a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism, expertise and skills of our volunteer police officers on an international stage.

Our Specials are volunteers and those who went to Paris all took a week’s annual leave from their day jobs, so their deployment had no impact on day-to-day operational policing in Essex.

Leon says: “Essex Police Special Constabulary has shown once again that it is a valuable part of UK policing, on this occasion not only nationally but internationally. All of them have demonstrated on an international stage the high standards UK policing upholds.”

Our ten Specials were deployed in two teams, each one being in Paris for a week. They all thoroughly enjoyed, and benefited from, their once-in-a-lifetime experience, and will share learning with colleagues now they are back home.

The officers were assigned duties which included coverage of the city’s Gard Du Nord rail station and the Central Paris Police Station, working alongside the French police and international colleagues.

Here’s what some of them said afterwards:

Deputy Chief Officer Derek Hopkins: “I was honoured to work alongside colleagues from across the UK, France and other countries around the world and be a part of securing a great experience for athletes, their support teams and spectators.”

Special Inspector Martyn Nicolls: “A once-in-a-lifetime chance to show Specials to the world in another country with the Games at the forefront so it was enjoyed by all.”

Special Sergeant Steve Nelson: “Working with the officers from French Police Nationale and with Emirati police officers next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris was a fantastic experience. I felt a real sense of fraternity with our foreign counterparts and was interested to learn how policing and legal systems work in other countries.
“It has been the highlight of my 17-year policing career and something I will look back on with a massive sense of pride.”

Special Constable Wayne David: “It was an amazing privilege to represent not only Essex Police but Special Constables as a whole, over in France”

Special Constable Rob Freeman: “The level of mutual respect we found for each other as police officers is global. It was an awesome opportunity which I will not forget.’’

Special Constable Edna Knight: “A once-in-a-lifetime unique experience which was absolutely awesome.”

Special Constable Amanda Taylor: “It gave me an amazing insight into policing abroad. The Games were clearly important to all involved and it was an honour to be part of it.”