Day in the life
Day in the life of Special Constable Davison
Click on the images to the right to see Special Constable Davison's day
7:00am
My alarm clock goes off and I get ready for my job in the financial world. I take a backpack today as I need my thermals for my shift later and some civilian clothes to go home in afterwards. Then it's time to catch the tube to Canary Wharf.
9:00am
I get to my desk and log on. I work in my company's Investment Accounts division where my role involves writing finance reports, managing diaries and providing admin support.
10:00am
It's Friday, so it's time for the weekly meeting with the Investments team to share news and look at action points. It lasts for two hours, and come noon, I'm ready for lunch. I like to meet up with friends or colleagues and we have a decent restaurant in the building where we can go and chat.
1:00pm
There's a lot of planning to do so everything is in place for Monday morning. I have to leave at 5.00pm when I'm on shift. People know about my role as a Special and it's never a problem making a quick getaway to head for Charing Cross.
6:00pm
A drink and sandwich in hand, I catch up on emails from sergeants - these could be about training or information that will be handy on the beat. Then it's into my uniform, book in and get a radio, before attending the briefing. I'm told where we'll be patrolling and what to be aware of.
7:15pm
I'm on patrol in Leicester Square. It's busy as it's pay day. We make people aware of our presence and a lot ask for directions and information. We also monitor club queues, which are often a flashpoint for trouble. Before training as a Special I'd have been nervous of large groups on the streets, but I'm a lot more confident now - and I've used this confidence to take control of meetings in my day job.
10:30pm
I head back to the station for a half-hour break and a bite to eat, before returning to the beat.
12:00am
An officer has pressed the emergency button on the airwave radio. Every Special and police officer has an emergency button which overrides all police radios. We were in the area and got there within ten minutes, although regular officers had already arrived. The great thing about being a Special is that you're part of a large support network - there's always help nearby if you need it.
2:00am
We go back to Leicester Square. Clubs are closing and it's our job to ensure large groups don't hang about on the streets. It's illegal to drink on the street in Westminster, so we seize any alcohol we see. After a slow walk back to the station to check no-one is lingering, I complete all the paperwork for the evening's activities.
5:00am
Back in normal clothes and feeling a massive sense of achievement for what I've prevented and done. Police colleagues have seen me tired after a long shift or on a high after reacting to a potentially challenging situation and this inevitably builds a bond between us. As well as making me more confident, being a Special has made me realise the importance of giving clear information without waffling - something else I've taken into my day job.
