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Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham is a hugely diverse outer London borough with a quickly growing population. It stretches from Barking on the Thames in the south, right up to the borders of Romford, Essex. As the borough is growing and changing so rapidly – with a mix of residential, commercial, town centres and main road areas – it presents a great policing challenge. And whether that involves working with Safer Neighbourhoods teams, providing the face of community policing or being part of a team responding to 999 calls, no two shifts are ever the same.

Barnet

Covering both rural areas and busy town centres, Barnet is one of the Met's largest boroughs. It's also home to major trunk roads, including the M1, as well as numerous underground and overground train lines and stations. Historically, the borough has been used to trial new policing initiatives. A recent example is the Safer Transport team's initiative which proved to be a big success in combating anti-social behaviour on the transport network. In fact, the borough is unique in offering three types of teams to get involved in, the other two being the Pro-Active and Safer Neighbourhoods teams.

Bexley

Bexley caters for contrasting lifestyles. The borough offers easy access to central London, whilst the busy Broadway Shopping Centre in Bexleyheath is just one setting for a vibrant nightlife of pubs, bars and restaurants, and there is a host of sporting activities for the more energetic. With its fascinating local heritage and extensive areas of countryside, Specials in Bexley have plenty of variety, helping to keep the borough safe and reduce anti-social behaviour.

Brent

Over 130 languages are spoken in Brent and the fantastic mix of cultures and religions offer a unique policing challenge from a variety of perspectives. As well as being the most diverse of all London boroughs, Brent is also home to Wembley Arena and the iconic National Stadium – a venue for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Over a million football and rugby fans also come to Brent each year – and we can't forget all the concerts with their international superstars – so you can expect a uniquely exciting and fast-paced environment.

Bromley

Bromley is London's largest borough. Its 58 square miles offer a wide range of policing challenges and boast Safer Transport teams at Crystal Palace and Bromley to police transport networks. The borough is also home to the famous airfield at Biggin Hill and Specials will get the chance to get involved with its annual air show. With 77 primary, junior and infant schools – not to mention 25 secondary schools – there will also be a major emphasis on community policing, so you can be sure of a wide range of work to help you develop.

Camden

Camden is a diverse and dynamic borough extending from Camden Town, Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage in North London down to Holborn in the heart of the capital, taking in the bustling stations of King's Cross and Euston. It's a borough rich in attractions, with Camden Market, Camden Lock, London Zoo, Regent's Park and the Roundhouse Theatre all falling within its boundaries.

Croydon

Covering 33.4 square miles, Croydon is a highly diverse borough. As well as housing Britain's sixth largest commercial centre and the economic capital of the south east outside London, the borough is a popular retail and nightlife hub that sees Croydon town centre buzzing day and night. Specials on the borough are very knowledgeable about licensed premises legislation and have strong partnership links with the night-time economy and door supervisors – although their unique role could involve anything from backing up CID raids to working with response teams and performing stops and searches.

Ealing

Ealing is a large and diverse borough. Often referred to as the ‘Queen of Suburbs', its urban areas including Ealing and Southall contrast with the many parks and open spaces that cover the borough. Building strong relations with the many communities that live in Ealing and ensuring their safety is an ongoing policing challenge. Specials have a key role to play – whether that involves working with Safer Neighbourhoods teams, dealing with anti-social behaviour or making local public transport safer.

Enfield

Enfield is one of the busiest grounds in the whole of the Met. It's also one of its largest and most diverse, with a population about the size of Nottingham. Enfield Town was once a small market town about a day's travel north of London but, as the city has expanded, its surrounds have become a residential suburb, which means there's a big role for community policing here, as well as elsewhere in the borough. With the borough at the forefront of training, it provides great opportunities for Specials to be involved in a large variety of duties.

Greenwich

Steeped in history, Greenwich town centre is a world heritage site. The borough is home to the Cutty Sark, the Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Naval College, the Observatory, the Meridian Line and Woolwich Barracks. And the next chapter in our story is already well underway as we prepare to host events for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This occasion will attract thousands of athletes and spectators from all over world. Added to the 6.5 million tourists and residents who visit Greenwich town centre alone each year, it means we can promise you a unique policing challenge.

Hackney

Hackney is a diverse community that brings together many different nationalities and cultures. Up to 120 languages are spoken among its residents and the propensity of mosques, synagogues, churches and temples is evidence of the borough's religious diversity. Hackney is also central to the London art scene and home to 900 licensed premises including quality restaurants. This all adds up to mean Hackney offers wide-ranging policing challenges.

Hammersmith and Fulham

Hammersmith and Fulham is home to a hugely diverse community. The borough boasts three well-known football teams in Chelsea, Fulham and Queen's Park Rangers, as well as the recently opened Westfield shopping centre – the largest of its kind in Europe. The Hammersmith Apollo and Shepherd's Bush Empire are just two examples of the borough's vibrant nightlife. It's this array of social and leisure activities that adds to the sheer range of police work on the borough and the unique challenges we face 24/7.

Haringey

Haringey boasts a busy and richly diverse cultural community – so our work offers a wide range of challenges. On a day-to-day basis, you could be patrolling Wood Green High Road, liaising with the shops and businesses there or simply policing the many wards through our Safer Neighbourhoods teams. Similarly, you could be getting involved in high profile events like the Alexandra Palace fireworks display, Tottenham Carnival or Tottenham Hotspur football matches.

Harrow

Harrow is one of the safest boroughs in London and has one of the lowest crime rates. But that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of challenges. Our Safer Neighbourhoods teams do invaluable work by taking a more long-term approach to resolving issues facing the borough. And as we strive to improve further our reputation for safety, we're constantly looking for new ways to reach out to and engage with the diverse communities that make up Harrow's population.

Havering

Havering is one of London's largest boroughs. With a mix of rural open spaces and urban centres, it offers a range of policing challenges. The market town of Romford, for instance, boasts one of the best shopping centres and oldest markets in London; while its pubs and clubs, along with those in Havering, mean it has one of the busiest evening economies outside central London. More experienced Specials can be attached to response teams dealing with emergency calls and there is also the opportunity to get exposure to high-profile events across London.

Hillingdon

Hillingdon is the second largest of London's boroughs by area. As well as vast areas of greenbelt land, open spaces and important waterways, Hillingdon is home to Heathrow Airport and a range of key road and rail links. This provides enormous policing challenges in itself. But the 250,000 people who make up the borough are drawn from over 80 nationalities – and reaching out to and engaging with all our different communities is also high on our list of priorities.

Hounslow

Combining town and country, quiet suburbs, greenbelt villages and bustling, cosmopolitan districts like Chiswick, Hounslow is one of the capital's most diverse boroughs. This is reflected in the variety of police work in which you'll get involved. With both the A4 and M4 running through it, not to mention eight underground and seven mainline stations, there is a significant policing challenge from a transport perspective. As a Special, you may also find yourself policing events at Brentford Football Club.

Islington

Islington is London's third smallest borough. But what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in terms of the sheer diversity of its population – both ethnically and socially. Home to the Emirates Stadium, Sadler's Wells and the historical landmark of Finsbury, the borough sweeps up from the City in the south, through fashionable Islington, to Archway in the north. We are a challenging and dynamic borough with many famous residents. Duties could involve patrolling Upper Street with its bustling nightlife or policing special events at the Emirates Stadium and around the borough.

Kensington and Chelsea

Kensington and Chelsea is the most densely populated local authority in the country and provides a wide range of policing challenges. Famously home to many exclusive residential and retail districts – not to mention renowned museums, royal palaces, embassies and universities, the sheer diversity of the borough makes it an ideal place to learn and grow. The Notting Hill Carnival is held here every August Bank Holiday and attracts around one million visitors. Specials get involved in two weekly disorder patrols and also take part in Safer Neighbourhoods initiatives and other crime patrols and operations.

Kingston-upon-Thames

Extending from Chessington to Roehampton Vale, the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames is home to some 150,000 people and includes the bustling market town of Kingston, as well as Hook, New Malden and Surbiton. Kingston town centre is the seventh largest shopping centre in the whole of the UK and, together with Chessington World of Adventures, helps to attract thousands of visitors to the borough annually. The large number of university and college campuses also means there is a significant student population. All of this variety adds up to a mix of policing challenges.

Lambeth

Stretching from the cultural and tourist centre of the South Bank in the north to the busy high street and open spaces of Streatham in the south, Lambeth is a hugely diverse, multicultural borough. It's also among the most densely populated of London's boroughs and is home to a mix of residential areas. As such, it poses a wide range of policing challenges, from building on community relations and working with Safer Neighbourhoods teams to carrying out high-visibility patrols on the South Bank, responding to incidents and conducting busy town centre operations at weekends.

Lewisham

With its mix of varying socio-economic and minority ethnic groups, Lewisham presents a range of different policing challenges. A major transport hub, it's home to the A2 and A20, as well as a large mainline and DLR terminus used by its large commuter population. The borough also covers the historic areas of Blackheath and Deptford, not to mention the busy urban life of Lewisham town centre with its large stores and popular ethnic flea market.

Merton

Merton is a richly diverse borough that presents a range of policing challenges. Operating from two sites, one in Wimbledon, the other Mitcham, our Specials work alongside response and Safer Neighbourhood teams. The borough is home to the world's most famous tennis tournament, Wimbledon, and this event alone provides a unique policing experience. Wimbledon town itself also boasts a major shopping centre and thriving night-time economy ensuring our support and vigilance are needed night and day.

Newham

Newham is unique as the London Borough that will play host to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With competitors and spectators coming from all over the world, this will clearly mean the borough will be charged with unique policing challenges on a huge scale. Before this happens, however, Specials will get the opportunity to broaden their experience by working alongside our Safer Neighbourhoods, Safer Transport and Safer Estates teams. With City Airport, Stratford Tunnel Link, West Ham United Football Club, ExCeL Centre, Docklands Light Railway, Woolwich Ferry and Thames Barrier all falling within its boundaries, variety will be guaranteed.

Redbridge

Just seven miles from the City of London, Redbridge is a borough of contrasts. On the one hand, the busy town centre of Ilford attracts shoppers to the Exchange Shopping Centre and drama-lovers to the Kenneth More Theatre; on the other, Redbridge has parts of Epping Forest on its doorstep and two open spaces that have been awarded prestigious Green Flag Status 2009-10. It's this urban/rural mix that brings unique challenges for our enthusiastic team of Specials.

Richmond-upon-Thames

One of London's largest and safest boroughs, Richmond-upon-Thames covers a diverse range of areas from Barnes and Mortlake to Hanworth and Hampton. Working closely with our response, Safer Neighbourhoods and investigative teams, you'll face a range of policing challenges as you help to support an eclectic, cosmopolitan community and help the many thousands who visit the borough each year. As well as Hampton Court and Kew Gardens, Richmond also boasts a recently revamped rugby stadium, where you'll help to police crowds of over 80,000.

Southwark

Southwark is a vibrant and diverse borough stretching south from the Thames. More than 100 languages are spoken in the densely populated areas of Peckham, Newington and Camberwell, which form the multi-cultural heart of the borough. By contrast, Dulwich retains a typically quiet, suburban atmosphere and is popular with many who commute into central London. Boasting attractions which include the Globe Theatre, Tate Modern and Borough Market, Southwark is also London's fastest-growing tourist area.

Sutton

Sutton is one of the safest London boroughs. This is in large part down to the 18 Safer Neighbourhoods teams that operate here, with whom you'll work closely. Our special constables deal with a wide variety of police work, ranging from public order situations to pre-planned operations. We are also committed to forging ever-stronger links with our diverse community, so there'll be plenty of opportunity to broaden your experience.

Tower Hamlets

At just under eight square miles, Tower Hamlets is one of the capital's smallest boroughs. It is also among its most ethnically diverse and is home to large Bangladeshi and Somali communities. The large financial centre of Canary Wharf, Docklands, Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney all fall within the boundaries of the borough, while its more famous landmarks includes the Tower of London, Brick Lane and the Royal London Hospital.

Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest comprises a number of built-up residential developments, yet there are also reservoirs supplying most of the capital's water and acres of forestland, parks and playing fields. It is one of the designated host boroughs for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Waltham Forest also has a rich ethnic mix, being home to the fifth largest Muslim population in England and the third largest in London. It all means Specials will have plenty to get involved in, from providing crowd control to building community relations.

Wandsworth

Wandsworth offers a wide mix of cultures and lifestyles. It is the largest of the 13 inner London boroughs, yet its distinctiveness comes from its green spaces. Expensive houses in Battersea and Putney are overlooked by the highest number of high-rise tower blocks of any local authority in the capital. Putney High Street and Clapham Junction are centres of entertainment; Tooting Broadway is the hub of south London's Muslim community; Springfield Hospital is the centre for the treatment of mental health and social care issues across five boroughs. It means our Wandsworth Specials deal with a host of ‘inner city' issues in a ‘suburban' environment.

Westminster

The City of Westminster is one of the most famous places in the world. Socially cosmopolitan, it's home to nearly a quarter of a million people, representing over 50 nationalities and speaking 120 different languages. Its history, ceremony and culture attract visitors from across the globe. Policing such a diverse environment is both exciting and challenging. From ensuring safety and security during public and ceremonial events to reducing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour, we work to make Westminster safe.