What Does a Special Constable Do?
Campus Security Services at Fanshawe College are made up of different staff, such as Administrative, Security Bodyguards (wearing black or grey vests on campus), and Special Constables (wearing red vests on campus):
While Security Bodyguards are responsible for guarding or patrolling to protect people or property (Government of Ontario, 2023a), Special Constables are peace officers with the same police officer powers or some of them, granted by the Commissioner for specific roles or tasks (Ontario Special Constable Association, n.d.). They play a crucial role in maintaining community safety and security, often working alongside regular police officers, providing support and enhancing community safety through a combination of law enforcement and community engagement tasks (Carruthers, 2023). Their work helps front-line officers reduce wait times for service calls and perform low-risk duties (Carruthers, 2023).
Primary Responsibilities:
- Crime prevention and patrol
- Assisting with calls for service (respond to dispatched calls for service, providing support to regular police officers; assist in searches for property, evidence, and individuals; collect, seize, and log evidence and property)
- Manage crime scenes and traffic collision sites
- Prisoner management
- Enforcement (execute warrants, summons, and DNA orders, completing the necessary paperwork; enforce sections of the Criminal Code of Canada and provincial acts such as the Provincial Offences Act, Mental Health Act, Trespass to Property Act, Liquor License Act and regulations of the organization)
- Specialized community roles (work with marginalized residents, connecting them with services to avoid involvement with the justice system; engage in proactive policing activities and support initiatives aimed at community well-being)
- Other administrative duties include writing reports, recording and submitting witness statements, conducting canvassing, and maintaining clear and chronological records of daily activities in duty books (London Police Services, n.d.).
Besides the College policies, Special Constables must adhere to their code of conduct as outlined in the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, which includes:
- Compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.
- Respect for human rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
- Act appropriately in public interactions, including lawful arrests and detentions and the use of force only when necessary.
- Maintain integrity by avoiding bribery, misuse of their position, and unauthorized disclosure of information.
- Proper performance of duties without negligence and while sober and unimpaired.
Although Special Constables do not carry firearms, they may carry handcuffs, batons, pepper spray, and sometimes marked vehicles, which may be used to transport those in custody directly to their office or the police station (Government of Ontario, 2023b).
