Edd - Special Constable

“I want to be an upstander, not a bystander.”

Edd is one of our Specials. He talked to us about his role and why he volunteers. Read his story to get an insight #BehindtheBadge:

"I’m one of 30 officers specially trained to deal with predatory behaviour in and around pubs and clubs at nighttime in Warwickshire – what we also call the nighttime economy.

"I’m a Special Sergeant, or volunteer officer, and put myself forward for this training because I’m passionate about tackling violence against women. The special training I’ve had allows me to spot the signs of predatory behaviour and intervene before anything happens.

"I believe everyone has a role to play in tackling violence against women and girls. These are some of the worst crimes someone can commit; they have such a massive impact on victims.

"I want to inspire others to be upstanders, not bystanders. This means encouraging people to take action and report anything that doesn’t feel right, rather than standing by and letting something happen.

"Some nights we’ll carry out patrols and not have to intervene and this feels like a success. If we see something of concern, we can intervene and even make an arrest, and hopefully encourage the person – which is almost always a man – to take a look at themselves and consider whether their behaviour is acceptable.

"I look at it as doing my bit to make our communities safe for women and girls, ensuring they don’t have to worry about violence."