West Midlands Specials are to be paid £150 for every 16 hours of duty they have put in over their usual monthly commitment during the pandemic.

According to PCC David Jamieson this will be the first time Special Constables have received such a payment anywhere in the country.

The scheme will cost the force about £90,000 to fund in total.

He said the extra hours put in by Specials had  helped the force in providing vital support to police officers, helping to add capacity due to shortages in the workforce due to self-isolation and sickness over this period.

There are currently 220 Special Constables in the force, of which 116 are due to benefit from this extraordinary payment based on the number of hours they have so far volunteered.

The one off payment, initially for the period from 23 March until 30 June 2020 also remains in line with the PCC’s commitment to ensuring all payments are made at the Real Living Wage or above.

Mr Jamieson said: “Our Specials do an amazing job, their dedication to the force and the public is truly outstanding and West Midlands Police would have had some wide gaps in service if it were not for them.

“This will be the first time Special Constables have received a payment like this and it is so well deserved for the service they have given to our communities.

“This extraordinary payment is a way of saying thank you to our Specials who have gone above and beyond, in some cases doing similar hours to our regular police officers during this global pandemic.

“This one off payment is a way of sending our thanks to those who give up their own time, volunteering all year round to keep us safe.”

Mike Rogers, Chief Officer of the WMP Special Constabulary, said: “The payment gesture is really valued and appreciated by our volunteers. Yet again we are proud to be part of another WMP first.”

ACC Vanessa Jardine said: “Our Special Constables have made an exceptional contribution in recent weeks and months, stepping up and contributing significantly to our Covid 19 policing response. This extraordinary step is a gesture that reflects our appreciation for all of their efforts.

“Many of our Special Constabulary colleagues have gone above and beyond in these exceptional circumstances and we owe them huge thanks.”