Keighley police hope to add another 18 special constables to their current roster of about 32.

Six extra officers are already undergoing training as part of a county-wide revamp of the volunteer service.

Special constables carry out support duties ranging from community policing to traffic matters and crowd control. West Yorkshire Police recently improved its training and policies so they mirror those of regular officers.

The first wave of 80 recruits - including the six in Keighley - are now engaged in 'tutored' patrol work in local communities.

Sgt Alan Gee, who co-ordinates Keighley's specials, is looking for more people willing to volunteer at least four hours a week to the police. Recruits do not need formal qualifications but must be aged 18 to 50, fit and healthy. They are not paid but wear the same uniform and get the same expenses and benefits as full-time officers.

Sgt Gee says the specials spend a large proportion of their time working alongside regular officers.

He says Keighley specials are often used when the police need to increase their presence in a particular area to tackle nuisance problems. One group of specials works closely with the Haworth community constables.

Anyone interested in becoming a special should phone Sgt Gee on 617019.

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