SPECIAL constables have more than doubled their working hours in Lothian and Borders as the force looks to "maximise the resources at its disposal".
Volunteer officers worked almost 30,000 hours in the year up to the end of March, compared with less than 14,000 in the previous 12 months.
That has been mainly achieved by a huge increase in the average number of hours worked by individual specia
ls, who are now up to an average of 164 hours a year.
Police chiefs say the move has helped maintain public confidence and may be partly explained by increased workloads in certain neighbourhoods. But the huge rise has raised concerns that special constables may be being used to bridge a gap between the number of full-time officers and the work they need to carry out.
Specials are regularly assigned to community beat patrols as well as policing big events such as the Capital's Hogmanay celebrations and football matches.
The number working in Lothian and Borders rose from 171 to 182 last year.
Lothians Tory MSP Gavin Brown said: "We applaud the work of the special constables who volunteer their time in this way.
"But it's an enormous increase over the course of a year. It would be interesting to find out whether the services being provided by the special constables are additional benefits for the public or if they are completing work which should otherwise be done by full-time officers."
Special constable recruits undergo around eight weeks of training at Fettes police HQ, and anyone who completes the equivalent of four hours a week service over a year can apply for a £1,000 reward.
They are trained in arrest techniques, personal safety, taking witness statements, dealing with conflicts and handling traffic.
Each recruit goes through an intensive training course, which includes role-playing games in which they tackle domestic disputes and search drug suspects.
Students and others considering a career in the police are among those in the current ranks.
Lib Dem city councillor Charles Dundas, who sits on the police board, said: "It's a great tribute to the special constables that they have devoted more time than ever to do this valuable job.
"There is a definite need for special constables because there are levels of policing whether a professional officers with those powers is not always required.
"Sometimes the presence of a uniform is enough to make a difference. I would like to see more special constables recruited to help lighten the workload on those already there."
A force spokesman said: "Lothian and Borders Police are committed to ensuring a consistent and visible police presence at community level.
"The deployment of special constables allows us to maximise the resources at our disposal and at the same time maintain public confidence."
The full article contains 476 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
