Cybersecurity professionals are set to be enlisted to help combat digital crime in their free time as part of an initiative to enhance law enforcement efforts. Policing Minister Sarah Jones has disclosed a strategy to welcome tech experts as special constables, given that 90% of all criminal activities now involve a digital aspect, whether through social media platforms or the use of electronic devices.
Special constables, who possess the same arrest powers as regular officers and typically focus on local policing duties, are being sought after by the government to volunteer their cyber expertise and bolster responses to digital offenses. Jones emphasized the importance of adapting to the digital landscape, stating, “Crime is increasingly digital, so our volunteers must be too. We’re opening the doors to cyber and tech experts to join the Specials and help keep people safe online and on our streets.”
The number of special constables in England and Wales has drastically declined over the years, dropping to a mere 5,534 as of March 2025 from 20,343 in 2012. To address this decline, the Home Office has pledged to simplify the recruitment process to encourage more volunteers and incentivize existing special constables to continue serving. Additionally, a new task force consisting of senior policing figures will be established to reverse the downward trend in volunteer numbers.
These measures are part of a comprehensive reform package unveiled as the most significant overhaul of policing in decades. The Home Secretary is expected to reduce the number of police forces in England and Wales from 43 as part of a major restructuring initiative. Furthermore, accountability concerns have prompted specific actions, including the introduction of online performance dashboards by police forces to track key indicators such as emergency response times and crime resolution rates.
The anticipated policing white paper will introduce stricter vetting procedures for police recruits, barring individuals with cautions or convictions related to violence against women and girls. Moreover, initiatives to deploy more officers on active duty and enhance neighborhood policing by assigning a contactable officer to each council ward are also on the agenda.