Special constable says joining police was a way of 'giving back to Glasgow'

The graduate moved to the city 11 years ago to study and found a warm welcome, supportive friends and a university that has helped him to earn three degrees.

But instead of taking all this for granted, Thomas wanted to find a unique way of repaying the kindness of the city.

So he became a special constable with Police Scotland... and has never looked back.

The 31-year-old said: “Scotland and it’s people offered everything that made me who I am today.

“I started all my three degrees in Scotland and my first one I had first class Honours.

“When I arrived in Scotland 11 years ago I was embraced by the people and the community so joining the Special Constabulary was a way of giving something back to the community while studying.

“I enjoy helping others and being a Special Constable has helped me meet new people and make new friends in the city in all walks of life as well as giving me valuable experiences.”

Special Constable Thomas Meng

Thomas, who is also a keen martial artist, graduated with a PhD in engineering last year while also giving volunteer hours as a Special.

He said he loves the “social work” part of the job, meeting people in the community.

He said: “I love the social work element of my job and I feel blessed to be in a position where I can have a meaningful, positive impact on people’s lives to really make a difference.

“There’s other reasons why I joined: I want to fight crimes and protect victims.

“But the main reason is because I feel like Glasgow made me who I am today and I wouldn’t be the person I am right now if it wasn’t for me coming to Scotland 11 years ago, so I want to give something back.

“In this way I can help people in every day small actions.

“Every small positive action will have an impact on the people I help so I see this as a very meaningful way to help others.”
Thomas’s skill in speaking and writing Mandarin and Cantonese make him a real asset to Partick Police Station, where he is based.

Last year he put in more than 600 volunteer hours at the station but this year he is doing eight to 16 hours per week.

Describing himself as quite shy, Thomas initially found it challenging to go out into the community and meet new people.

But he says he quickly became used to speaking to the people he was there to help.

He said: “It’s very a special experience and adrenaline kicks in. You feel you are doing something great. You are helping the vulnerable people.

“Sometimes you feel nervous because you are facing the sort of stuff you wouldn’t see in every day civilian life,

“The experience I have with PS is amazing especially with Partick police office. 

“When I first joined I was a bit of a shy and nervous person but I feel like I have changed somehow because of my colleagues in Partick.

“They are teaching me every experience of policing from scratch.

“And they treat me as a family member and I am so grateful.”

Although he works in community policing with the problem solving team at Partick, Thomas has helped out with larger policing operations.  

He was at the scene when a bomb scare was called in to Glasgow University - his alma mater - last year.

Glasgow University bomb scare

And he also helped police Glasgow’s Remembrance Parade when HRH Princess Anne was in the city for the war commemorations.

He said: “That was very meaningful work but I like working in the community.

“I like helping with the Chinese community with Mandarin and Cantonese so I assist with officers from other teams when they have an incident involving Chinese speaking people. 

“I have personally attended one case of domestic and because I can understand the Asian culture it’s really good because I was able to calm the victim down. It really helps to make the victim at ease when you speak their language.”

Police Scotland is now calling for people to sign up as Special Constables.

The Special Constabulary is a part-time volunteer body consisting of officers with identical powers to that of police officers. 

Following a steady decrease in the number of special constables since the formation of Police Scotland, with a significant number of recruits using the opportunity as a route to becoming a regular police officer, a new recruitment campaign focuses on encouraging people to give back to their local community by signing up in their spare time.

From today, social media posts and campaign posters will feature on numerous channels including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, promoting the role of a special constable and why their skills and talent could be crucial to local policing.   

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “There are thousands of people living in Scotland who could bring the skills and talents from their own jobs into the role of a volunteer police officer and in support of their local community.

“Joining the Special Constabulary can also be a fantastic opportunity to consider whether policing is the job for you.

“It provides excellent experience and training for those who would like to become a full-time police officer.

“Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience volunteers bring, but it’s also an opportunity unlike any other where you gain confidence, new skills and get the chance to help people in need or make their life better.

“Anyone is eligible to apply to become a special constable as long as they satisfy some basic requirements for the role but ultimately we are looking for people who want to make a real difference to their communities and can bring a fresh perspective to the team they work in. 

“The more varied your background, the more diverse our workforce will be.  

“Don’t miss the opportunity to do something great.” 

Thomas added: “It’s really invaluable experience to me. 

“As well as being a special I have equipped myself with a lot of life skills as well, I have become a more confidence person as well as learn negotiation skills, problem solving and decision making.”

For more information on becoming a Special Constable see - www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/special-constables