Section 377 · Paragraph 368. Appointment of Special Police Officers

The appointment of Special Police Officers is regulated by Sections 17 to 19 of the Police Act (Section 5 of 1861). Such appointments should, as far as possible, be made by voluntary recruitment, not by coercion, to deal with cases of sudden and grave emergencies, and should be cancelled as soon as the emergency is over. It is appropriate to apply for the appointment of Special Police Officers when an unlawful assembly, serious riot, or breach of the peace has occurred, or is reasonably apprehended, and the senior officer present (not below the rank of Inspector) is of the opinion that the police force normally employed to maintain order and peace is insufficient to maintain it or to protect the lives and property of the inhabitants of the local area.
Particular care should be exercised in the selection of the persons to be appointed. Influential persons of senior social standing (who are likely to actually help in maintaining and restoring order) should be selected in preference to those known to be of unruly temperament or bad character, and care should be taken to prevent the selection from being disclosed to the detriment of those appointed. However, in times of excitement, it may be advisable on some occasions to recruit prominent leaders of conflicting groups so that they can be subjected to the restraint that their appointment as Special Police Officers would involve. Special Police Officers should make every effort to prevent avoidable difficulties or inconveniences. The law requires them to perform their duties in maintaining peace and order, and protecting the life and property of the law-abiding citizens of the area, but they should not be required to do more than is necessary for the efficient performance of their duties. Persons so appointed should be employed in such a manner that they may exercise their personal influence to the best of their ability, and under no circumstances should they be assigned duties inconsistent with their mental or logical abilities. They should, as a rule, be employed on staff and supervisory duties, and should be given higher ranks than similarly recruited persons of lower rank.
Requirements regarding discipline should be moderate. Conditions of office that may be considered offensive or unduly aggravating by local residents should not be insisted upon. Special Police Officers should not normally be expected to participate in parades or greet junior officers, and their presence, when required at the police station, should be so regulated as to avoid difficulties. All that is required regarding uniform is that Special Police Officers should wear a distinctive identification badge, for example, a coloured armband, and they should be provided with a stick or spear as a symbol of authority and for protection in case of need.