Retired Inspector continues to serve Hull communities as Special Constable

Craig Nixon, a retired Humberside Police Inspector with 30-years’ total police service under his belt, has now re-joined the Force, this time as a Special Constable working in North Hull.

Craig retired in July, having most recently been a Hull Patrol Inspector at Clough Road Station for two years. He had previously spent time across neighbourhood and patrol teams, notably as a Sergeant in the Hull Central Neighbourhood Team for the 2017 City of Culture year. Before joining Humberside Police in 2000, he had served ten years in the Metropolitan Police in London.

Speaking with Craig, he said: “Neighbourhood policing is where I spent over half of my career, and after only two months of retirement, I decided I wanted to get back on the beat, protecting our communities, as part of the fantastic team of Specials.

“Policing has given me 30-years of enjoyment, challenge and reward, and I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the Humberside family just yet.

“Engaging with the public and being a front facing officer is what I loved most about my policing career, so it feels great to be back out there and assisting the North Hull team and communities.

“Whilst the streets are quieter due to the current tightening of Covid-19 restrictions, we’ve still found ways to speak with the public safely and we know that seeing that visible presence from us is important to them.”

When we asked Craig what he was most looking forward to doing as a Special, he said: “I’m looking forward to experiencing many of our city’s big events once they’re able to go ahead again.

“Attending the likes of Hull Fair, Humber Street Sesh and Freedom Festival are some of my most fond memories of working within the local teams and I can’t wait until these are back.

“These are such important events for our communities to be able to come together and I’m sure everyone is missing them as much as I am.”

Finally we asked him what he would say to others potentially considering becoming a Special Constable: “Getting to be a Special means you can be called to incidents of any nature, giving a really well-rounded experience of what it’s like to be part of the police service.

“For those who have thought about joining the police but aren’t sure, joining the Specials is the best thing you could do to help you make that decision.

“It gives you a very real look at exactly what you would be getting involved in and a first-hand feel of what it’s like to be part of the close-knit ‘Team Humberside’. It also helps you to join the police as a PC – many of the colleagues I worked with for many years had started their journey as a Special Constable, even some of our senior officers.

“It goes without saying how rewarding volunteering for your local police service can be. Seeing someone’s face when you have helped them in a time of need or hearing the positive community feedback about the way you’ve resolved an issue that’s been causing them upset helps to boost your confidence, self-esteem and work ethic.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to give back to their community or is considering a career in policing to join the Specials.”

For more information about how you can apply, visit our dedicated website: https://www.wearehumbersidespecials.co.uk/