Hampshire Special Constables Could Soon Respond to Medical Emergencies — But Police Federation Warns Against It
Talks are brewing between Hampshire Constabulary and the South Coast Ambulance Service to train Special Constables as co-responders to medical emergencies. This means these volunteer officers might be sent to calls usually reserved for ambulances.
Police Federation Sounds Alarm
John Apter, chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, reacted sharply: “Police officers will always provide emergency first aid — that’s never going to change. They’re trained in basic first aid, and often their quick actions save lives.”
But he warned, “The Ambulance Service is struggling under heavy demand. Officers face long waits with injured people before ambulances arrive. Sometimes, police even have to rush patients to hospital themselves.”
Policing Stretched Thin Already
Apter blasted the proposal, saying: “Making police co-responders is just papering over cracks in a failing Ambulance service. Police are already at breaking point. Numbers are down but calls are up. We can’t keep bending over backwards for everything.”
He added: “Special Constables do a great job supporting regular officers and should have first aid skills for everyday duties. But turning them into an ambulance backup is risky and ignores the real problem — fixing the Ambulance Service.”
