SPECIAL constables could soon be patrolling the streets of Gosfield after councillors gave the green light to provide funding for the part-time officers.

The parish council wants to fund volunteer officers to be on patrol 26 hours a month.

Essex Police would train the constables who would then be allocated a base in the village where they can keep equipment and uniforms.

The part-time constables would fulfil their police role on a voluntary basis.

The proposal for the parish council to fund specials in Gosfield was put forward by councillor Thea Maragkakis.

The move was passed during last month’s parish council meeting.

Specials are volunteers but can claim some expenses. Gosfield Parish Council is setting aside £1,000 to cover the cost of the scheme.

Police, fire and crime commissioner Roger Hirst promised to double the number of special constables in the county to 700 when he was elected.

The special constables system of policing was introduced in Witham earlier this year, making the town council there the first in the county to have its own volunteer police officers.

The Essex Police website states: "A special in Essex is someone who will be valued, supported and integrated into the wider policing family.

"They’re someone who will learn new skills, see new things and make tangible differences to the lives of the public they serve.

"A Special in Essex is someone who makes new friends, sees life from new perspectives and upholds the law."