Gwent Police Special Constables volunteered more than 12,330 hours service last year.
Those who individually worked over 300 hours were recognised at an event hosted by Gwent Police Assistant Chief Constable Simon Prince, who is Welsh lead for the Special Constabulary, on Tuesday night.
The seven officers were awarded with certificates and ACC Prince thanked them, and the other Specials in Gwent, for giving up their valuable time to help keep their communities safe:
He said: “We are extremely fortunate to have such dedicated and committed Special Constables here in Gwent. Being a Special Constable is a rewarding role and they are a valued part of the wider police family. The amount of hours completed is a phenomenal and it looks as if it is going to be even higher this year.
“At the moment we are inviting applications from those interested in joining the Special Constabulary in the Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent areas. As such we are interested in hearing from anyone who has time, dedication and wants to make a difference.”
Over 147 Special Constables work alongside Neighbourhood teams throughout the Gwent Force area. Each Special Constable completes 17 weeks of training which will include law, recording and presentation of evidence; powers of arrest; rights of suspects; self-defence and use of force. They are also given training to help develop confidence in communication skills, problem solving and planning, conflict resolution and incident evaluation.
Additional information about the Special Constabulary can be viewed on www.gwent.police.uk and application forms can also be downloaded for the current recruitment campaign for Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent areas.
The closing date for applications to join the Special Constabulary in the Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent areas is 4pm on Thursday January 5 2012.