[5] Special Constables have the freedom, to some degree, in the choice of Borough they work in, their duties and hours.

Special Constables undergo a structured recruitment process[6] from application to the offer of an appointment.

After an initial assessment of a Specials application, suitable candidates are invited to attend the Selection Centre, held at Empress State Building or another Met site.

Throughout the day, the following qualities and competencies are assessed: decision making, communication, personal responsibility, resilience, respect for diversity, customer focus and teamwork.

[7] If a candidate is successful on assessment day, they have to pass national security vetting which can take anything from a few weeks to up to a year.

If security and vetting checks prove satisfactory, a candidate is offered a place on an MSC Foundation Training Course.

Upon completion of training, Special Constables are issued with the same uniform and Officer Safety Equipment (OSE), sometimes known also as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as their regular colleagues, including handcuffs, baton, and PAVA spray.

Special Constables take the Police Oath before a Justice of the Peace at an Attestation Ceremony held on the first day of foundation training at The Peel Centre (Metropolitan Police Training College), from which point they hold the Office of Constable.

However, they receive a subsistence allowance throughout their service, and during training can claim back costs for travel expenses, as well as additional expenses such as the cost of purchasing boots and a torch, which are not issued with uniform in the Metropolitan Police.

Unlike epaulette insignia, the Metropolitan Special Constabulary have the same Uniform Insignia as the Metropolitan Police where the Special ranks have equivalent designs as well as the Assistant Chief Officer wears equivalent uniform to a Commander/Assistant Chief Constable and the Chief Officer wears equivalent uniform to the Commissioner/Chief Constable.