How do citizens play a role in policing?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how citizens support policing and our wider justice system.
Key learning points
- Special constables are volunteers who support police by patrolling and responding to incidents.
- Special constables have full police powers and help prevent crime by increasing police presence.
- Special constable's diverse skills and backgrounds can help build trust with communities.
- Police staff support justice through roles like call handling, forensics and administrative work.
- Police staff help protect rights, ensure fair treatment and keep the legal system running smoothly.
Keywords
Police officer - a paid employee who enforces the law and helps keep people safe
Special constable - a volunteer police officer with the same powers as regular police officers
Police staff - people who work in support roles to help the police, but don’t have arrest powers
Common misconception
That special constables do not have the same police powers as regular police officers.
Special constables have police powers and wear the same uniform as regular police officers.
Teacher tip
You may wish to carry out an internet search for jobs within your local police force, this will allow pupils to see the range of jobs available. Alternatively, you could carry out a generic job search for policing jobs.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Finish this sentence, laws are an Act of...
Q2.Put the descriptions of the Miners’ Strike of 1984-1985 in chronological order.
Q3.Which former Prime Minister is known for taking a stand against trade union disruption and limiting their powers?
Q4.Negotiating with those in power to try and change something is known as what?
Q5.Which is not a protected characteristic identified in the Equality Act 2010?
Q6.Which decade saw the introduction of the National Minimum Wage Act?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Put the words in order to create a definition for a police officer.
Q2.Match the police role with the term that relates to it.
wears a uniform and can enforce the law
volunteers but can enforce the law
supports the police but don't have powers
Q3.How would you describe a special constable's uniform?
Q4.Which figure describes the number of special constables in England and Wales?
Q5.Which of the following is not an example of a police staff role?
Q6.Which human right do police staff support?
To help you plan your 10 citizenship lesson on: How do citizens play a role in policing?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 citizenship lesson on: How do citizens play a role in policing?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 citizenship lessons from the How can we play a part in the legal system? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.