A TEAM of five Special Constables from Wiltshire Constabulary's Melksham Division, which covers the area from Cricklade to Warminster, is competing for the Arthur Ellis Memorial Trophy.

Forces across the South West compete for this annual award, which recognises teams of Special Constables which have made a significant contribution to policing in the area. This year's award will be decided at Hampshire Police Training Centre, Netley, near Southampton, on December 6.

The team that has been chosen to represent Wiltshire includes Divisional Officer David Clark from Trowbridge, and Section Officers Andy Hunt from Bath, Phil Cozens from Chippenham, Paul Lewis from Melksham, and Julian Sims from Trowbridge.

The officers had to address two problems. The first they had to tackle was an increase in anti-social behaviour in towns, and how to provide the growing number of new special officers with opportunities to gain experience.

Their solution was to have crime vehicles staffed with equal numbers of experienced and probationer officers to provide a small force of officers to target problem areas.