Premier John Hogan announced that the provincial government would be investing $2.2 million over the next three fiscal years to see the introduction of special constables to support the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary on August 20, 2025. Photo by Cameron Kilfoy/The TelegramArticle contentThe provincial government will be dishing out $2.2 million over the next three fiscal years to support the introduction of special constables to support the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC).THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe announcement of the pilot project was made by Premier John Hogan on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, at the RNC headquarters in St. John’s.Article contentArticle contentHogan said that the project’s purpose is to allow frontline police officers to focus on policing functions rather than administrative duties.Article contentArticle contentThe premier added that these special constables will take on non-core police functions, such as supervising a detained individual, preserving crime scenes, traffic control, and helping with other administrative responsibilities.Article content“These new positions are designed to allow frontline officers to better use their full range of expertise by assigning low-risk and less complex duties to the special constables,” said Hogan.Article contentWHAT TRAINING WILL THEY RECEIVE?Article contentAccording to Hogan, recruitment for these special constables will begin in the fall, and their training will begin in the winter of 2026.Article contentHogan said that the special constables will undergo a 10-week training program, which includes six weeks in-class at the Atlantic Police Academy, followed by four weeks on the job with the RNC.Article contentAfter training is completed, Hogan said, the special constables will be assigned to each of the four platoons on the northeast Avalon. He added that 10 to 12 special constables are what they are expecting.Article contentArticle content“(They will be) helping to free up RNC officers to conduct more complex and priority policing tasks,” said Hogan.Article content Premier John Hogan speaks to reporters during a scrum on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary headquarters in St. John’s. Photo by Cameron Kilfoy/The TelegramArticle contentHOW WILL THE PROGRAM BE EVALUATED?Article contentHogan believes that the program will help to enhance public safety and said that government will continue to evaluate, see what it achieves, and its outcomes to inform future decisions about expansion throughout the province.Article contentWhen it comes to what benchmarks the government will be looking for in terms of success, Hogan said that what they are looking at is ensuring the resources allocated to the RNC are utilized as best they can.Article content“We will talk to the members of the special constables, the RNC, and the RNCA (Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association) as well, to see how they feel about it, and if any tweaks are needed,” said Hogan. Article contentHogan added that it’s these conversations that will take place, that will make sure the project is successful.
Province invests $2.2M in special constables to ease pressure on RNC officers
