LANCASHIRE Police are appealing for more people to join the special constabulary in a bid to keep the force on line to meet Home Office recruitment targets.

The recruitment process for special constables in Lancashire has been streamlined so potential candidates are not put off by long periods of training.

Candidates will now no longer have to take part in roleplay during interviews and the application form has been condensed.

Overall, the recruitment process has been halved from 12 to six weeks with trainee specials attending weekend courses and a block placement within a division.

When they finish training specials are sworn in by a magistrate and carry the same powers and most of the same duties as regular officers, although they work on average just four hours a week.

Lancashire has suffered from a lack of applicants to join the special constabulary in the past, as has the rest of the country, and the action has been taken so a target to boost the force strength by 651 officers can be met by 2005.

There are now 359 specials in Lancashire with 61 in Eastern Division, covering Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, and 44 in Pennine Division.

Police bosses are planning an advertising campaign to attract more people to the role of special constable.

Chief Inspector Warren Turner, the force's resourcing manager, said: "Specials are an important and greatly appreciated resource and we must ensure that procedures enable us to recruit and retain the right people more effectively."

An information evening on the work of the special constabulary will be held at Chorley police station, St Thomas's Road, from 7.30-9pm on January 31.