A volunteer officer from Thames Valley Police has been helping the Irish Police to establish their own version of the special constabulary.

Assistant Chief Officer Rod Attewell, based at force headquarters in Kidlington, has been advising the Irish police service, the Garda Siochana, for the past two years.

They are now in the process of setting up their own special constabulary, to be known as the Garda Reserve.

The plans have been drawn up by Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell and Mr Attewell, who was approached through the National Reserve Law Officers' Association, with which he is involved.

He has been a special constable for 19 years and has represented the UK at a number of international conferences on reserve policing. He is also a member of the International Police Association.

He said: "Many of the objections voiced in Ireland to setting up the Garda reserve were the same objections we heard in this country 20 years ago.

"Some of those objections were valid. The level of training, for example, needed to be increased, but we have seen that other objections, such as people using their position to pursue vendettas, really have not been founded.

"It has been fascinating working with another police organisation and I have learned from it, as have they."

The Thames Valley Police special constabulary has 360 volunteers who give up at least 18 hours a month to help patrol the streets of their communities and support regular colleagues.

They have the same equipment, and the same powers as regular police officers when out on patrol and off-duty.

Acting Asst Chief Con Kath Govier, in charge of the Local Policing Portfolio, said: "I know that the work Rod has been doing is very much appreciated by the Irish Garda and we were only too delighted that our experience has helped our colleagues in Ireland.

"I am sure they will find the Garda reserve to be as valuable as Thames Valley Police finds our specials."