28 Thousand #StepsForGlenn

North Yorkshire Police’s Special Constables will each walk 28,000 steps this weekend in memory of Special Constable Glenn Goodman who died while on duty 28 years ago.

 37-year-old Glenn and colleague PC Sandy Kelly were on patrol in the early hours of 7 June 1992 when they were both shot after making a routine stop of a suspicious vehicle on the A64 near Tadcaster.

PC Sandy Kelly was seriously wounded but survived.

Glenn died later that day.

Paul Magee, a member of the IRA was jailed for life for his murder but later released under the Good Friday agreement.

Poignantly, the anniversary of Glenn’s death falls on National Specials Weekend which concludes  National Volunteers’ Week – a weeklong celebration to recognise and say thank you for the contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK who, to use Glenn’s own words, do it “to make a difference”.

Unable to pay tribute to Glenn in their traditional way due to restrictions in place around COVID-19, the force decided to mark the date of his death with something that all ‘Specials’ could take part in whether on or off duty, working their full-time jobs or if they are shielding at home.

From 6am on Saturday 6 June until midnight on Sunday 7 June the force’s Specials will each complete 28,000 steps in Glenn’s memory.

Special Chief Officer Sharron Moverley-Holmes knew Glenn and was also a serving Special Constable when he died. She said:

“This weekend we remember Special Constable Glenn Goodman on the 28th anniversary of his death while on duty on 7 June 1992.

As we celebrate volunteers’ week, it’s a poignant and sobering reminder of the risks our extraordinary volunteers are prepared to face to protect the people of North Yorkshire.

We will never forget Glenn and despite the current restriction not allowing us to pay tribute to him in the way we usually would, we are still remembering and honouring the sacrifice he made but just in a slightly different way this year.

Our thoughts are with his family friends and former colleagues. We will never forget.”

As a former Special Constable herself and the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) lead for Citizens in Policing, the anniversary of Glenn’s death is very close to Chief Constable Lisa Winward’s heart. She said:

“Glenn was volunteering to help make a difference in North Yorkshire when his life was so tragically and senselessly cut short.

His death was a dark and tragic moment in the history of North Yorkshire Police and he will never be forgotten – we will always remember him and the ultimate sacrifice that he and his family paid.

Our thoughts are with all those who knew and loved Glenn – a true hero – as we remember him on the 28th anniversary of his death.

Across the country, thousands of remarkable people are volunteering every day, on duty, facing similar dangers and my thanks also go to each and every one of them for the contribution they make.”

Special Constables have the same power, uniform and responsibilities as full-time police officers but volunteer on a part-time basis, managing their role alongside their normal employment.

They come from all walks of life and backgrounds, bringing a diverse range of skills and experience to the role.

The force currently has 80 Specials who actively volunteer their time for the force with a further 14 student Special Constables from across the force starting their initial training later this month.

Over National Specials Weekend, North Yorkshire Police’s Special Constables will also be carrying out policing activities relevant to local needs, supporting community and neighbourhood issues.

Follow the weekend’s activities on social media using the #StepsForGlenn hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and Instragram.

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