Any member of the public who passes the vetting requirements (see below) can offer their time and/or experience to support their local Police force.
Generally there is no requirement for a set number of hours or days although scheduling support time will always be done in conjunction with the supervising officer.
Volunteers are not paid but may claim travelling expenses.
All Police Volunteers must be vetted
Usually starts with the prospective volunteer completing an extensive questionnaire. Vetting is renewed every few years (depending on the level of vetting).
Checks are made against the PNC (Police National Computer) and other sources for any history of criminal activity.
Whilst modest levels of debt are nota a barrier to volunteering, it is important to ensure that no-one who might be tempted with money by third parties is approved.
UK Police forces
Officers and staff
Specials
Police volunteers
What sort of work do volunteers undertake?
A lot of Police effort involves updating records; better that this is done by a volunteer.
Entering data in spreadsheets, for example, relieves officers for front line duty.
The work involved for a volunteer administrator requires only basic computer skills.
Each week a volunteer with Surrey and Sussex Cyber Crime Unit receives a list of members of the public who reported an issue to Action Fraud.
Helpful documents (downloadable below also) are sent to each individual with an invitation to discuss the issues reported.
On request, the volunteer will talk to the victim with two aims: helping him or her understand why and how they were compromised and sharing information on how to prevent a second occurrence.
A lot of crime can be prevented by sharing information with members of the public; this can be done at a station front desk or an organised gathering.
As with administration, a lot of Front Desk work is routine and can easily be undertaken by a volunteer.
Presenting advice to the public in an organised manner can be an effective way of helping reduce crime.
Volunteers are additional to not a replacement for
Volunteers are not a replacement for paid roles
An effective PSV programme engages volunteers to perform specific tasks
Volunteers can free up officers tro concentrate on frontline duties
Volunteers help their force to continue to offer services to the public
This rational is as published by the College of Policing
Read, share (with family, friends, colleagues) - stay safe!
Data, personal and business, is easily lost: disk crash; virus; software glitch; user error. This download helps you formulate and implement an effective backup strategy.
DownloadAs well as accepting software updates (for operating systems such as Windows, Android and iOS as well as programs)when offered, ensure you run the latest anti-virus software.
DownloadUntil PassKeys become the norm, the password is the key the bad guys want to gain access to your identity and money; read official advice on choosing secure, safe passwords.
DownloadTake the steps appropriate to minimising the risk of a ransomware attack; read how to recover form one (without paying a ransom!).
DownloadCriminal use emails designed to look genuine in an attempt to lure you into entering your login credential into a fake web site (known as phishing; recognising and avoiding these, similar SMS messages and social media scams to stay safe on-line.
DownloadPublic wi-fi can present a security risk in rare cases; read, in this download, what to do and what not to do to stay safe.
DownloadFrequently Asked Questions
What officers say about volunteers
Assorted Law Enforcement Badges
