VOLUNTEERS play a vital role in helping Essex Police to try and keep Essex safe – giving their time, skills and passion to support communities across our county every single day.

And Volunteers’ Week gives the force the chance to recognise and celebrate their huge contribution and to shine a spotlight on the difference they make.

This week, as in every other, Essex Police volunteers will be breaking down barriers, building trust with our diverse communities and neighbourhoods and supporting police officers and staff to prevent and solve crime.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin, the force’s lead for Local Policing and the Special Constabulary, says:
“We are incredibly lucky to have hundreds of dedicated individuals volunteering in a wide range of roles across our force, as well as thousands more offering their time through partner organisations, all committed to supporting others and keeping people safe.

“No matter what their role, the skills and experience they bring as volunteers make a crucial contribution to how we protect and serve communities across Essex.

“What stands out most is that they give their time so generously alongside their own commitments.

“I want to extend my sincere thanks to each of them for being part of the Essex policing family and to thank them for their dedication, enthusiasm, the time they give to their communities, and for everything they do to make Essex a safer place.

“And I would also like to thank their families and loved ones, whose support makes it possible for them to give up their time to help others.”

Superintendent Darren Deex, the force’s Prevention, Partnerships and Engagement Lead, adds:
“Our dedicated volunteers give countless hours to support our officers and help keep Essex a safe place to live, work and visit.

“We greatly value the broad range of skills, experience and insight they bring, and the positive impact they make every day.

“They are an essential part of our policing family, strengthening the connection between Essex Police and our communities, and I would like to thank them all for their important contribution.”

Essex Police’s Citizens In Policing all want to make a difference and they are able do so in a wide variety of roles. The force enjoys the support of hundreds of volunteers, from Active Citizens and Police Support Volunteers to Specials and Volunteer Police Cadets (VPCs) & their leaders.

Active Citizens work with neighbourhood policing teams, providing people with crime prevention advice and information to make them fraud & scam aware and helping to reduce the fear of crime.

Independent Advisory Groups comprise around 200 volunteers who represent their local communities and act as critical friends of Essex Police. There are IAGs in all the Essex policing districts, plus Custody, Professional Standards and Learning & Development. Their chairs sit on the force’s Strategic IAG.

District IAGs meet regularly with senior officers locally to discuss community tensions and local crime statistics, sitting on various scrutiny panels to provide feedback on policing matters.

Special Constables are an integral part of all the force’s local and neighbourhood policing teams with others volunteering their time in specialist areas. During an average month, Specials contribute 5,576 hours to protect people and keep them safe from harm.

In the past year, they have volunteered 66,922 hours of their own time to help people, keep you safe and catch criminals. That’s 183 hours every single day. So, you can see, their support of operational policing activity is immense.

And there are opportunities for young people, too. If you are aged between 13 and 18 you can join one of eight Volunteer Police Cadet Units – their leaders are all volunteers, too. And the force is always looking for more of them to help out!

The 90 Cadets support their neighbourhood policing teams in a variety of ways, while also developing skills, confidence and pride in their communities.

And Police Support Volunteers bring new skills and experience to specialist areas, including Essex Police’s digital and forensic teams, fraud prevention team, Fingerprint Bureau and Domestic Abuse Investigation Teams (DAITs). You may also have seen them helping out in the Essex Police Museum.

In the past year alone, they have contributed 4,434 hours to helping police officers and staff with vital tasks.

Then there are the volunteers in the wider Essex policing family. Most people have heard of Neighbourhood Watch but the force is also supported in its work by Essex Search and Rescue volunteers and Street Pastors, as well as Restorative Justice and Mediation Volunteers, Independent Custody Visitors and Dog Welfare Volunteers.

And there are more than 1,200 Community Speed Watch volunteers, supporting 39 groups across Essex, who have been helping to keep our roads safe for the past 20 years.

Plus, everyone who volunteers for the county’s specialised Watch schemes, from Allotment Satch, Business Watch and Farm & Rural Watch to Plane Watch and the Essex Horse Rider Volunteer Scheme who act as eyes and ears in their local areas, reporting any suspicious or unusual activity.

Not forgetting hundreds of staff from partner organisations in the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme who provide an additional visible presence and have been accredited with limited, targeted powers to deal with disorder in our communities.

We thank them all for helping to make Essex a safer place to be!

Could you volunteer to help your community?

If you want to help people, keep them safe and help us to catch criminals, Essex Police have various opportunities for you. Just click on the links to find out more and how to apply:

www.essex.police.uk/volunteer

www.essex.police.uk/specials

www.essex.police.uk/cadets