A campaign to recruit more police volunteers who can make a difference to their community on the Isle of Wight continues.
A series of recruitment roadshows is taking place to promote how members of the public can work alongside their local police.
Current police staff, support volunteers and a Special Constable were with the Island’s mobile police office at Tesco recently, to give information and advice. This followed a good response to recruitment roadshows at St. Thomas’s Square in Newport and the Isle of Wight Garlic Festival during 2010, and the ‘Partners Against Crime’ event at Medina Leisure Centre, Newport in February 2011.
Special Constables give up their time to work as police officers, often in addition to their full-time careers. They carry out exactly the same roles as police officers, from patrolling neighbourhoods to responding to emergency calls.
Volunteer roles range from administration support to victim contact work. The opportunities available vary depending on where you want to work and how much time you have. The role of a police support volunteer is not to do work that someone would normally be paid for or to cover when people are sick or on holiday. The role of a support volunteer is to help the police with the tasks that either enable us to give a better service to the communities we serve or to provide support, which enables our officers to spend less time on administration or routine tasks and more time in your neighbourhood.
On the Isle of Wight, there are 17 Special Constables, and 20 support volunteers who work in areas including Safer Neighbourhoods, Public Protection, Community Safety, Corporate Communications and Business Services.
For more information about becoming a police volunteer, please phone 101 or 0845 045 45 45 or go online to www.hampshire.police.uk/Internet/jobs/Police+support+volunteering.htm
Hampshire Constabulary’s Isle of Wight Extended Police Family Co-ordinator Lucy Stevens said:
“Police support volunteers are people with the time to give and the enthusiasm to make a difference. You don’t necessarily have to have any particular skills – although specialists are always welcome – just the right attitude and community values. The hours can usually be flexible to suit you and your commitments.
“You will become part of a team, learn new skills, gain in confidence and enhance your own understanding of policing. You will also gain personal satisfaction from the knowledge that you have been generous with your time and talents for the benefit of your community. In return we will benefit from your skills and the knowledge and different perspective you could bring to one of our teams.”
This article has been read 403 times!
