Police And The Community

This week is ‘National Volunteers’ Week’ – an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution by millions of volunteers across the UK.

More than 700 people volunteer with Sussex Police, including special constables, police support volunteers and police cadets. The force’s various volunteers enhance Sussex Police’s service in a number of ways, ranging from arresting wanted people to supporting local policing teams with admin tasks and at community events.

Special constables have the same powers and much of the same training as full-time officers. Playing a vital role in neighbourhood policing teams, these officers can also train to undertake specialist roles, responding to 999 calls and working in the  road  policing  unit.

The week will end with National Special Constable Awareness weekend, during which specials will be giving an insight into what they do through the force’s Special Constabulary twitter account – @SussexSpecials.

Emma Devennie has been a special constable with Sussex Police for just over a year, said;

 I find it extremely rewarding to work alongside full-time officers and to make the communities of Sussex a safer place to live. I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and to help those most vulnerable, which I feel I achieve every day. In my time as a Special Constable I have assisted in several major policing operations ranging from bonfire nights to murders.

I have assisted in bringing offenders to justice and keeping the streets of Sussex safe.I’d highly recommend to someone who has some spare time or wanting to give something back to their community to join Sussex Police as a Special Constable.”

Assistant Chief Constable Robin Smith said:

When we talk about policing we often refer to our ‘policing family’, it is the unique nature of the work we do and our total commitment to serving our communities that brings us together.Our volunteers are a vital part of that family and bring with them unique skills and experiences from their day jobs.It is their experiences which make them special and I’d like to thank them for their dedication and enthusiasm to serving Sussex alongside their full-time colleagues.

These locations are currently lacking in volunteers.I’d also like to remind everyone that we are always looking to recruit police support volunteers, who perform a number of admin tasks in support of local policing.

If you are interested please get in touch.We encourage special constable and police support volunteer applicants from a wide range of backgrounds who want to make a difference in the communities they live in. Sussex Police is committed to fairness towards all. We need people with skills born out of diverse backgrounds and experiences to help us deliver excellence in local policing across Sussex.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, said: :

A recent  report recognised Sussex Police’s support for local policing across the county. I am a huge advocate for volunteering particularly when there are opportunities for local people to get involved in keeping their communities safer.

Special Constables and police support volunteers are a unique group of people who give their time for free to help keep Sussex safe, and they bring experience and diversity to the workforce. I would encourage anyone who would like to make a real difference in their community to find out more about the volunteer roles available with Sussex Police.”

Special constables devote a minimum of 16 hours a month, supporting local police teams, gaining new experiences and skills and learning about many aspects of police work. In depth training is provided covering the police service, the duties of a police officer, powers of arrest and common crimes, how to prepare evidence for court and personal safety.

To find out more about the Special Constabulary and the application process please visit: /policing-in-sussex/work-with-us/special-constables

To find out about becoming a Police Support Volunteer and to view current vacancies please visit: /policing-in-sussex/work-with-us/volunteers

To find out more about National Volunteers Week visit: http://volunteersweek.org/