Volunteers play a vital role in helping to keep our county safe and are a great way for members of the public to get more involved in policing matters, which is why I’m thrilled to be opening the latest round of volunteer recruitment this week.

I strongly believe policing should be community led, and not just done to us. To continue to do this we need to have ongoing and open conversations with volunteers who represent these communities and encourage more people to get involved.

Having individuals and groups who are willing to meet, discuss and challenge the police service is vital. They generously give up their time to check and test our services, help us understand the community's perception, ensure we are continuing to treat people with dignity and respect, and influence decision making when policing is changing.

There are several groups and individuals who work with the OPCC and the Force, these include the Independent Advisory Group, Stop and Search Scrutiny Panel, Multi Agency Hate Crime Group, BME Advisory Group, Independent Custody Visitors, CCTV volunteers and more.

When appropriate I attend these groups to listen and understand the views of the group, how policing is impacting others, and how we need to change and improve.

In my role these independent voices are so important, and I would like to thank all those who give their time to these groups and roles. Your independent voice has a real impact on how we police our county and how we shape services for the future.

To see my office’s current volunteering vacancies, please visit our Get Involved page.

Published Saturday 11 March 2023