Philip celebrating with the Rugby Street Pastors last month following the induction of 10 new volunteers.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe has praised the work of volunteers across the county, saying they make a significant contribution towards keeping communities safe.
His comments come during National Volunteers’ Week 2016, an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK, which takes place from June 1-12. This year there are an additional five days enabling more people than ever to take part.
Warwickshire Police has had strong links to the voluntary sector for many years. Currently, there are members of the public from all walks of life volunteering their time and skills in a number of different roles such as special constables, police support volunteers and police cadets, or working in their local communities to combat issues such as speeding and anti-social behaviour.
The PCC also directly supports a number of schemes for volunteers, including providing funding for Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the county and the Street Pastors in Rugby, as well as launching the Mounted Police Support Volunteer Scheme, which helps provide additional ‘eyes and ears’ for the police in rural communities. Volunteers from the Independent Custody Visitors scheme also play a hugely important role in ensuring the safety of detainees and the maintenance of high standards at Warwickshire Police’s custody centres, while others on the Trust, Integrity and Ethics Committee help the PCC hold the force to account.
Among the most visible volunteers are the members of the Special Constabulary, who work in some of the most important areas of policing using their spare time to try and make a difference. They have the same powers, responsibilities and uniform as regular police constables and are able to bring a rich range of additional skills and experience to the force.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “I greatly appreciate the role that volunteers play in keeping Warwickshire safe – it really is invaluable and should not be overlooked. National Volunteers’ Week is a great opportunity to highlight their good work and I was pleased to see the interest generated by the Special Constabulary at the weekend, when they were providing policing at high profile events such as the Lunar Festival, as well as dealing with road traffic collisions, patrols in town centres and community safety initiatives. This is something they do day in, day out across the county and communities benefit greatly from their contribution.
“I am also delighted that Nuneaton & Bedworth Neighbourhood Watch Association has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. The association is very active and fully deserving of this award, which just goes to further reinforce the valuable work they do, while also showing the quality of the volunteers we all benefit from in Warwickshire.
“Volunteers and the Special Constabulary will continue to play an active role when I publish my Police and Crime Plan later this year and I hope that National Volunteers’ Week has inspired more people to come forward and give something back to their community.”
Warwickshire Police is always interested to hear from people who want to give some of their spare time to help their community or want to join the Special Constabulary. Visit https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/article/16524/Voluntary-opportunities for more details of how to get involved.
