Big thank you to all police volunteers

Volunteers’ Week takes place between 1 and 7 June and the Police and Crime Commissioner joined Suffolk Constabulary to say a big thank you to all our volunteers.

During an exceptionally difficult year, people from all walks of life nationally and in Suffolk have taken the time to volunteer and make a huge difference to our communities. For the force it includes the Special Constabulary, the Suffolk Cadets and all our Police Staff Volunteers (PSV). To celebrate Volunteer Week and their work in the police various social media messages will be published from the force’s corporate accounts highlighting the variety of roles that all of the force’s volunteers get involved in.

The Specials have completed just over 60,000 hours of voluntary policing since the beginning on lockdown on 23 March 2020 and the force is extremely grateful to them for their support, professionalism and sacrifice during this time.

The Suffolk Cadets have met on a regular basis remotely over the past year and are now back with face to face meetings and the planning of summer activities. Elsewhere, most of the PSVs were stood down during COVID-19 but the Citizen in Policing team have been holding virtual drop-ins to keep in contact and the plan is to have all PSV’s back in force soon. Special reference should be made to four PSVs who the force asked to continue to volunteer in a covid-securely manner in Transport Services. They have completed over 2,800 hours since 23 March 2020, delivering PPE across the country to ensure all police officers have the equipment they need to stay safe. The mounted PSVs and Local Police Volunteers have continued to be the Constabulary’s ‘eyes and ears’ in Suffolk local communities, ensuring their communities see a visual presence and supporting them in linking with their local policing teams.

Manager of Citizen in Policing Karen Harris said: “We are extremely lucky in Suffolk Constabulary to have exceptional support from our volunteers and during Volunteers Week we relish the opportunity, both locally and nationally to give a ‘suffolk shout out’ to thank them all, whatever their role. We are exceptionally grateful for their support and the wealth of skills and experience, enthusiasm and inspiration they bring. We are a richer and more diverse force for your continued commitment, so thank you!”

“Also, we must pay tribute to the families and friends of our volunteers – without their support and patience it would prove to be very difficult for our volunteers to do the important work they deliver for our communities so we thank them as well.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Tim Passmore said:”The contribution made by volunteers to policing in Suffolk is absolutely remarkable. Volunteers play a hugely important part in our policing family and we are indebted to each and every one of them for their unstinting commitment and enthusiasm.
“Every volunteer offers something significant whether they are Specials, Police Support Volunteers, Cadets or Custody Visitors. I commission a large number of services relating to victims, crime prevention and other policing related matters each year and, in short, that commissioning work could not be delivered without the vast armies of volunteers who are mobilised by their desire to serve their communities.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who generously gives their time to help make Suffolk as safer place, we are very grateful.”