West Midlands Police are on the look out for volunteers to join the organisation.

You could join the army of volunteers who already give up their spare time to be special constables, puppy walkers, police museum volunteers and police station helpers. Bosses are looking for people to work alongside neighbourhood policing teams, with vacancies in the Economic Crime Unit, to help victims.

By volunteering you’ll enhance your CV, make new friends, give something back and much more. The force are looking for people who are passionate, enthusiastic or an expert in their field, with opportunities that could be perfect for you. Chris Thurley, Assistant Director of Business Partnering, said:

“People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them. For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge.

“We are looking for passionate people over the age of 18 to join us. In return we can offer an exciting opportunity for people to be part of the policing family.

“Working within a police station or with police officers also means that people may have access to sensitive information so discretion and keeping things confidential is also very important. If anyone is interested in volunteering they will be required to go through a selection and vetting process.”

All of the roles supplement the work of officers and staff and do not replace them. Volunteering in British policing dates back to the 13th century and five hundred years later, the role of volunteer watchmen were introduced to patrol town centres at night. These were the forerunners to paid policing.

To find out more about the current opportunities available, check the West Midlands Police website.