Police support volunteers

Police Support Volunteers are members of the public who give up their own time to carry out a range of tasks for the police service.

They perform a range of roles from delivering vehicles to getting involved in major events such as the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race. They don’t replace employed staff, but the work they do helps to free up time for paid-for police officers and staff to concentrate on activities that only they can deliver.

To check the latest volunteering opportunities, search our recruitment website. If none are currently available, you can sign up for alerts.

Volunteer roles

They include:

Neighbourhood support volunteers 

Neighbourhood support volunteers work in their local community with the police and partner agencies in a preventative role. They work on crime prevention initiatives and are trained to spot vulnerable people who might be in need of advice or support. Their work can vary from area to area depending on the local requirements. Bob and Oliver are both NSVs in Scarborough – in the video above, they talk about their work and why they became a police volunteer.

Survey analysts 

Survey analysts contact victims of crime to conduct questionnaires to ensure North Yorkshire Police are delivering an effective and efficient service.

Drivers

They assist our transport services by moving vehicles and parts across the force area and support events through the driving of Police vehicles.

Force control room call quality monitors 

They ensure North Yorkshire Police provides the expected service to the public by monitoring calls to our control room.

Role players

They assist training services by taking part in a variety of role plays scenarios from training new officers to firearms exercises.

Eligibility

You must:

• be aged 16 or over
• a British Citizen, a European Economic Area national or a commonwealth citizen, or a foreign national with no restrictions on your stay in the UK
• have had a minimum of three years continuous residency in the UK (some roles will require five years continuous residency), with less than twelve months spend abroad in the last three years (with some exceptions for those living on a UK military base).

Recruitment process

1. Vacancies advertised

Our volunteer vacancies are advertised on our recruitment website. To apply for a particular vacancy, you will be asked to complete our online application form.

2. Shortlisting

All applications will undergo shortlisting to assess their suitability for progression. We will be assessing your skills, motivation and eligibility to apply.

3. Interview

Candidates who pass the shortlisting phase will be invited to attend an interview. This interview will be conducted by a local volunteer manager and will discuss your skills, availability, motivations and overall suitability in more detail than the application form.

4. Pre-volunteer checks

Vetting, references, and, where appropriate, a medical check.

5. Starting with North Yorkshire Police

Successful candidates will receive a starting date where they will meet with their NYP line manager and begin tenure with North Yorkshire Police.