DPP celebrates Volunteers Week by launching volunteer of the month

THEY make arrests in their spare time, give up their retirement to support victims and witnesses of crime, and are on standby to help officers and staff with events between studies.

Dyfed-Powys Police has a team of volunteers spread across four divisions, all offering their personal time to help keep their communities safe.The force is showing its appreciation to each and every one of them this week as it celebrates Volunteers Week.

From Special Constables patrolling the streets and Volunteer Police Cadets supporting community events, to chaplains and Public Enquiry Officers, volunteers provide unique skills and an added level of support to officers and staff.

Superintendent Robyn Mason, force lead for citizens in policing, said: “We are truly grateful for the work our volunteers do for Dyfed-Powys Police, and are taking Volunteers Week as an opportunity to thank them.

“We have a team of volunteers who somehow find the time and energy on top of their day jobs, families and other commitments to help us keep our communities safe.We can’t thank them enough for their efforts.”

For Special Constable Jason Carmichael, volunteering is something that has changed his life. He applied in 2017 to fulfil a lifelong ambition of joining the police.

“Volunteering is so rewarding, but it is not just the community that benefits,” he said.

“It’s your colleagues at the station who benefit from the assistance too and they are always showing their appreciation for the time I give.

“I have made some great new friends in the role and so many new skills. It really is the role that keeps on giving and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

“My only regret is that I didn’t do it earlier.”

During Volunteers Week, Dyfed-Powys Police will launch its volunteer of the month campaign, featuring a different story each month. You can follow them on the force Facebook page and Twitter feed @dyfedpowys.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Volunteers play a hugely important role in making our communities safer and stronger.

“It’s important that people are given the opportunity to be involved in their local police service, whether that’s as a Special, volunteer police cadet, independent custody visitor or as police support.

“I look forward to the really exciting year ahead and to the future, where all of our volunteers will continue to have the opportunity to contribute to these programmes and to help both the force and my office to achieve their goals.”