There are a number of ways you can help improve your local community as a volunteer with Essex Police. 

You can volunteer in your community as a:

Neighbourhood Watch volunteer

Neighbourhood Watch volunteers help reduce crime by setting up community groups in their area. They work alongside the police and partner organisations to tackle crime, share information and help keep their community safe.

The Essex Neighbourhood Watch Association coordinates 14 Neighbourhood Watch Districts covering the whole of Essex. They strive to reduce the opportunity for crime throughout Essex and the fear of crime to Essex residents.

More about the Essex Neighbourhood Watch Association

More about Neighbourhood Watch

Active Citizen

Active Citizens are volunteers in the community who help us to lower crime and the fear of crime by interacting with the public. They can get involved in a wide range of work to assist us including running community days of action, patrolling with local officers and providing crime prevention advice to residents.

Special Constable

Special Constables are volunteer Police Officers. They have the same police powers, uniforms and equipment as regular Police Officers but sacrifice their free time on a voluntary basis, organising their busy personal lives, day jobs and other commitments around police duties. They do not get paid, but are reimbursed for expenses.

Find out more about the Special Constabulary

Volunteers can be described in many ways. The Home Office definition states that a volunteer is someone "who commits time and energy for the benefit of society, the community, environment and/or individuals, undertaking this by choice, without concern for financial gain".

Volunteers currently work within Essex Police but they do not take on paid roles or roles currently filled by staff.

They bring their various life skills to areas such as community engagement e.g. working as an assistant at the Essex Police Museum. Some roles within Essex Police take a more active role such as the Active citizens who volunteer in the community assisting to lower crime and the fear of crime by interacting with the public on behalf of police.  

Active citizens affectively act as a link between the community and police, a movable resource of reliable and professional people, keen to make a difference and help achieve more cohesive communities, interact with residents in all neighbourhoods and help to make Policing more transparent.

Volunteering is a great form of community engagement. Whilst professional services are absolutely essential, improving the quality of life for our communities should not be seen as something only delivered by paid professionals.

Communities should and need to take some ownership of those services themselves. Individuals must feel empowered to create local solutions to local problems, and this can be achieved, at least in part, through volunteering.

Please note: The information on this page relates to volunteering roles only; it does not relate to work experience or work placements.

Complete our Register your interest form to find out more about becoming a volunteer.