A police force is recruiting for volunteers to drive officers around so they can use their phones in the car.
Avon and Somerset Police are advertising the role to ‘enthusiastic’ volunteers who can ‘relieve some of the demand and pressures on our front line officers by providing a driver support service’.
Drivers will work weekdays from 8am to 6pm, with breaks, starting in the spring.
They will be expected to complete deliveries and ferry officers to and from appointments, as well as keeping accurate records of mileage and journey time.
Benefits include using your driving skills for the ‘benefit of policing’, and ‘being a valued member of Avon and Somerset Constabulary’.
Avon and Somerset police are recruiting volunteer drivers to drive their police officers around so they can keep using their phones (file photo)
Applicants must be 25 and over and have had a full driving licence for more than 12 months and have a ‘good knowledge’ of the Highway Code.
They will be given access to a fully insured unmarked vehicle with a sat-nav and a mobile phone.
Temporary assistant chief constable Steve Cullen told the Mirror: ‘This scheme is all about embracing trusted members of the community who wish to participate in policing and maximising the amount of time officers and staff spent carrying out their core roles.
‘We anticipate the volunteer drivers helping with things like collecting detainee medication or supporting officers in dropping them off and collecting them to conduct enquiry in busy settings such as Bristol city centre.
‘Not only does this enable our officers to keep working on mobile devices whilst being driven but it will ensure that our cars are being used efficiently and not tied up all day for one appointment.’
Volunteers will be given access to a fully insured unmarked vehicle with a sat-nav and mobile phone. Benefits include using your driving skills for the ‘benefit of policing’, and ‘being a valued member of Avon and Somerset Constabulary’ (file photo)
Several other forces have launched initiatives to help them with understaffing issues from budget cuts.
Earlier this week Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Gareth Morgan came under fire for creating a ‘dial-a-detective’ service to investigate burglaries, thefts and anti-social behaviour over the phone.
He claimed that he needs the service because he can’t afford to have his officers ‘dealing’ with every crime.
The new system is currently operating across North Staffordshire and it’s claimed 1,400 cases have been resolved since December. It is expected to be rolled out across the county by the summer.
But Mr Morgan admits the force, which has lost hundreds of officers and closed stations due to budget cuts in the past decade, hasn’t got enough resources.
Just last month it was revealed that Scotland Yard were recruiting 20 volunteers to work as Special Constables in counter-terrorism units.