Value of police volunteer back-up doubted

Press, 11 May 1989, Page 4

Value of police volunteer back-up doubted

PA Wellington The Police Association is not sure if having volunteer policemen is an answer to manning problems. The president of the association, Mr Keith Morrow, said he was worried about ramifications of a report by the former police superintendent, Mr Peter Faulkner, recommending a volunteer reserve for the police. The report, commissioned in July last year, has been submitted to Police Headquarters for consideration.

Mr Faulkner’s recommendations are based on the organisation of the British Special Constabulary, which has 16,000 volunteer officers in England and Wales assisting full-time police at sports grounds and demonstrations, in routine office work and on general patrol duties. The Faulkner report sees public relations bene-

fits from volunteer involvement in police work, and says adopting such a system would let police put more time into crimes that got only “perfunctory” investigation at present.

Mr Morrow said the proposals went a lot further than having a backup police force, such as the civil defence police units, to help in disasters. “I think the public has a right to know whether they are talking to a sworn police officer,” Mr Morrow said.

The report comes out strongly in favour of volunteers wearing full uniforms, with Mr Faulkner saying there was no evidence to suggest the public wanted to know who they were dealing with. Emphasising they could never replace full-time officers, Mr Faulkner said that with experience and the support of other frontline officers, volunteers would be an invaluable aid, especially in emergencies.