Pepper, M., Woolf, A., Callender, M. and Cahalin, K. (2025) Police Support Volunteers in the Covid-19 pandemic: reflections on volunteering during times of crisis. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice. 19(2025) 1752-4512.
- Information
Information
Abstract:
The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns presented significant challenges for policing: changing patterns of criminal behaviour, frequently shifting emergency regulations, resourcing pressures, and new dynamics in how police and citizens interacted with each other. However, the impact of the pandemic on volunteers in policing—in England and Wales, a cohort estimated between 7,211 Police Support Volunteers (PSVs) to up to 500,000 ‘citizens in policing’ who regularly give time in some capacity to support the police—has been largely overlooked. This article draws on a national benchmarking survey of PSVs in England and Wales conducted in 2021 (n = 1,305) to reflect on volunteering experiences during the pandemic. It considers the contribution that PSVs can make during challenging times and the importance of flexible and innovative tasking to capitalize on the volunteer offer. The article underpins the centrality of an adequately resourced police volunteer infrastructure to effectively mobilize volunteer resources on both a ‘business as usual’ basis, and during times of crisis.
Additional Information:
Copyright © 2025, © The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/peace_justice_and_strong_institutions
Creators:
Pepper, M., Woolf, A., Callender, M. and Cahalin, K.
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
Date:
28 August 2025
Date Type:
Publication
Journal or Publication Title:
Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice
Volume:
19
Number:
2025
Number of Pages:
646316
Language:
English
ISSN:
1752-4512
Status:
Published / Disseminated
Refereed:
Yes
 |