VIP Newsletter VIP Newsletter October 2017 | Page 9

Why did you decide to join
the police?
Spending time in the communities
with the policing family gave me a
true insight into what being part of
the constabulary is like. I saw the
good that the police do and the
positive impact they can have on
individuals and communities. I also
got to speak to the police officers
and PCSOs about the realities of the
job and hear a mix of stories about
what to expect. The main thing for
me though, was the point when I
was looking forward to my day when
I could leave my current paid job, to
volunteer. This was when I realised
that I didn’t want to only get to spend
time with the police in my three hours
of volunteering a week, I wanted to
do it all the time!
ON
How did you find the
process?
Why did you become a
volunteer?
I initially became a volunteer when
I moved to Derby in 2016 to get to
know the local community and to
get a feel for the different roles within
the police. I had previously studied
Policing and Criminology at university
so I always considered it as a career,
however, I knew there were so many
avenues within the police that I had
no idea what interested me and
where my strengths lay. At the point
of moving here, I was working from
home as a legal assistant so giving
back to the community that had
welcomed me was the best way to
meet new people and get out of the
house in the week!
What was your role?
As I had a full time job as well as
being a volunteer, I wasn’t able to
complete as many different roles and
tasks as I would have liked. However,
I was able to spend a few hours
every week with the Crime Prevention
team working out of St Marys Wharf.
I would go to different communities
with other PSVs, police officers
and PCSOs to talk to people about
recent crimes in their area and how
to prevent them from being a victim
of crime. I would offer advice, leaflets
and occasionally items to help keep
individuals safe, including purse bells,
shed alarms and UV marker pens.
What was the best part of
being a PSV?
For me, it was the people! Firstly,
the other PSVs are such a kind
and wonderful bunch and I made
some fantastic friends. Secondly,
my supervisor Kate, was incredibly
positive and supportive when I was
going through the police recruitment
process. She really cared about
the PSVs and progressing the
volunteering scheme to enhance our
experience but also get more out
of it for the constabulary. Also, the
different police officers and PCSOs I
met when volunteering were always
interested in your aspirations and
would often offer advice and guidance
(and some cracking stories!) on a
career with the constabulary.
I’m not going to lie, the recruitment
process is tough. But, having the
support of my supervisor and fellow
PSVs really did help. I was able to
discuss the difficulties with people
that understood and spending time
with police officers who had obviously
been through the process at some
point was invaluable. They were quick
to offer advice, reassurance and
words of encouragement and many
genuinely wanted to be kept up to
date with my progress. For any PSVs
considering putting in an application,
I would definitely say to go for it! Put
your all in to it, take your time to really
think about your answers and see
what happens!
What is the best thing
about Training School?
Again, I would have to say the people!
My group are fantastic and even after
just five weeks we have become so
close and supportive of one another.
It’s very true what they say, you really
do become your own little family!
Amy Rush
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