Volunteer Police Cadet leaders across England and Wales: exploring their motivations

Abstract

Volunteering within policing across England and Wales has a long history. Previous research on police volunteering has predominantly been focused on volunteer special constables; however, volunteers occupy numerous and varied roles across the police service. Indeed, it appears that there will be a concerted effort to recruit more volunteers to support policing. If such growth is to be effectively planned and managed, understanding the characteristics of volunteers and their motivational factors for volunteering is critical. This research considers the characteristics and motivations of Volunteer Police Cadet (VPC) leaders who donate hours in schemes across England and Wales. The research concludes that respondent VPC leaders are mainly White British, well-educated individuals who tend to be motivated by feelings of community spirit and the opportunity for self-development. While these are important for understanding how to attract volunteers, the lack of diversity among these individuals is a matter for concern.