Chief constable champions British Transport Police volunteers during National Volunteers’ Week

This week we’re celebrating the contributions made by our volunteers, as part of National Volunteers Week. I am grateful to my Special Constabulary Chief Officer, Nathan Turner for inspiring me on the value of our volunteers in this article.

Every day I’m struck by the commitment shown by those who choose to volunteer their time and energy to British Transport Police (BTP), and it is a choice. By its very definition, volunteers are freely offering to support our force and by extension the travelling public, without financial reward.

We all share the same 24 hours in a day – and we all choose how we spend those hours. I think it takes a remarkable type of person to deliberately find time in those finite hours to spend helping others, in whatever role that might be. No amount of money or fame can buy you more time, it’s a universal currency, and arguably our most precious commodity.

We’re living in an ever complex, ever connected and always on society, with unlimited options and activities to spend our time on. From watching TV to playing games, enjoying a sport, or socialising with friends or family – we’ve never been more spoilt for choice – and our volunteers choose to spend their time in BTP over all of these, which I am incredibly grateful for.

In BTP, we recognise this choice, and embed volunteers into our organisation as part of our #OneBTP value. We do not limit volunteers by the fact they are not paid, but instead recognise the skills, experiences and perspectives they bring.

For example, in our Special Constabulary Special Constables | British Transport Police, with Nathan and his leadership team, we are reimagining what it means to be a Special Constable. I’m proud that we were the first police force in the UK to equip Special Officers with Taser (CED), and it’s in this spirit that we continue to innovate and maximise the value proposition of our volunteer Police Officers; from joining specialist teams, leading events, gaining qualifications and contributing beyond the frontline.

I’m also keen to ensure we actively seek out and utilise the rich diversity of perspectives and skills our volunteers have to offer. When I meet our volunteers, I’m always amazed at the breadth of experiences they bring…doctors, paramedics, teachers, lawyers, consultants, engineers, train drivers, executives, dentists, students, firefighters, pilots, scientists… the list goes on! I recognise it’d be a gross waste of talent and opportunity not to play to these strengths, so we constantly think about creative ways to use these skills, to better ourselves and our teams, engage our volunteers and enhance organisational capabilities.

I’m excited about the future of volunteering with BTP. There’s a real energy and focus on how we continue to make ourselves a first-choice destination to volunteer for. This includes working through what makes policing the most attractive and unique vocation to dedicate free time towards.

For me, it’s about ensuring our volunteers have a real sense of purpose and agency in their role, that they feel part of the BTP family, that they are well-led, they know the part they play in our success and that their voice is listened to – that they are not treated any different because they are not paid. It’s also about what we can give back to our volunteers; be that opportunities to develop new and existing skills, gain experience in specialist areas and leadership, contribute to a significant project, gain life-long skills and more.

We have some ambitious and exciting thoughts around how we can continue to supercharge our volunteering proposition. We’ve bulldozed the old fashioned view of what a volunteer can do and are transforming our offering. There are areas we need to be better at and one of those is in the area of more general volunteering, those who give their free time to help us and to protect the public but who do not have warranted powers.

I am keen to hear any ideas on how we can do this differently and from those who would like to work with us in this capacity. We have some wonderful volunteers who have dedicated thousands of hours to help us and we are very grateful, but doing this on a more industrial level feels exciting and ambitious.

I’d encourage anyone to try and find some time in their day, week or month to join us as a Guardian of the Railway and help us become a world-leading police force by considering a voluntary career at BTP. You’ll become part of a national, specialist force that covers England, Scotland and Wales, with opportunities that are only limited by your skills, imagination and commitment.

Finally, Nathan and I know the importance of what a ‘thank you’ means to our volunteers. This week, we’ll be celebrating the achievements of our voluntary colleagues at our annual Citizens in Policing Awards, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible contributions made across BTP. So, thank you, to all our volunteers during National Volunteers Week. Your contributions, perspectives and experiences are truly appreciated and valued.

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