GMP join national day to celebrate volunteering

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Greater Manchester Police is supporting National Give and Gain Day 2015 (15 May) with a wealth of activity across the Force.

The day celebrates the power and potential of employee volunteering and sees thousands of people across the globe spend a working day volunteering for good causes in their local community.

Over 90 special constables will be taking part and will be carrying out a range of activities including:

• Early morning warrants 
• Offender visits 
• Antisocial behaviour patrols 
• ANPR Road block and multi-agency operation
• Hi Visibility patrols and Community reassurance visits 
• Mobile ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) patrols 
• Manchester City centre Ring of steel 
• Trading standards operations 
• Licensing operation 

Employee Supported Policing gives employers the chance to allow their staff to have time off in the work hours to perform their special duties.

Twenty nine companies are taking part in giving staff a day’s paid annual leave and have been given the opportunity to see what they do first hand.

Organisations taking part include Willmot Dixon, Manchester Airport and the University of Manchester. They have been given the opportunity to see first-hand the skills that their staff develop by undertaking this role and how it can be transferred back into their paid workplace.

The special constabulary plays a vital role in the police family, they help prevent crime and bring with them a variety of skill and experience that supports officers on the frontline.

Chief Inspector Patrick McKelvey from Greater Manchester Police said: “We currently have 660 special constables in GMP. They play a vital role in the policing of Greater Manchester and give 215,0000 policing hours to the local community.

“There are a number of businesses that assist the Force in allowing their employees the time to perform hours of duty as special constables with regular police constables. In return the employers gain from the experience and skill their staff collect as special constables.

“GMP Special Constabulary have 180 special constables that are supported by 29 employers who last year contributed to over 9,000 volunteer hours of policing in the communities through Employer Supported Leave.

“Our special constables help strengthen the links between police and the community and provide a variety of skills and experience to frontline policing and I would like to thank everyone for taking part in Give & Gain Day 2015.”