Police come under fire over recruitment drive for ‘volunteer detectives’

AN under-pressure police force’s decision to hire “volunteer detectives” to help it investigate serious crimes is evidence of a recruitment “crisis”, the Police Federation has said.

Essex Police has been criticised for advertising two unpaid special constable roles to support detectives in the Serious Crime Directorate.

A job post on the force’s website asks: “Do you want to help investigate the most serious crimes in Essex including murders, attempted murders, stranger rapes and kidnappings?

“Working alongside detectives, you’ll receive training to help you bring justice to some of the most serious criminals in Essex.”

The creation of the new roles has been called “unacceptable” by critics, but Essex Police denies it represents “policing on the cheap”.

Labour councillor Dave Harris, of Colchester Borough Council, said he was “absolutely appalled” by the force’s move.

“It’s the thinnest blue line I’ve seen in my life,” he said.

Karen Stephens, secretary of the National Police Federation of England and Wales detectives’ forum, said: “We cannot ignore that there is a crisis in detectives within policing, with a serious shortfall in the numbers of detectives seen throughout England and Wales.”

Essex Police Assistant Chief Constable Nick Downing said: “This is not about policing on the cheap or lowering the status of detectives.”

He said the force continued to invest in training detectives and that special constables were a key part of the “policing family”.

In August, Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh revealed his force was coping with 600 fewer officers than it had in 2010.