As a Rural Crime Volunteer with Northumbria Police you’ll become the eyes and ears of the rural community. It’s a rewarding role that our current volunteers say makes them feel they’re ‘doing their bit’ to look after their home patch.

What do rural crime volunteers do?

You’ll be working alongside our serving officers to gather on-the-ground intelligence and help to prevent crime in rural areas. It a unique chance to get involved in large scale police operations that target suspects, tackle off-road disorder, drug supply, anti-social behaviour and organised crime in rural areas.

You’ll help us to share important crime prevention messages among rural communities, using your contacts and networks to spread the word.

While rural crime volunteers don’t have powers of arrest, they do have access to police equipment and information, like using police radio channels to share intelligence during operations.

What skills do I need to be a rural crime volunteer?

Our volunteers come from all sorts of rural backgrounds including gamekeepers, estate managers and farmers. They come from far and wide – from the border with Cumbria down to the outskirts of Durham.

To join the scheme, volunteers should already have a good understanding of local crime and wildlife concerns in their areas.

As part of our wider police family, all volunteers should demonstrate honesty and act with integrity. It’s important that you have the skills to engage with people in a non-confrontational way that would put your own safety and that of others at risk.

Will I receive any training? 

We will of course provide you with full training for the role. The structured course involves committing to a one day induction event followed by continuous professional development events across the year.

Your training focuses on how to report and share with us things that you come across.

How much time do I need to volunteer?

After the initial training, it’s entirely up to you how much time you dedicate to being a rural crime volunteer.

Many of our volunteers find that the role fits in well with their day to day life, as you’ll already be based in a rural community and will naturally see and hear of issues that you think may be worth reporting to officers.

You’ll also be invited to take part in specialist operations, like the long-running Operation Checkpoint – the biggest rural op of its kind in the country.

How do I get involved? 

Get in touch with us by email to have an initial discussion about being a rural crime volunteer by contacting OperationHawkeye@northumbria.pnn.police.uk.

We’ll then send you a link to an application form.

Click on the icons to find out more about how you can become a rural crime volunteer