Police Support Volunteers in the Covid-19 pandemic: reflections on volunteering during times of crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns presented significant challenges for policing: changing patterns of criminal behaviour, frequently shifting emergency regulations, resourcing pressures, and new dynamics in how police and citizens interacted with each other. However, the impact of the pandemic on volunteers in policing—in England and Wales, a cohort estimated between 7,211 Police Support Volunteers (PSVs) to up to 500,000 ‘citizens in policing’ who regularly give time in some capacity to support the police—has been largely overlooked. This article draws on a national benchmarking survey of PSVs in England and Wales conducted in 2021 (n = 1,305) to reflect on volunteering experiences during the pandemic. It considers the contribution that PSVs can make during challenging times and the importance of flexible and innovative tasking to capitalize on the volunteer offer. The article underpins the centrality of an adequately resourced police volunteer infrastructure to effectively mobilize volunteer resources on both a ‘business as usual’ basis, and during times of crisis.