Chief Constable fortnightly update to the Police and Crime Commissioner - 5 June 2026

Dear Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson,

As we mark Volunteers’ Week, I want to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary contribution made by our volunteers across Wiltshire Police.

They are a valued and integral part of our policing family, supporting every aspect of our service and helping us build safer, stronger communities across Wiltshire and Swindon. 

This is time freely given in support of our organisation to ensure we are keeping Wiltshire safe, reflecting the deep sense of civic duty which runs through our county.

We are incredibly fortunate to have more than 1,000 volunteers who have given over 33,000 hours of their time in the last year alone. 

They undertake a wide range of roles, including Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers, Community Speed Watch Volunteers, Police Cadets and our Independent Advisory Groups - each playing a vital role in strengthening trust, visibility and effectiveness across our service.

Across the last year, our 72 Police Support Volunteers (PSVs) contributed 914 hours, supporting 43 events ranging from counter-terrorism training exercises to initiatives such as Hotel Watch. They have worked across departments such as Professional Standards, the Criminal Justice Unit and Citizens in Policing to improve the quality of our service to the public. To find out more about PSVs, visit our website here.

Our 94 Special Constables have also made an exceptional contribution, giving more than 30,000 hours over the last 12 months. They carried out 1,417 duties, attended 1,171 incidents and completed 700 hours of focused patrols — working alongside Police Officers to protect and serve our communities.

Some of those Special Constables have worked across our Roads Policing and Specialist Operations Unit, contributing to more than 3,200 hours of specialist support such as response driving, drone operations and public safety roles.

Our Specials Road Safety Unit is fully integrated within our Roads Policing unit, contributing directly to improving the safety of our roads. Their recent completion of Scene Manager training now enables them to support at serious and fatal collisions. Meanwhile, our drone team continues to maximise operational coverage across the force area.

This week, I have had the privilege of joining our Special Constables in Chippenham, hearing first-hand about their experiences and the difference they make to our communities every day. 

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper and Assistant Chief Constable Deb Smith have both spent time on duty alongside our Special Constabulary this week, underlining our shared appreciation and respect for their contribution.

In March, we were delighted to be joined by the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, Sarah Jones MP, on a drug warrant in Trowbridge. As part of the deployment, we were keen to show her how Special Constables support our action - including our drone department.  We received excellent feedback on how we deploy, support and value our Special Constabulary.

Last month, officers and academics from the Swedish Police Authority joined us in Swindon to find out more about Project Vigilant. Our Swindon Specials Neighbourhood Support Team attended during the deployment, as they often do, to help us ensure safer public spaces, particularly during the evenings.

We are currently recruiting for more Special Constables. To find out more and to apply, visit our website here.

Volunteers also bring specialist skills that directly enhance our operational capability. 

Beyond operational policing, volunteers make a significant difference within our communities. We now have more than 650 Community Speed Watch volunteers who carried out over 2,300 sessions in 2025. More information on our Community Speed Watch scheme can be found on your website, Commissioner, here.

Both our organisations are fortunate to be supported by volunteers in so many ways. I know you have representatives from our communities supporting your function of scrutinising the actions and outcomes of Wiltshire Police. 

These include Community Scrutiny panel members who look at use of force and stop and search in addition to Independent Custody Volunteers – who ensure our custody personnel are adhering to policy and that all detainees are treated in the right way.

Our Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) also remain vital to challenging our thinking and representing the communities we serve. We now have 162 IAG members who continue to provide their insight through five local, geographical boards feeding into our Strategic IAG. You can learn more about the role of our IAGs here.

We are also extremely proud of our Police Cades. With 63 cadets across four units – including a new unit in Warminster – these are young people in our communities who continue to make a remarkable contribution to our organisation.

From fundraising and community engagement, to supporting enforcement activity alongside neighbourhood teams and partner agencies, they demonstrate the values and commitment that underpin policing. Find out more about our cadets here.

As we look to the future, we continue to welcome new volunteers and are particularly keen to attract individuals with specialist skills in cybercrime, digital investigations and IT - areas that are increasingly critical in modern policing.  

You can find out more information about becoming a volunteer for Wiltshire Police by visiting our website.

We are also incredibly fortunate to be supported by a variety of Watch Schemes and initiatives, also run by volunteers, which underpin the critical role our communities play in helping us keeping them safe.

These include Neighbourhood Watch, Farm Watch, Horse Watch and Heritage Watch.

Just last month, trained volunteers on horseback supported us as part of Operation Close Pass, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing collisions caused by drivers failing to give enough space to vulnerable road users. You can read more about this here.

You can find out more information on all the watch schemes and initiatives here.

Our volunteers are also helping to shape the future of our organisation by playing an integral role in the training our officers. 

As an example, we use volunteers to support our practical training exercises by role playing within several scenarios – such as witness and suspect interviewing, public protection and enhanced medic training. We also utilise our volunteers in the interviewing process for senior leaders.

The life experience and professional expertise that our volunteers bring are invaluable. They challenge us, support us, and help us continuously improve. Encouragingly, our latest intake of Special Constables is more than double the previous cohort - bucking national trends and demonstrating the strong spirit of civic service across Wiltshire and Swindon.

To every one of our volunteers, I want to say thank you. Your dedication, professionalism and willingness to give your time so generously is deeply valued. You are an essential part of Wiltshire Police, and your contribution makes a lasting difference to Keeping Wiltshire Safe.

Kindest regards to you,

Catherine Roper

Chief Constable, Wiltshire Police