Volunteers

You must be aged 16 years-old or over. There is no upper age limit for volunteers.

All volunteer applicants are to be subject to vetting and security checks in line with the Gloucestershire Constabulary Vetting Policy. Any applicants unsuccessful at this stage of the process have no legal right to appeal against the decision.

The need for the residency rule arises from the requirement to vet all applicants in an equitable manner. This is because the UK police service does not currently have any means of facilitating vetting enquiries overseas to the extent required for those who are resident in the UK.

The purpose of the residency criteria is to ensure that applicants have a checkable history in the UK, so that meaningful vetting enquiries can be undertaken. The criteria provide reassurance when considering the health and safety of police personnel and the public. Effective vetting cannot be conducted if there is no way to assess the honesty, integrity, reliability and overall suitability for clearance of appointees against the information available.

The residency requirements refer to the period immediately before an application is made, and not any other three-, five-, or ten-year period, or any other accumulation of time spent in the UK.

If an individual resides permanently in the UK, they are considered to be a UK resident.

An individual who has moved overseas and severed major ties to the UK (e.g., closed bank accounts and sold property) is considered to have surrendered their residency in the UK. This would also apply to people who maintain bank accounts purely for the purpose of receiving regular payments, e.g., a UK pension.

An individual is considered to be on an extended holiday if they have

• spent a significant period of time overseas without returning to the UK, but intend to return in the future
• taken a gap year before or following university
• travelled for a year
• spent time overseas visiting family

This is not an exhaustive list.

Individuals who meet the above criteria maintain their UK residency and may therefore be considered for vetting clearance.

An individual who has been posted overseas as part of their service with Her Majesty's Government or the Armed Forces is considered to have been resident in the UK for the period that they were abroad.

Where an individual has been overseas as the spouse, partner or dependent of a member of the armed forces posted overseas, they can be considered to have been resident in the UK if their place of residence was within the confines of the establishment, e.g., a military base. If they were residing outside this, they are considered to have been resident overseas.

Police Support Volunteers should abstain from any activity which is likely to interfere with impartial discharge of their duties or which is likely to give rise to the impression amongst members of the public that it may so interfere.

If a prospective volunteer is a member of the BNP or a similar organisation, their application will result in rejection.

These groups include:

• British National Party (BNP)
• Combat 18
• National Front.

Applications will not be accepted from individuals where there is a significant possibility that this could lead to a conflict of interest in your professional life or another volunteering role. You must therefore give full details of your current employment or other voluntary work you undertake as part of your application.

Occupations that are considered incompatible with becoming a volunteer:

• Magistrates, clerks to justices and clerks to court
• Members of county and district councils
• Probation officers
• Bailiffs, warrant officers
• Holders of liquor licences and managers of licensed houses
• Licensees of betting/gaming premises.
• Private detectives and inquiry agents
• Security officers, guards and door people
• Members of employer’s police forces and private constabularies
• Civilian detention officers
• Custody officers and custody escort officers
• Parking enforcement officers
• Neighbourhood wardens
• Members of the full-time fire service
• Members of the Armed Forces.

The following occupations may also be considered incompatible for particular volunteer roles:

• Members of medical and health professions
• Occupations with client privilege
• Youth workers and social workers
• Employees of security organisations.

Jewellery must be discreet and inoffensive. Language or images displayed must not be inappropriate or offensive. Excessive or unconventional jewellery is inappropriate. Jewellery is a potential risk in certain situations, as it can cause an injury if caught in machinery, or pulled by an opponent. Individuals are responsible for minimising this risk.

Individuals who wear uniforms/protective clothing, or who meet the public as part of their role, must not wear jewellery which is loose, or dangles. Long earrings, jewellery for facial piercings, large rings, bracelets, or necklaces must not be worn. Individuals who work with machinery must not wear any jewellery, other than a wedding ring.

Piercings must be kept to a minimum and must be discreet.

Tattoos are not a barrier to volunteering in the constabulary; however, some tattoos could offend members of the public and colleagues, or could bring discredit to the police service.

If you need any clarification regarding your tattoos or piercings, then please email us at [email protected].

It depends on the size, nature, location, extent and whether the images or language are appropriate to be displayed. Tattoos are not acceptable if they:

• Cause offence to members of the public or colleagues
• Invite provocation
• Undermine the dignity or authority of the Constabulary
• Are garish or numerous or particularly prominent
• Indicate unacceptable attitudes to any section of the community
• Indicate alignment with a particular group which could be offensive to the public, or colleagues
• Are considered to be rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic, violent or intimidating.

Individuals should cover their tattoos. They may be expected to take action to rectify the tattoos, if these fail to meet the standard of non-visibility, or appropriateness.

Individuals with a tattoo on their head are expected to take steps to minimise visibility, either by growing their hair, or by the use of headwear. Headwear may not always be appropriate, so must be approved by the manager of the department in which the volunteer is deployed.