Forces praised for work to promote volunteer policing

Six police forces in the East of England have been commended for their work to promote volunteer policing.

The Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk forces were honoured by the National Policing Improvement Agency.

Their Eastern Region Employer Support Policing Team was recognised at the agency's annual Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer Awards.

The Eastern region has 226 special constables supported by employers.

The team was praised for its "exemplary approach to encouraging employers to support local forces" at the awards ceremony in Westminster on Thursday.

Cambridgeshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hopkins, Eastern Region Special Constabulary lead, said he was thrilled with the award.

"As a region, we are trying hard to form as many employer supported policing schemes as we can," he said.

"It is a relatively new concept involving a partnership approach between the business community, employers in the public sector and their local police force."