From proud mum to Police Volunteer: Sarah inspired to give back

Police Support Volunteer Sarah Richardson was so inspired by Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Catherine Roper that she decided to volunteer with the Force.

Sarah was attending the graduation of her daughter, who had just completed training as a Special Constable, when she heard Chief Constable Roper speak and felt motivated to give her own time to support policing.

She began volunteering in January 2026 and now works with the Citizens in Policing team, supporting Hotel Watch - a partnership scheme that works with hotels and accommodation providers to raise awareness of violence, abuse and criminal exploitation.

Sarah said: "It's a national scheme that brings together hotels to raise awareness of exploitation, human trafficking, county lines and other criminal activity, and to help staff spot the signs. We work with hotels to ensure staff are properly trained and receive regular refresher training. If a hotel joins the scheme, we provide training videos and advice on how to contact officers if they suspect criminal activity is taking place.

"I’ve always volunteered in my local community. When my daughter decided, at the age of 20, to become a Special Constable, I attended her graduation. I heard the Chief Constable speak and was really impressed. Seeing people in full-time jobs giving up their evenings and weekends made me realise I could give a bit more of my time too.

"It’s all new to me and outside my comfort zone. I’m doing things I’ve never done before, and seeing how the police work has really opened my eyes to what they do, what they have to deal with, and how hard they work. They show real patience and take on so many aspects of community life."

The Hotel Watch scheme allows hotels and accommodation to share information with us. The aims are to:

• spot, report and minimise potential crime trends at hotels and holiday parks
• encourage hotels and holiday parks to collect and share information
• provide a way for police to share information with hotels and holiday parks
• promote a crime-free hotel and holiday park environment
• identify local problems and find solutions
• promote training and awareness to help fight crime and terrorism
• set up better links with local police force/liaison officers
• improve communication between businesses, the police and other agencies at local events

• Can you spare a few hours a week to assist Wiltshire Police's supporting officers and staff?
• Can you offer professional skills, support in administrative tasks or as educators to the public?

In Wiltshire there are 72 Police Support Volunteers who have carried out 914 volunteer hours in the last year. They make a significant impact on the constabulary and the communities we serve.

If you have a few hours a week spare and would like to support Wiltshire Police we would like to hear from you. Please email [email protected]

You can find more information here: Police support volunteers | Wiltshire Police

We would particularly like to hear from anyone who might be able to support with role playing for officers in training, community action initiatives and other administrative roles. 

We will be using this week to highlight, celebrate and thank those who give their time, skills and experience without charge and for the benefit of others. These will be shared on our social media pages.