Four volunteers who support police work in various ways have spoken about why they give up their time to help make Cambridgeshire and Peterborough safer.
From the siblings making sure police operate with the highest ethical standards to a grandmother supporting victims of crime, their efforts are being celebrated for National Volunteers Week.
They were highlighted this week by Darryl Preston, Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, who also praised hundreds of volunteers for their work across the county.
Taz Chisango, and his sister Chiedza, joined Cambridgeshire’s Community Scrutiny Panel in March 2022.
The panel consists of independent community volunteers who regularly monitor the way in which officers carry out their duties to ensure they act appropriately, and with integrity.
This includes how Stop and Search powers and Use of Force are used within the force.
As part of their responsibilities, the siblings frequently review Body Worn Video footage to evaluate officer behaviour against a raft of measures including justification for stops through to unconscious racial bias.
Taz, 37, a Legal Hearings Manager for the Health and Care Professions Council, said: “I joined primarily because we are both part of a charity called CB Mentoring based in Cambridge.
“We mentor children between the ages of 10 and 21, helping them along with their studies and giving them life advice where we can.
“I thought it was a good opportunity following the George Floyd case because of the intense scrutiny going on at that time.
“I thought ‘how can we change perspectives and effect change’ and so I decided to join and help. I wanted to get involved and make a difference as we do with CB Mentoring.”
Chiedza, 35, a barrister for a regulatory accounting body and former legal adviser in the magistrates’ courts, said she had seen evidence of unconscious bias through her own work and was keen to play an active role in developing solutions.
Grandmother-of-six Susie Filmer is a caseworker for the Cambridgeshire Victim and Witness Hub.
She has divided her free time between several charities and voluntary organisations since retiring to Cambridgeshire.
In her caseworker role, Suzie speaks to victims or witnesses of crime to offer support or a listening ear to what they are going through.
If necessary, she will also signpost or refer them to other services for specialist help.
One of proudest moments was supporting a young female victim of harassment suffering with agoraphobia to become more independent again.
“She couldn’t go out, not even to take the children to school,” she said.
“One day, she rang me to say she was on the bus! It was wonderful.
Debs Jeakins’ day job is running a council's planning department – and for two hours a week she volunteers as a Restorative Justice Facilitator for Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
She has been burgled before, and some time afterwards responded to an advert for volunteers supporting victims of crime and offenders themselves.
Restorative justice aims to help repair the harm caused by crime.
It creates an opportunity for victims and those responsible for the offence to meet, discuss what happened and the harm caused.
Debs, 51, prepares the victim and offender for a potential meeting.
She said: “I didn’t understand my motivations for volunteering originally but when you see how powerful it can be and the way it helps people, I do genuinely feel very privileged that people allow us to help them reflect.
“You might not see someone instantly change but you certainly see them having a realisation and that can bring about behavioural change.
“Sometimes, that might even be the victim – they may have turned the offender into a monster in their mind and then realise how the things they have been through led to crime.”
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