Exploring the Contribution and Relationship to Policing and Community Safety of Volunteer Street Patrols

Abstract The pluralized policing landscape now widely involves volunteers and the voluntary sector. Volunteer street patrols (VSPs) are individuals who walk streets of cities towns at night. Their actions include helping those in need through acts care, compassion, prevention. Numerous implications exist for participate this form action, including level to which contribute intervene, functions they perform within contemporary policing, challenges developing maintaining relationships with police other emergency services. This article argues that VSPs offer a unique welcomed source support police, providing unable perform. relationship provides validity, accountability, opportunity volunteers. Over reliance, increased responsibilization delivering services highlight tensions relationship, turn create opportunities develop meaningful partnerships.