Hundreds apply to be police volunteers

West Yorkshire Police wants to recruit as many as 60 volunteers to help detectives on major inquiries by taking exhibits from crime scenes and carrying out door-to-door enquiries.

Senior officers only publicised the recruitment campaign a week ago, but they have been forced to arrange extra open evenings for applicants because demand is so high.

Successful applicants will join the force's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET), which has investigated some of the region's most notorious cases.

The force claims it is the first scheme in the country to let members of the public to work alongside murder squad detectives.

As well as transporting exhibits and speaking to witnesses, volunteers will be asked to help prepare files, proof-read statements and recover CCTV footage.

The scheme – which is open to anyone over 18 with no convictions– will be introduced at four open evenings at Bishopgarth Training School in Wakefield.

Meetings had already been arranged for Monday and Thursday next week, but officers have been forced to fix two other sessions – on March 15 and 22.

Detective Chief Superintendent Max McLean, who heads HMET, said the response had been "incredible".

"It is vitally important that there is a good partnership between the police and members of the public and so the response to this principle of volunteering is a fantastic indication of the strong communities that we have in West Yorkshire," he said.

"HMET is one of the most challenging areas of policing and all volunteers will be working under the expert eye of a trained and qualified detective."

Prospective applicants should register at www.policevolunteers.co.uk.