Essex Police is looking for Cyber volunteers and Cyber Specials to help fight crime and prevent harm by using their digital skills to support policing teams.

Cyber volunteers and Cyber Specials will help catch criminals by examining digital media; gathering online intelligence and teaching, protecting and giving advice to companies, communities and individuals.

The force will be holding an informal recruitment evening tomorrow (Thursday, 17 May) at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford.

The event begins at 7pm and people will have the opportunity to meet and chat to officers working in our cyber, online and digital forensics teams.

The idea of the event is to find out what skills people are prepared to volunteer and work out how we can make it happen.

Those interested in being a Cyber volunteer, but also interested in being a Special can combine the two as a Cyber Special.

As well as undergoing the regular police training that all Special Constables are subject to, Cyber Specials will volunteer their digital skills, either in a specialist team or as a resource to call upon.

Superintendent Simon Anslow, Head of the Special Constabulary, said: “Volunteering with the Police is something that’s proven attractive to many people over many years. We have some wonderful volunteers who help keep our physical communities safe, but now we’re looking to increase our capability in the online world. We’re looking for people who care about public service and who are willing to lend their skills to help out.”

Anyone wishing to attend tomorrow’s event is asked to email: cyber.volunteers@essex.pnn.police.uk and bring photographic ID on the evening.

If you can’t make the event but would still like to apply to become a volunteer, please complete the Cyber volunteer application form (https://www.essex.police.uk/getmedia/8162e61a-ae2c-401c-b613-b466fa86bfd2/cyber-volunteer-application.docx) and send directly to the team at: cyber.volunteers@essex.pnn.police.uk.