Attending court is a distressing experience for most people, whether you are the alleged offender, a witness or a victim of crime.
It’s also quite confusing. In Gladstone, there are three courtrooms, upstairs and downstairs and of course, there are procedures to be followed, but it’s not a place most of us visit often (hopefully). That’s where some important Gladstone ViPs come in:
Volunteers in Policing are members of the public who volunteer their time to assist in the many roles of policing duties. At Gladstone Police Station there are five ViPs with one more at the station in Tannum Sands.
Three of these volunteers assist with courthouse duties, including assisting police prosecutions with ensuring victims safety and general needs are taken care of on the day.
To see the ViPs in action is to understand their worth: they are a calm and very friendly face on what may be the worst day of your life. They’re empathetic and professional with every member of the community.
Often the Magistrate requests further information and the ViPs are there to help retrieve the information for the prosecutor. They help sometimes stressed-out visitors to court understand the procedures, and they make they everyone gets their turn.
This task is essential for a smooth and prompt court process.
Tannum Sands and Gladstone Police Stations recognize and thank the ViPs this National Volunteers Week for being part of the team!