While many residents may recognise the uniformed officers at Coffee with a Cop or local Neighbourhood Watch events, one of the most consistent contributors to community safety in Brisbane’s north has worked quietly in the background for more than two decades.
As part of National Volunteers Week, the Gateway Crime Prevention Unit in Boondall is recognising Elaine, a Volunteer in Police (VIP) member who has spent 22 years supporting the Queensland Police Service.
Elaine has become a familiar part of the unit’s community-facing work, assisting at public engagement events including Coffee with a Cop sessions and Neighbourhood Watch activities, while also providing behind-the-scenes support in the office.
National Volunteers Week, running from 18 to 24 May, is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering, recognising the millions of people who donate their time to strengthen local communities.
For policing teams like the Gateway Crime Prevention Unit, volunteers can play a significant role in helping officers stay connected with the communities they serve.
That local relevance is particularly clear in the Aspley district, where the Boondall-based unit regularly runs outreach programs aimed at crime prevention, road safety awareness and community engagement across Brisbane’s north.
While frontline officers are often the public face of those efforts, volunteers like Elaine help keep many of those initiatives running.
After 22 years of service, that contribution is now being formally recognised as part of the national celebration of volunteerism.
Published 23-May-2026
