Teenagers from the age of 16 and upwards have been recruited by the force to help cut crime and increase public safety.

This is not policing on the cheap

West Yorkshire Police

They have no powers of arrest but can give crime prevention advice, deliver leaflets and patrol local communities looking for anything suspicious.

But critics of the scheme say the youngsters may progressively be used to carry out tasks that should be done by fully fledged officers.

Canadian crimebusters

The junior crimebusting scheme was first piloted in Canada, and the role of the volunteer there has already been greatly extended.

Some Canadian recruits are used to keep outlying rural police stations open.

In West Yorkshire, 19-year-old volunteer Melanie Smith believes she is making a valuable contribution to society.

She told the BBC: "I like going out and helping people.

"I'd like to be a barrister so it shows me how laws are enforced and it gives me first hand experience of working with the police."

A typical task for the teenager may be to inspect vehicles at the local supermarket car park, giving advice to motorists, such as removing any valuables from sight.

Concerns

But the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, is worried volunteers such as Melanie and her friends will end up doing unsuitable jobs.

The public wants more police officers on the streets not just well meaning volunteers

Police Federation

Chairman of the federation in West Yorkshire, Roger Benn, said: "Are these volunteers going to end up in danger because of something they're asked to do?

"The public wants more police officers on the streets not just well meaning volunteers."

The number of officers in West Yorkshire has fallen from 5,024 at the time of the last election to 4,828.

But Chief Superintendent Stuart Hyde, who is overseeing the scheme, says the criticism is nonsense.

"This is not policing on the cheap, this is not about reducing or replacing officers.

"This is about working in real partnership with other people and getting the best out of the resources in the locality," he said.