Essex police to launch 'Dad's Army' cost-cutting scheme where RESIDENTS will gather intelligence after break-ins Operation Homeguard will be rolled out in Colchester later this year Back-up bobbies will also help to spread crime prevention messages Concerns that the volunteers could end up in dangerous situations Essex Police needs to cut £42m from its budget by 2015 A 'Dad's Army' scheme which will see residents gathering information for police investigations has been criticised due to the risks involved. Essex police are asking volunteers to take part in Operation Homeguard, where 'back-up bobbies' will share information and be asked to help officers notify residents after break-ins in Colchester. It is the first scheme of its kind in the country and police chiefs have hailed it as a way of getting more information from people who might otherwise be reluctant to speak to officers. However, the plans from the force - which has to cut £42million from its budget by 2015 - have been called into question. Essex Police are asking volunteers to take part in Operation Homeguard, where citizen police in Colchester will be asked to gather information after break-ins (file picture, left). The Dad's Army (scene from sitcom, right) scheme will also see the back-up bobbies help spread crime prevention messages Concerns have been raised that volunteers could put themselves in dangerous situations, with nobody there to help them. Resident Charlotte Salmon, 36, said: 'It is policing on the cheap - something that the officers would have done themselves previously. Who is going to give the members of the public the protection or back-up? You can call 999 but I would be worried. Surely there are other ways to cut spending and still have the police available to do their work rather than asking the public to step in? And Martin Goss, the town's Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator Of The Year, also questioned the motivation behind Operation Homeguard. He said: 'It all sounds great in principle but isn't it just policing on the cheap to make up for all the cuts? 'I don't see who they will get because the people who come forward will be those already involved in the community.' Chief Inspector Richard Phillibrown (above), the man who came up with the plan, said he believes officers are currently only getting about 25 per cent of information about crimes Chief Inspector Richard Phillibrown, the man who came up with the plan, said: 'Operation Homeguard aims to raise public awareness of crime by providing an opportunity for people in the community to work with the police to help spread crime prevention messages and get a greater understanding of police work. There is no question of any member of the public being asked to carry out any police enquiries or act in any front-line policing capacity. This is not about replacing police with members of the public - it is about engaging with the community to help develop intelligence about what crime is occurring and who is doing it. At the moment, we believe we receive about 25 per cent of the information held by members of the public in relation to crime in their communities. The aim of this initiative is to increase that percentage significantly. It involves Essex Police in partnership with the Safer Colchester Partnership and Colchester Volunteer Services and we are still looking at the finer details of how this will work in practice. Police are currently checking issues for their volunteers such as insurance in case they are hurt while taking part in the operation. Tim Young, the Colchester borough councillor in charge of community safety, said he was in favour of getting the public to be back-up bobbies. He said: 'I have had an initial meeting with Mr Phillibrown and support the idea of getting the public to assist. Any way that we can work together to combat crime and anti-social behaviour should be welcomed. The volunteer scheme is set to focus on burglaries in neighbourhoods across Colchester after 400 were committed in just four months leading up to January 2013. This is not the first unique initiative launched by Essex police. During Operation Leopard in 2007, anti-social behaviour offenders were followed and filmed by police around the district of Vange. Operation Homeguard will be launched in Colchester (above) later this year but the plans from the force - which has to cut £42m from its budget by 2015 - have been called into question for possibly endangering the lives of the volunteers