As you have questions, we will try to answer them right here for you.  We will also offer resources that may assist you as well.  There are many experts in the State and around the U.S. on this topic.

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You should first contact your local law enforcement agency to see if they have a volunteer program in place that may go by a different name and have a similar mission.  If not, you may want to ask that agency if you can assist them in starting a program.  First and foremost, don't get discouraged, most agencies will want to do a needs assessment for such a program. 

Contact your local law enforcement agency, visit the Volunteers In Police Services website for volunteer opportunities in your community or e-mail us. 

These volunteers are usually a volunteer organization made up of local citizens that want to help protect their community.  While they are volunteers that don't get paid for there service, they are usually a valuable addition to the local law enforcement agency.  While most agencies across the State and our Nation face shrinking budgets, it has become necessary for these agencies to look toward their local citizens for assistance.  Remember, they are only additional eyes and ears for the police and are not charged with the responsibility of enforcing the law. 

The criteria may vary from agency to agency, but usually you would have to be someone who is at least 18 years of age or older, Good moral character, No felony  or misdemeanor convictions, Current U.S. citizen, Pass a background investigation, Have a valid Drivers License (if applicable), Good driving record (if applicable).

Citizens On Patrol is a generic name used by many to describe a special group of Law Enforcement Volunteers. As the name implies, Citizens On Patrol are Citizens who, after being screened, background checked, and trained by their local law enforcement agency, patrol their communities acting as "Eyes and Ears" for law enforcement. Citizens On Patrol are also referred to as "Citizen Observer Patrols", "Community Action Patrols", "Police Auxiliary Citizens Team", "Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol", "Volunteers In Policing", "Volunteers On Patrol", as well as other names.

Most programs will range in required hours from eight hours to sixteen hours a month.  It really depends on that agencies mission and vision statement for their program.  What is nice about a program of this nature, it is not a one size fits all program, rather a program that is fitted for the needs of the community that it serves.  You will often see the program take different shapes as the needs change or as the community grows.

No, it is not necessary to train Citizens Patrol members by requiring them to go through a Citizens Police Academy.  Some agencies have done that because that is what they did first.  In other words, agencies that use a Citizens Police Academy usually had that program in place first and then they decided to implement a Citizens On Patrol Program. 

While the Citizens Police Academy is a great way to indoctrinate local citizens in the workings of a police or sheriffs agency, it hasn't always been sufficient training for a Citizens On Patrol Program and in fact you will tend to exclude some key volunteers, i.e. senior citizens, that can not dedicate the amount of time needed for the Citizens Police Academy.  Many smaller to medium sized agencies will also find that they may not have the man power to host the Citizens Police Academy.    

As mentioned earlier, Citizens On Patrol Programs are not necessarily a one size fits all program.  In fact while they may be similar, there is usually a different mission and vision statement in place for each agency that will implement such a program.  You will find that most agencies that deploy a Citizens Police Academy will also have a separate training program for their Citizens On Patrol Program.  That training will usually include things like Patrol Procedures, Radio Procedures, Report Writing, Traffic Control, Evidence Handling and may even go as far as Court Room Procedures and / or Testimony.  The training that each agency will offer will largely depend on the mission and vision statement.