NCJ Number
191975
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 127-131
Date Published
October 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes Multnomah County's (OR) Explorer program and Reserve Officer program, providing law enforcement agencies with volunteers to perform tasks that paid personnel are either unable or ill-suited to perform.
Abstract
This article provides a description of two innovative law enforcement programs implemented in Multnomah County, Oregon. The Explorers and Reserve Officers Programs utilize volunteers in performing tasks that law enforcement personnel are unable to perform. Young men and women entering the Explorer program learn wilderness first aid, techniques for both outdoor crime scene searches and lost person searches, the Incident Command System, radio procedures, map and compass skills, shelter building, and other skills. The Reserve Officer program consists of members of the community recruited as unpaid part-time law enforcement officers. Reserves are typically in uniform, armed, and have arrest powers. Some of the duties of Reserve Officers include: transportation of arrestees, working as a second officer in the patrol car, providing traffic control at public events or accidents, providing security at major crime scenes, and towing abandoned automobiles. Successful volunteer programs require financing and a significant amount of attention. Volunteers need to be recruited, trained, equipped, and supervised. A strong volunteer program can be attained if the above commitment can be made.