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[Knight1989]

on that note, what do you think of the reserve/auxillary police officers?

ninja edit: and can they perform the same tasks as a regular officer?

Well since I was a reserve officer for a long time, I think that its a good program. Honestly it varies from dept to dept. Some reserve programs are much better and more active than others and some arent. I never had an officer that I worked with that had a problem with the reserves. They all seemed to like having us around.

It varies by dept as to what they can do. Some places they cant even carry guns and hold little to no power. Other depts, they are fully armed and hold the exact same authority as a regular police officer. When I did it, I was the exact same as a regular officer, they just got paid. We had the same equipment, power, and training. I learned a lot in the years I did that.

 

[Knight1989]

A 16-year-old participating in the Explorer Scout law enforcement program, who was riding with May, radioed the police dispatch and additional officers arrived soon after. The boy was not injured.[/I]

Now after the praise I just had for the reserve programs, I do not like the police explorer programs. I am not comfertable taking a person who is not trained nor armed with me to calls.

 

[RonDawg]

on that note, what do you think of the reserve/auxillary police officers?

ninja edit: and can they perform the same tasks as a regular officer?

I have no problem with it, as long as the program is administered properly. When used to augment staffing, it works quite well. But if an agency is too cheap and begins to use them as "free labor" it causes all sorts of problems.

As to whether or not they can do the same things, that depends on the state, the agency, and that officer's level of certification. For example, in CA there are three levels of reserve officer. The lowest level has actually no powers of arrest beyond that of a civilian. The next (middle) level requires that they work under the supervision of a full-time officer at all times in order for their peace officer powers to be in effect. The highest level can do almost anything a full-time officer can. However, an individual agency can put additional restrictions on its reserves/auxiliaries on top of what the state has.

 

[RonDawg]

Now after the praise I just had for the reserve programs, I do not like the police explorer programs. I am not comfertable taking a person who is not trained nor armed with me to calls.

I treat police explorers slightly above a civilian ridealong. I do it to teach them about police work. Being explorers who already work for the agency, I will let them do a few things if I feel comfortable in letting them do it, such as writing out my citations, and the use of the MDT. I will let an explorer use the radio if I feel they have a good enough radio voice to do so; otherwise I won't, lest the dispatchers get mad at me!

I will let them run a DMV check but only under my supervision; I want to make sure they're not running some celebrity's name (which will cause the state to make an immediate phone call to the Watch Commander). Most of the time, they are simply entering a plate that I want run, but I don't want to take my eyes off the car.

I do teach them how to get my gun out of my holster, and the shotgun out of the rack, in case I am incapacitated and can no longer defend us. Otherwise they do not handle any firearms, and are not considered "my partner." They do not "assist" me unless I am in a fight with a suspect, and then their involvement is just to help me get them into custody, or me out of the situation. If a call requires I have backup, I request it if it's not already present or enroute.

 

[TJcop]

on that note, what do you think of the reserve/auxillary police officers?

ninja edit: and can they perform the same tasks as a regular officer?

I've just about have had it with our reserve program. They cause more problems than they solve. They wear the same uniform as us, but they are not armed. When they do ride-alongs, I find myself spending more time watching/worrying what they are doing, than paying attention to the call.
Our reserves don't have any police powers. They do recieve some training, but not enough. They also can't seem to remember that they are not officers...especially off duty.
I can't remember how many of them we've let go because they were flashing badges and telling people they were officers off duty. They're good for parades, and that's about it...

 

[TJcop]

Ok - here's a question for all of the LE officers reading this thread:

How do you feel about police agencies using volunteers to process crime scenes? (There's more than one agency out there doing it)

I've never heard of this. I am a crime scene technician, and it's a very intensive process to be trained. I can't imagine where these "volunteers" would be coming from, and I'm sure that the highly paid techs wouldn't approve of it. That being said...

We just started an intern program with a local college. The interns will be doing BS work around that station, and will eventually be taking on the role of "community service" officer...they will take daytime complaints of barking dogs, crap like that. They aren't paid and they aren't officers, they are just getting college credits.

 

[Knight1989]

I treat police explorers slightly above a civilian ridealong. I do it to teach them about police work. Being explorers who already work for the agency, I will let them do a few things if I feel comfortable in letting them do it, such as writing out my citations, and the use of the MDT. I will let an explorer use the radio if I feel they have a good enough radio voice to do so; otherwise I won't, lest the dispatchers get mad at me!

I will let them run a DMV check but only under my supervision; I want to make sure they're not running some celebrity's name (which will cause the state to make an immediate phone call to the Watch Commander). Most of the time, they are simply entering a plate that I want run, but I don't want to take my eyes off the car.

I do teach them how to get my gun out of my holster, and the shotgun out of the rack, in case I am incapacitated and can no longer defend us. Otherwise they do not handle any firearms, and are not considered "my partner." They do not "assist" me unless I am in a fight with a suspect, and then their involvement is just to help me get them into custody, or me out of the situation. If a call requires I have backup, I request it if it's not already present or enroute.

You give your riders way more power than I do. Thats cool, probably better that they ride with someone like you than with me. They deffinitly are learning more when they ride with you. I'm just not comfertable have an untrained person with me. I do teach them how to get acess to the gun, but only to defend themselfs if I'm already down. I dont let them touch the radio, except in an emergancy, but will let them run a plate every now and then. I make it very clear that if a subject starts resisting they are to stay in the car and they're only job is to call for back up. They are not to try and help. I'm just not big into letting a 16yr old kid get into a scrap with a violent suspect. Makes it harder on me too, now instead of worrying about the suspect, I have to worry about him, and the explorer too.

 

[Knight1989]

I've just about have had it with our reserve program. They cause more problems than they solve. They wear the same uniform as us, but they are not armed. When they do ride-alongs, I find myself spending more time watching/worrying what they are doing, than paying attention to the call.
Our reserves don't have any police powers. They do recieve some training, but not enough. They also can't seem to remember that they are not officers...especially off duty.
I can't remember how many of them we've let go because they were flashing badges and telling people they were officers off duty. They're good for parades, and that's about it...

Our reserves were armed and went through a 6 mounth training program, before they were sworn in. I think there was only one case of a reserve doing something bad, and he got let go. Plus a lot of our reserves were either Army MP's or Airforce SP's, so they had a strong police background already and knew how to behave and take care of themselfs.

 

[papps953]

We used to have an explorer program. I would let my rider fill out the ticket and after proper training talk on the radio. At collision scenes I would let them follow me around. Otherwise they were stuck in the car.

Bill B.

 

[murphdivers286]

That and we have to be carefull where we park. We technicly can't "hide"

Sorry, but I have to ask. Is this a department policy... I work in Florida and we hide all the time. I was even in court when someone tried to use the fact the officer was hiding and he did not see him, but was found guilty.....Judge almost laughed....

As for OC, I hate the stuff... I have made it known if i'm in a situation where I come up and the suspect has my OC spray he will be seeing to business end of my Glock....

Here is a funny story for OC.

I was fairly new to the job when I received a domestic call. Upon arrival, I was met with two other Deputies. The male was found to be the aggressor. As we work walking him to the vehicle, he decided he did not want to be arrested. This was a large man... One deputy has his left arm and I had his right arm. We both decided to spray at the same time.... Yes, you guessed it.... He sprayed and I sprayed. The suspect lend back and we both ended up spraying each other right in the face... The third deputy told us later he almost hit the ground laughing.... It took all he had to gain control of the suspect. At least the suspect got some of the spray....

You can all laugh now.