Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Volunteering at the Police Department

Officers and I often hear from concerned citizens, “What can I do to help you?” In addition to being vigilant for criminal activity and cooperating with police, there’s something else you may not have thought about: volunteering for the police department.

Our Auxiliary Service Volunteer Program is designed to increase community involvement with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. Anyone who is 17 or older can apply. Applicants must undergo a thorough background investigation, but unlike employees, do not have to live in the city limits of Kansas City, Mo. You can read more about service requirements in our policy.

The public can volunteer in a number of areas. Volunteers assist in the Records Unit, at patrol division stations, with building maintenance, educating the public about crime prevention and more. Our Crime Lab has had great success with college students majoring in fields like chemistry and biosciences volunteering. These students have assisted the Lab in reducing case backlogs.

All of these duties done by volunteers allow police officers and non-sworn employees to devote more time to preventing and solving crime. While a volunteer is filing, a Records Unit clerk is freed to take a police report from someone who walks into Headquarters. Because a volunteer cleans the stalls at the Mounted Patrol Stables, the officers don’t have to and can get out patrolling the community faster.

Serving as a KCPD Auxiliary Volunteer has proved to be rewarding for many retirees, students and anyone who wants to “protect and serve” their community. To apply to be a volunteer, contact Mindy Davis in our Human Resources Division at mindy.davis@kcpd.org.

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