about reserve police officer

[pujolshomerun]

I am really interested in being a reserve police officer. Do reserve police offcers only do patrol? Are there any other positions like detective or SWAT team?

[Citicop]

Depending on the department, Reserve Officers may not even be able to patrol on their own, or have full arrest powers, etc. In almost every Department, the specialized units will be reserved for the full time positions only.

Citicop.

[Fury]

As Citi said. At my department, we, as reserve officers, can't ride alone, we must be accompanied by a paid officer. There is no specialization, either. Some reserve programs use their reserve officers as more of a community service tool than anything, by getting them out into the public at fairs and festivals, and to help the department where manpower is needed.

[TXCharlie]

In Texas, Reserves have full powers and often full duty... And after they fulfill their volunteer commitment, nothing prevents them from hiring in as a full-time officer.

An occasional shooting buddy of mine is in the Dallas Sheriff's Reserves, and he participates in a lot of felony warrant roundups, which to me would be less boring than patrol.

For example, here's the Richardson, TX Reserves web page:
http://www.cor.net/PD/PDReserves.html

And Dallas Reserves Web Site:
http://www.dpdreserves.org

And the Denton Sheriff's Reserves Web site:
http://sheriff.dentoncounty.com/main...pt=54&Link=514

I bet web sites of cities and counties in your area have some info on their reserve programs.

[Lawson]

I am in the hiring process to be a Reserve Officer right now. They must complete a 220 hour academy (as opposed to the 720 for full-time certification) Then they have to complete so many hours as a rider, then so many hours as a primary, then they may or may not be checked off to work patrol alone. As far as I know Reserves at this agency cannot be in Detectives, SWAT, Narcotics, etc... but, they can probably be used every once in a while for warrant services, sting operations, etc...

[TXCharlie]

It would be very helpful if we knew what state pujolshomerun is in... Obviously, states differ a lot in what they call Reserves.

[fyr dog]

In the Dept. I work for we have one reserve on our SWAT team:eek: , he's the team medic and a full time FF/Medic. This is a common pratice up here and I know 2 fultime FF/Medics that work as reserves in this capacity and one ER doc:p.
It is also up to the hiring agency if a reserve can work alone.

[Kimble]

In almost every Department, the specialized units will be reserved for the full time positions only.

This is true, but keep in mind Citicop said "almost". At my department reserves work in street patrol mostly, but we also have guys working special details like search & rescue dive team, arson investigations, aviation, and marine patrol. There is even talk (though nothing official yet) about using reserves to agument corrections at our jail, and if someone has appropriate experience/training from previous employment, working in our criminal investigations division.

[CheesyHat]

If you don't already know, New Jersey have 2 types of reserves, Special 1 and Special 2. Special 1 do not carry, Special 2 carry. 1's ride with officers, 2 can ride alone.