volunteers

Citizen Volunteers and Their Role in Law Enforcement

The men and women of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department believe that we all have a responsibility to contribute to the safety and security of our communities. We believe that 'public safety is not a spectator sport.'

Because of our beliefs, we facilitate citizen commitment and participation by having a very active volunteer program. Recently, we have expanded the number of volunteers in our agency and also expanded the ways in which they can participate in the work of the Sheriff's Department. We are proud of the contributions of volunteers. They contribute their time and talent to improving the quality and quantity of public safety services in Pierce County.

Described below are some of the capacities in which citizens 'give back' to the community while serving as Sheriff's Department volunteers. If you would be interested in joining us, contact our volunteer coordinator at (253) 798-3624. Remember: 'Public Safety is not a Spectator Sport.'

Volunteer Positions with the Sheriff's Department

Pierce County Reserve Deputy

The Reserve Program is the longest operating volunteer program in the Sheriff's Department. Pierce County Reserve Deputies are trained and commissioned law enforcement officers. The commission a Reserve Deputy holds allows him/her to enforce all laws during the time that officer is on duty. The Reserves primary mission is to provide support to Deputy Sheriffs with such activities as transporting prisoners and providing traffic control at accident or crime scenes.

Volunteers in Policing

The VIP Program was established in 1992 as a direct result of community policing. Volunteers in this category provide a wide array of services at many department work sites.

Volunteer activities include answering phones, greeting citizens, filing documents, data entry, and a host of additional administrative support functions.

Cadets

The Sheriff's Department Cadets offer young people an opportunity to be involved with a variety of law enforcement functions. Cadets have been used to conduct crime scene searches and door to door information campaigns. They are also valuable resources in special event support and traffic control during parades.

Search and Rescue

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Volunteers are a well trained group of specialists who provide a wide array of support. Search and Rescue volunteers are involved in such diverse activities as dog handlers to swift water rescue. In many respects the department would not have a search and rescue program were it not for our volunteers.

Sheriff's Posse

The Mounted Posse continues the grand tradition of the old west by providing volunteer services to the Sheriff and the community. The Sheriff's Posse is best known for its high profile in parades and rodeos, but the Posse also provides community support through various events and fundraisers. The Posse may also assist the community at many functions such as horse security patrol at local rodeos and fairs and other events, and providing eyes and ears for the Sheriff's Department during the summer months in the County Parks and bike trails.

Volunteers are also used in the following areas:

Traffic:
- Handicapped Parking Violations
- Hulk/Abandoned Vehicles

Investigations:
- Crime Analysis
- Registered Sex Offender Update
- Property Crime Victim Update
- Gang-Intel Monitoring
- Runaway Program Monitoring
- Forensics
- Meth Team Support
- Missing Persons

Traffic
- Citizens Speed Watch
- Citizens Observation Patrol

Various Boards:
- Sheriff's Advisory Board
- Crime Stoppers

Corrections

Pre-trial Services

Sound Interesting?

Do you have special skills that could help our community and a little extra time?

Does the idea of volunteering with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department appeal to you?

Contact our volunteer coordinator at (253) 798-3624, or complete the Pierce County Sheriff's Department Citizen Volunteer pre-application form and return it to:

Pierce County Sheriff's Dept. Volunteer Program
930 Tacoma Ave. S.
Tacoma, WA 98402