Volunteers in Police Service Curriculum

1. Volunteers in Police Service Curriculum Presented By TEXAS REGIONAL COMMUNITY POLICING INSTITUTE

2. How Did VIPS Come to Be?

3. Training Overview • Instructor Introduction • Student Introduction

4. Goals of Presentation • To familiarize participants with the VIPS program and to encourage registration by law enforcement agencies with Volunteers in Police Service • To generate ideas on how to sustain meaningful and successful initiatives that pay dividends to law enforcement agencies and the community.

5. Participant Performance Objectives • Recognize overall goals of VIPS • Develop needs assessment tools internally and externally to guide VIPS implementation • List effective marketing and recruitment techniques • Recognize and respond to management and administrative issues that can make or break a VIPS program

6. Participant Performance Objectives • Discuss background and screening methods for volunteers • List effective ways to communicate the program • Discuss issues of overall program development • Develop ideas on funding and sustainability • Intro. of materials and training methods

7. Introduction to Volunteers in Police Service • Foundations of the VIPS Program • 2002 Presidential Initiative • Department of Justice and IACP Responsibilities • Concept • Volunteers from the Community • Expanding Law Enforcement’s role in the community • Volunteers use limited time

8. Introduction to Volunteers in Police Service • Determining the Types of Activities Available to Volunteers • Law enforcement’s need for self assessment • Match needs to the talents and abilities of the volunteers • Support • All ages can be involved • Variety of increasingly demanding duties

9. Introduction to Volunteers in Police Service • Why the Need • Ease demands on law enforcement • Fewer officers to execute enforcement requirements • More technical requirements for officers • Fill critical gaps in program support

10. Introduction to Volunteers in Police Service • Worth in Social Value • A more informed citizenry • Example to young people and others • Added Value • Opportunity to learn about law enforcement while working with law enforcement • Learning about citizens concerns

11. Introduction to Volunteers in Police Service • Resource Commitment • Varies as to volunteer • Financial demands on volunteer by law enforcement • Capacity • Major partnerships – The Big Six • Individual community members

12. Introduction to Volunteers in Police Service • Ask for Cooperation • Stakeholders • Interested groups • Organizations

13. Needs Assessment Support • Determining How Volunteers Can Be Used • Legal Issues • Safety Issues • Expertise Issues

14. Needs Assessment Support • Filling Needs With Volunteers • Coordinating position • Pre-recruitment action required • Role of the International Association of Chiefs of Police • Match volunteers to the organization’s strategic plan • Possible volunteer positions (adapt to local needs)

15. Recruiting and Marketing • Recruitment Strategy • Who is your target? • Develop a plan • Create an event • Hire volunteer recruiter • Volunteers are here to supplement and complement existing agency personnel

16. Recruiting and Marketing • What Does a Citizen Need to Know Before Volunteering? • Position Description • Time Commitment • Defined program activities • Direct Supervisor • Web-site access for personal record of service/journal • How long should volunteers serve? • Age criteria • Citizen Police Academy attendance prior to service.

17. Recruiting and Marketing • Examples of Agencies Exclusions or Requirements • No felony convictions, sexual offense, or theft or drug conviction • Under indictment or in process for same

18. Recruiting and Marketing • Citizens Guide to Volunteering • Handbook development • Publish volunteer opportunities • Make the program meaningful

19. Recruiting and Marketing • Develop Organizational Marketing Materials • Website • Brochure • Flyers / handouts / fact sheets • Store window posters • Ads in local papers • Cable channel access

20. Recruiting and Marketing • Media Assistance • Public Service Announcements • News release • Pre-recruitment Strategy • Secure top management buy-in • Develop organization marketing materials

21. Recruiting and Marketing • Citizens Police Academies • One of the best ways to introduce a civilian to the law enforcement profession • Could be a great “gatekeeper” for the whole volunteer system in police agencies

22. Management and Administrative Issues • Overview of VIPS • What is a volunteer in VIPS • VIPS and community policing • Volunteers in a police culture • Volunteer restrictions

23. Management and Administrative Issues • Agency Mission, Objectives and Goals • Define the agencies mission, objectives and goals • Volunteer concept and political consideration • Volunteer objectives and goals within agency mission • Clear and specific department guidelines for volunteers

24. Management and Administrative Issues • Volunteers in Police Service Management and Organization • Develop a pre-recruitment strategy according to the VIPS goal to help resource-constrained agencies • Internal management responsibility • External management responsibilities • Who can manage the program • Training issues • Liability issues • Funding issues

25. Management and Administrative Issues • Program Evaluation • Accomplishing volunteer objectives and goals • Measuring outcomes

26. Measuring Outcomes-VIPS • Number of agencies who have created/enhanced a program as a direct result of VIPS • Number of new volunteers working with law enforcement as a direct result of VIPS • Increased quality of information presented on the VIPS Website

27. Measuring Outcomes-Agency • FTE’s 1. Patrol officers spend 1 hour per shift doing vacation checks during a year and this function is now done by your volunteers. You have 50 patrol officers. This calculates: 50 officers X 1 hour saved X 228(standard for shifts)= 11,400 hours divided by 1,824 (standard for hours)= 6.25 FTE(full time equivalents) VALUED CUSTOMER: COPS Re-deployment criteria for COPS grantees. FLSA standard is 2080 hours and 260 shifts

28. Measuring Outcomes-Agency • Police man hours saved-simple calculation is volunteer hours that replace a current officer accomplished task times officers pay. • Increased volunteerism in your agency is measurable. • Better citizen/police attitudes; measurable through survey. • Better police/citizen attitudes; measurable through survey.

29. Measuring Outcomes-Agency • …Relative to your programs • Every program should have a mission of its own. • Utilize programs within a larger problem solving mode.

30. Measuring Outcomes-Agency • Example-Cold case fingerprints on minor theft cases • To reduce citizen complaints. • To improve customer service • To increase solvability factors • To reduce officer man hours in minor case investigations.

31. Background and Screening • Background and screening • Record Criteria • No felony record, etc. • Agencies screen their own volunteers • Agencies have control over volunteers

32. Background and Screening • Dangers • Policing is an inherently dangerous profession • Legal aspect of volunteers – consult legal counsel

33. Background and Screening • Compromise Procedures • Can’t pass screenings • No compatible slots open • Contingency plan

34. Communications • Department Buy-in • Policy and procedure • Officer training on volunteer use and recruitment • Officer reward and recognition for • Successful recruiting efforts • Successful partnership activity with volunteers • Supervisory example • Beat officers should be involved – working with volunteers whenever possible

35. Communications • Clear Lines of Responsibility for Agency and Volunteer • Policy and procedure manual • Volunteer handbook • Benefits of Volunteers to Agency • Measure savings • Improvement in police/community relations • Improve police image • Reduction in citizen complaints • Help with levies, funding

36. Communications • Benefits of Volunteers to officers • Frees officers time for patrol and problem solving functions. • Could reduce radio calls, with telephone crime reporting units, handling parking complaints, etc. • Can improve morale of officers; allows them to come in contact with community members who support them. Allows officers to work with citizens in a proactive way.

37. Communications • Benefits of Volunteers to Command Staff • Can have a positive effect on the “us vs. them” element. • Public trust • Can reduce manpower demands • Good way to develop a solid core of community support • Business can “adopt” an agency for community service • Volunteers become “ambassadors” for the department

38. Communications • Benefits of Volunteers to Community • Improve law enforcement service • Citizens can be part of something that is concerned with the common good, something bigger than themselves • Increases community pride • Increases citizen responsibility to take part in government • Volunteers become great role models • Improves understanding and co-operation between the community and their law enforcement officers

39. Communications • Work with Labor Organizations • Need to secure union support • Educate the unions and their leadership that volunteers do not replace, fill in for, or take on duties of sworn or civilian salaried employee

40. Communications • Community Buy-in • Educate community members on the historical perspective of the duty of citizens to be a part of their government – citizens are not subjects • Characteristics of good and responsible citizens and good and responsible are the same • Police service is not something that you pay someone else to do • Most recurrent problems of crime and disorder in neighborhoods have solutions beyond a traditional law enforcement response of patrol and arrest, seizure and punishment – seeding needs to occur and caring, law abiding community members have a great role to play

41. Communications • Recognition of Volunteers • End of year awards • Inclusion in departmental meeting • Letters of commendation from the Chief

42. Communications • Web-site Criteria • Easy to navigate • Great opening page • Peer to peer sharing • What’s new section • Feedback mechanism • Encourage use of VIPS logo and links • Search by type if volunteer position

43. Program Development • Training for Volunteers • Should Cover: • Police procedures governing purpose and utilization of volunteers • Overall orientation to the police agency • Job descriptions and responsibilities • Safety issues • Volunteer performance and outcome • Universal volunteer tips to consider

44. Program Development • Define Volunteer • What is a volunteer? • Who will volunteer? • Examples of Volunteer Successes • Garland, Texas • San Diego, California • Alexandria, Virginia

45. Program Development • Pre-Recruitment Strategy • Create a strategic plan for your volunteer initiative so you can be goal oriented • Develop a Mission Statement • Create a meaningful volunteer opportunity • Get the law enforcement organization ready

46. Program Development • Regional Community Policing Institutes (RCPI) • What is a regional Community Policing Institute? • How an RCPI can help you and your volunteers

47. Sustainability and Funding • Overview • Build community investment and collaboration • Provide alternative opportunities for volunteers • Value of volunteers in police service • Individuals • Law enforcement agency • Community

48. Sustainability and Funding • Local cost for the program • Tend to be self-sufficient as they grow • Develop supervision within their ranks • Adds skills, depth, resources and support – with little cost • Ongoing Marketing of the VIPS Program • Develop volunteer materials – don’t reinvent the wheel • There are no set amount of hours to commit • Make sure systems are in place to evaluate the program and help market the program.

49. Sustainability and Funding • Community Cooperation • Businesses that are interested in supporting volunteer efforts by their employees • Law enforcement / business partnerships are not to be overlooked • Most college degrees require some form of volunteerism – partner with your institutes of higher education

50. Sustainability and Funding • Obtaining Funding • Government Agencies • Other funding; business groups, community groups, etc.