 
Message
from Captain Chuck
Mantkus
NRLO Director
of Training
To: NRLO Members, "eTraining"
Members, and Visitors
Subject: Special Important Notice: Court
Security
What would you do without
Reserves/Auxiliaries?
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Special Notice:
"Court Security"
The entire "eTraining"
Basic Training Article on "Court Security" can be accessed
on
the password protected portion of the web
site. Sign up or login
here.
On the morning
of March 11, 2005, in an Atlanta, Georgia, courtroom, a subject
being brought before a Judge grabbed a Deputy's weapon and shot and
killed the Judge, a court reporter, and seriously wounded the Deputy
and then killed another Deputy during his escape.
The above happening brings us
back to our basic training in Courtroom Security. Have you had
specific training in Courtroom Security? If not, you
should. Let me reiterate once again a few items of training in
courtroom security.
Remember, the
most likely time for a subject to attack or try to escape is when
facing the Judge and/or especially during
sentencing.
Basic Court Security should be
adapted to include each courtroom individually. A drawing of
each courtroom should be drawn with objects and subjects placement
shown. A mock trial in a specified courtroom is suggested to
inform Officers of location of the Judge, jury, subjects,
spectators, exits, possible escape routes, etc. When your
training syllabus is completed, take it to that particular court's
Judge for review and approval. The Judge does not need any
surprises by your actions during a court session.
Felons may not be the only
subjects who might try to capitalize on any relaxation or lack of
vigilance on your part in order to escape. The seriousness of
the crime and age of the subjects are not good criteria for
vigilance on your part. Most experienced Officers have learned
that the subject may be wanted elsewhere for more serious crimes and
they have learned to expect anything from children and
teenagers.
The same rules apply when
taking/transporting a subject to court. There are a few
exceptions to the rules as the presiding Judge may want to change
your training syllabus to meet his/her own conception of
handling. If this is the case and you have any doubt in your
mind about a security breech or the possibility of escape, you
should tell the Judge why you think your proceedures should be
changed and/or applied.
Your weapon side should
always be kept away from your subject. A weapon retention
course should be made mandatory. Keep the subject in front of
you where all movements can be monitored - never behind you.
As in all courts, an Officer
should keep family, friends, or anyone else other than the
attorney from conversing with the subject; and don't allow
anyone to come in contact with the subject.
Departments having
Reserve/Auxiliary Divisions do in most cases use those Officers for
court duty.
RESOLVE ALL DOUBT IN YOUR
FAVOR
Be sure
to see Captain Mantkus' entire article on Court
Security.
What would you do without
Reserves/Auxiliaries?
For those of you in doubt of ever
having a Reserve/Auxiliary force, this should give you the spark to
delve further into the possibilities of forming your own Unit and to
reconsider the advantages to the Department and to your
community.
NRLO received a
guestbook signup from Chief of Police J.
Lewis of the Lakeville Police Department, Indiana. His
comments are of such importance that we are passing them on to
you Chief Lewis knows from experience
what Reserve/Auxiliary Officers can do for a Department.
What would he do without them? Here are some of his comments.
(The Guestbook feature has limited space for comment;
for complete verbiage of the sign-up, please click
here.) Please take the time to read the full signup
- it is well worth the read. He appreciates and is proud of
his Reserves, and they (and all other
Reserves/Auxiliaries) will appreciate and be encouraged by
his comments.
"I have a
10-man Department. Three of us are paid; the other 7
are Reserve Officers." Chief Lewis went on to say: "Our
Reserves run 60% of our monthly work schedule. If it weren't
for Reserves, we wouldn't have over half the shifts covered in our
town. Reserves trained properly are the biggest asset a small town
(or large town for that matter) can
have."
Chief
Lewis then stated that out of the total of nine Officers the
Department has, by the end of 2005, 6 of
these 10 Officers will be certified, state training
instructors. This statement and the facts alone tell us
of Chief Lewis' outstanding Department and of the need for
Reserve/Auxiliary Officers. It shows what a small Department
can do to meet supply and demand when funds and other sources are
not available. For those of you in doubt of ever having a
Reserve/Auxiliary force, this should give you the spark to delve
further into the possibilities of forming your own Unit and to
reconsider the advantages to the Department and to your
community.
NRLO has
many tools necessary to help build your volunteer
force. Take the time to look through our many diversified
publishing articles of information and law enforcement knowledge
contained in "eTraining." NRLO is there for
you - from the planning stages to the final completion and
follow-up of your Reserve/Auxiliary Unit.
In your
quest for Reserve/Auxiliary personnel, let them know up front
that the lowest cost insurance is available through NRLO. This
insurance will remove some financial stress and worry from the
Volunteer in case of injury in-the-line-of-duty. The cost
of membership is minimal enough that the Department could include it
in a benefit package to their new Volunteers and also to their
present Officers
(volunteer/regular).
Take care. Be careful out there; and
remember, "Resolve All Doubts in Your
Favor."
Chuck
Mantkus
NRLO Director of Training
P/S Join
NRLO's team of professionals and become a Member of National
Reserve Law Officers Association. As a NRLO Member, you will have the
best insurance protection available anywhere for the low cost
of your annual dues; plus, your family will have peace
of mind. Check out NRLO's Membership
benefits; you won't regret it. Join
NRLO .
Check out the links below to useful government
training site links on
"first response in terrorist
training" - GET INFORMED!
SEND IN YOUR
SUGGESTIONS AND/OR TRAINING ARTICLES TO
NRLO
Back to Top
*****************************************************************************************
"NRLO Training Director's
Picks"
of Useful Government
Training Links
Director Mantkus said:
............ "These are great
examples of what we are looking for in first response
terrorist training and programs. GET
INFORMED by obtaining useful information from these
government/organization sites...."
Also see NRLO's new
WMD/HAZMAT page in "Basic Education."
(Under
Construction)
The "Volunteers in Police
Service" (VIPS) program is an
effort developed by the U.S. Department of
Justice in partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP). This program was created to support
President Bush's USA Freedom Corps initiative and is one of two
Citizen Corps programs administered by
the U.S. Department of Justice. Click here for more
information and links to these web
sites .
**********************************
NRLO thanks APO Rodney E. Holmes
(NRLO's Resource Officer) for submitting the
following links.
Officer Holmes is with the NYPD 20th Pct., New York
City; and he is a NRLO Guest
Editor
Officer Holmes said in an e-mail to Director Mantkus on the
following links: "I wanted
you to have this information. Anyone in Law Enforcement,
Emergency Services, and/or Emergency Rescue and Haz-mat can get
these certificates. There are even some for civilians. I
have completed one of these courses already (IS-11A), and not only
does it count as one college credit but, it is also good to be
prepared and Certified in the field. .... APO Rodney E. Holmes,
NYPD 20th Pct."
http://www.ready.gov/get_informed.html
GET INFORMED:
"...Knowing
what to do during an emergency is an important part of being
prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.
......"
http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS The EMI Independent
Study program consists of self-paced courses designed for people who
have emergency management responsibilities and the general
public. Courses are offered FREE-OF-CHARGE to all who
qualify for enrollment, and college credit can be obtained through a
"for-fee" service after successful completion of a course.
Click on the COLLEGE CREDIT item on the site's menu for
details.
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CERT/Index.asp
The purpose of this section of the FEMA Web site is to provide
information which will help you to establish and maintain an
effective CERT program, and to allow you to network with people
throughout the United States and its territories regarding CERT
activities.
*******************************************************
Back to
Top
A Call to Law Enforcement
Trainers
#################
New and upcoming articles to
eTraining
NRLO is geared to handle and publish any
tried, true, new and progressive technique, as they become
available................................... Check out "What's new in
eTraining."
*************************************
JOIN NRLO's "eTraining" now!
(Free)
More
information on eTraining
Membership
Get free access to NRLO's password protected training
pages.
Receive special, "eTraining" Membership
Newsletters (via e-mail)
from NRLO Training Director, Captain
Chuck Mantkus.
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Message
Archive
Written by NRLO Director of
Training
Captain Chuck Mantkus
Past
Messages: Check out past messages for
Reserve Law Enforcement Officer words of knowledge from Captain
Mantkus.
-
To Protect and Serve - To "Protect and Serve"
is really what Law Enforcement is all about. As a Law
Enforcement Officer, you must keep this in mind at all
times. This is "Community
Policing."
-
Holiday Message - A few suggestions to
keep you alert and safe; to make certain
that you will be around this coming
year.
-
-
-
Are you ready to hit the
streets? We depend upon our leaders
and trainers to find out about new training
procedures and techniques. It is up to leaders and trainers
to tell Officers what kind of situation the training is
for; what we can do about the situation; and also, will we be able
to defend ourselves and others from the situation? Can we
possibly use this new training device, or tactic, to our own
benefit?
-
To Protect and
Serve Through Less Force and More Community Policing -
To "Protect and Serve" is really what Law Enforcement is all
about. As a Law Enforcement Officer, you must keep this in
mind at all times. This is "Community Policing."
When you are out there meeting the public, take the time to remember
that you are really one of them. You just happen to be in a
uniform, have a badge, and are carrying a gun. This does not
give you the right to show your authority by aggressive action, and
force must be controlled.
Law Enforcement Officers
(Regular or Reserve/Auxiliary) must live by the role of "less
is better" when it comes to the application of force. It would
be better to elicit the support of the community by an example of
restraint rather than risk having the community to distrust you
because of the use of unneccessary force or action. Officers
who have used excessive and unnecessary amounts of force have lost
community respect and support.
There are times when the application
of what might seem to be a contradiction to the above is required,
and use of force is appropriate for the protection of life and
limb. Just be careful when, where, and how you use
it.
You have heard many times that
Policing has gotten out of touch with the people it serves by
encasing itself in a cocoon, known as a "Police Cruiser."
The only time that the Officers come in contact with the public is
when they execute some type of enforcement action such as writing a
citation for running a stop sign, etc. This is not
"Community Policing." This does not mean that
Officers should be put on foot Patrol in order to meet the
public. All it takes is a few moments of your time to stop and
become acquainted with the people in your area or beat. This
is what "Community Policing" is all
about. Become "proactive" rather than "reactive" to a
crime after it has been committed. By this action, you become
more adept to crime prevention. Now the local citizens are on
your side and are there to assist you if need be. They will
look forward to seeing you instead of trying to bypass
you.
"Community Policing" is a
return to the past - starting back in the days of Robert
Peal. It is a concept that a modern Police community thinks is
innovative and is the proper approach to Law Enforcement. As
Mr. Peal stated in one of his first orders to the London Police,
"Be a part of the community; and if required, use the minimum
amount of force necessary to affect or stop the action." This
is the creed and standard of conduct for the modern Law Enforcement
Department.
You, as
Reserves and Auxiliaries, are expected to live up to those
standards. With a proper and continuous training program and
with the use of "Community Policing," you will meet all
expectations and bring credit to yourself, to your Department, and
to your fellow Officers.
Back to
Top
Holiday Message - A few suggestions to keep you alert and
safe and to make certain that you will be around this coming
year.
Holidays are just around the corner, and it's time to remind
everyone to be especially careful out there. It seems that
during the holiday season we get lax and sort of flow with the
spirit of things. It's great to feel that way, but someone may
get hurt. We tend to go to extremes, and that also means that
someone is going to miss their family and friends and the true
meaning of the holidays. Don't let this happen to you, to your
partner, to your firends, or to your family. Here are just a
few suggestions to keep you alert and safe and to make certain that
you will be around this coming year.
When you make
that traffic stop call to Dispatch with the pertinent information on
the vehicle and on its occupant(s), ask yourself if you are going to
need backup. Did you get a slight twinge or moment of
hesitation as you pulled the vehicle over? Was there a sudden
chill in the air? Did the hair on the back of your neck rise a
little? Take heed of your intuition and experience. Wait
for backup if you are uncertain. Don't ignore those inner
feelings, especially when the vehicle has heavy tinted windows, lots
of movement going on, or you just have a gut feeling that something
is wrong. Believe me, there probably is. A complete
article on this subject could be written, but you know what I am
talking about. Just be careful out there!
It seems that
Reserve/Auxiliary Officers get in an automatic routine when
transporting prisoners, of which they do a lot. Sure, they
check out the transport vehicle; they get a run-down of what their
prisoner did and what his or her behavior has been, and they
also are careful in the shakedown prior to transport. But that
is a routine they follow each and every transport. No problems
for years, each and every transport has been successful; but here it
is the "holidays," and you want to get this over and get back home
with your family. Did you hurry too much and miss
something? This guy or gal you are transporting would like to
be home for the holidays too. "Is now the time to make
that break?" While you have been out and about, this guy
or gal has been sitting in that cell thinking about not being home
or with family for the holidays. What have I got to
lose? If caught, how much time would be added my
sentence? Can't be that much. What the heck, it's worth
a try. And then too, when they shook me down they missed the
safety pin in my shorts, or I still have my comb, etc."
Maybe that Transport Officer is not going to be home for Christmas -
this year or ever.
Did you
know:
-
Over 300
Officers have been killed while transporting
criminals.
-
Age, sex,
color, race, or creed makes no difference.
-
An escape by
the criminal you are transporting has or is giving escape some
thought.
Remember that
the most dangerous time of the transport is when you near your
destination. One other point I would like to call to your
attention - did you know that during a ten-year period from 1992 to
2001, 92 cop killers were under the age of 18? If the use
of drugs or alcohol is a factor in your transport's past, remember
that under this influence, the killing of an Officer to them is much
easier.
Watch ever so
closely the criminal and also the spectators at the time of
sentencing. This is when the impact hits them the
hardest. Courts without metal detectors or other methods of
checking and observing spectators are asking for trouble. The
target may be the Judge, the prosecuting attorney, the Officers in
court, the spectators, or even the criminal. If a parent (as
an example) or someone involved thinks that the sentence is too
light (or even too heavy), it may trigger a response involving the
use of excessive force which may result in injury or even
death.
This has been a
repeat of just a few items that you already know; but you should
remind yourself once again - not only during this "holiday season,"
but each and every day. If you are careful and do what
you know is right, keep up a training schedule, stay alert, and keep
the upper hand, you will be around for this holiday season and for
the many more to come.
Have
a Happy and Safe Holiday.
Back to Top
Time For Review -
Is Your Training Syllabus
Up-To-Date?
It all boils down to
the fact that in Law Enforcement, training is a "never-ending
process."
Now
is a good time to review your training syllabus; and at the same
time, ask yourself if it is up-to- date; and will it meet the needs
of the Officers and of the community in which they serve? Once
again, we are being repetitive; but it does not hurt to be
reminded every once in awhile. You cannot afford to get lax,
not even for a moment.
First, ask
yourself "What role does our Reserve/Auxiliary program play in
augmenting our Regular Officers; and where does this program fit
into the community?"
Do you have
more than one level of Reserve/Auxiliary Officers? Is there a
need for more than one level? Let's look at some examples of
levels.
Level
I
For example, if your Reserve/Auxiliary Officer is
going to perform the same duty as his Regular counterpart, then that
Officer should be trained in equivalence to a Regular, Certified
Officer. If their duties are the same, so should be their
training and physical qualifications. This Officer could be
classed as a Level I Officer.
Training and Certification should be obtained only from a
recognized Law Enforcement Academy. I have seen (and
still see) small jurisdictions using Reserve/Auxiliary Officers
with little or no training filling the positions
of Regular Officers. This is being done due
mainly to a lack of funds with which to hire more Officers; and
in some cases, they are being used because there is just no one else
available. They pray they can get by without mishap.
"From the frying pan into the fire!"
Level
II
A Level II Officer would actually be a
Reserve/Auxiliary Certified Officer. A Level II Officer should
only perform the duties for which he/she was trained and
qualified. These Officers would work under the direct
supervision and in the presence of a Regular or other Certified
Officer. Now, are they getting the right training?
A Level II
Officer should have at minimum the training listed in our
syllabus as outlined in our eTraining
Section. Each and every Reserve/Auxiliary Officer should at
some time or another during their initial training program learn the
basics of his/her counterpart (the Regular) Officer's duties.
In addition, this minimum training should have the special training
needed for a particular agency's requirements. This extends
the Officer's initial training period; but common sense tells you it
is a necessity.
Level
III
Should you wish to go a step further, you might even
have a Level III Officer designated to do
only (as examples) office work, errands, etc. Their limited
assignment should be just that and no more. Assign additional
duties only if the individual has been thoroughly trained and
certified in those duties.
Other
Requirements
Remember to require a complete background check - the
same as for a Regular Officer. Medical and psychological
examinations are also recommended for Reserve/Auxiliary Officers
just as they are for Regular Officers.
In reference to
psychological examinations, some agencies use a mail-away
exam. I am not familiar with mail-away exams, so I cannot be
of much help in defining them. However, if you are going to
use a mail-away type, I would first ask them what their track record
is on failures; on what do they base those failures; and ask
if they have an appeal process. I would ask them how
their standards compare with the standards used by psychologists who
are currently doing your agency's evaluations. I would also
ask them if any legal action could be taken to de-certify an Officer
for some kind of psychological deficiency based on a
'mail-away' exam. One more question - is there an on-going
evaluation process through the term of the certification so that the
evaluation can be validated and utilized in the event a person is no
longer psychologically fit?
Also, in order to have
Reserve/Auxiliary training standards be related to the job for
which the organization was developed, you must have a job
description for a Reserve/Auxiliary Officer.
Upgrading
Training Standards
Times have changed. Training standards should be
expanded from present time both in class and in the field. In
the past few years, there have been many new developments in
equipment and in their use. With the criminal element having
weapons and equipment as good or better than Law Enforcement tells
us what we have to do. Many certified Reserve/Auxiliary
Officers have never seen, let alone fired, any other weapon other
than their own.
Many courses which were
given a few years ago did not sufficiently cover the training
needed to meet today's needs - mainly in the "Use of Force," "Sexual
Harassment," "Emergency Vehicle Opeations," "Defensive Tactics," and
"Physical Agility" training.
Possibly, "physical
agility" training should be given up-front instead of mid-way or
later-on. Physical fitness and agility should be commensurate
with duties being performed. This is sometimes difficult
to resolve. A 60-year-old Reserve/Auxiliary Officer is not
expected to perform as well as a 25-year-old Officer. Yet, if
the 60-year-old is teamed with a 25-year-old Regular, what should
his performance ability be when performing the same job-related
duties?
There should be more
classes on specialized weapons, chemical agents, biological weapons,
firebombs, home security, etc. The list goes on and on.
It all boils down to the fact that in Law Enforcement, training is a
"never-ending process." The better you are trained, the better
are your chances of survival.
We at the
National Reserve Law Officers Association are here for you.
Our Guest
Editors are doing a wonderful
job. Take the time to read their articles. We learn
something new every day, don't we? They bring yesteday's and
today's problems to the forefront with ideas and solutions.
They have had the experience first-hand; and they are willing to
share it with you. . They
will find an answer for you. (Check out our new Training Articles from such Guest
Editors)
Remember the old adage on
training: IF IT IS NOT DOCUMENTED, IT
NEVER HAPPENED!
Back to Top
Do you have any
inkling of what to do in the case of a germ or biological
attack?
The War is over, but not
quite. Al-Qaida seems as strong as ever, and suicide bombings
are once again on the increase. What does this mean to you and
to Law Enforcement? We have to be more alert than ever.
The bombings have not been on our soil since the declared end of the
conflict, but that does not say they are over for
good.
Our "Home Defense" has been preparing for
emergencies by having mock attacks in several of our major
cities. These trial runs are helpful in planning for the
future, but they were planned and staged after months of
preparation. Will they work as efficiently should a surprise
attack hit when and where it is not expected?
Are you as an individual,
ready to meet such a challenge? Is your Department
ready? This is where your training and preparedness must be at
top level. You must not only continue your normal routine of
training; but in addition, it is necessary to at least have the
basic knowledge of what to do in case you are called upon for
out-of-the-ordinary situations. Let me cover a few.
Do you have any inkling of
what to do in the case of a germ or biological attack? I have
asked our Law Enforcement personnel and agencies to send us what
information they have so we could pass it on to you. (See
NRLO's new pages: WMD/HAZMAT authored by Officer/Instructor
Brett Sidenbender)
-
What would you do should a
missile strike, in or near your community? Have you even
thought about it? Perhaps you live in an out-of-the-way
place, or you have placed targets to strike only large industrial
areas. Power plants such as dams and nuclear locations are
not near you, so you are not necessarily concerned as much.
Stop and think for a moment. Can you actually direct the
path of a tornado? Will it keep going straight, or will it
suddenly turn towards you? Have you ever heard of a bomb
going off course? So, you see, you must be prepared;
"just in case".
-
Have you reviewed your
course on "Mob Control"? There is no doubt that should a
catastrophe occur, you are going to have to be concerned with
mobs, looting, and pillage of all sorts.
-
Are the citizens in your
community fully informed about emergencies such as mentioned
above? Do you have adequate "Neighborhood Watch" programs in
effect? Have you, as an agency or Law Enforcement Officer,
thought about putting a program together to assist the citizens of
your community in preparing for such emergencies?
-
With both parents working
(as many now are) has there been adequate steps taken for the care
of children, the elderly, and pets in the case of an
emergency? Where they would go, what would they
do, what would they take with them, and how will
they get in contact with their loved
ones.
I could go on and on with the
many things that should be done, but I am certain you already know
what they are. The purpose of this message is to remind you,
the Law Enforcement Officers, of your duties and role in the safety
of citizens and of country especially in our present
situation.
Please, SEND IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND/OR TRAINING ARTICLES TO
NRLO so they can be passed on to fellow Officers and
agencies.
Keep in constant touch with
up-to-date information that may save you or your fellow man.
Tune in to NRLO for the latest at nrlo.net.
Back to Top
Message of March/April, 2003
Are You Ready to hit
the streets?
Being a Reserve/Auxiliary/Regular Law
Enforcement Officer and/or Trainer, have you glanced at
NRLOs Training Syllabus and come away with the feeling,
"I've read that before;" or, "I've had that." True, you probably
have; but stop for a moment and think about "training as a
whole." Think about the basic training that everyone in your field
should know and have to stay alive, especially in these uncertain
times. Each and every day, something new in Law
Enforcement training comes on the scene that we have never
heard of before. So, what do we do? Are you ready?
We depend upon our leaders and trainers to find out
about new training procedures and techniques. It is up to
leaders and trainers to tell Officers what kind of situation
the training is for; what we can do about the situation; and
also, will we be able to defend ourselves and others from the
situation? Can we possibly use this new training device,
or tactic, to our own benefit?
We
at NRLO cannot cover all situations; however, NRLO counts on
its Members, Member-Trainers,
and other readers becoming "Guest
Editors" and letting
others know about these new training innovations and how
to use them. What better source of tried and true
information can you get, other than from an Officer who has
experienced the situation, and who has the knowledge of its
workings? Good or Bad? NRLO is geared to handle and
publish any tried, true, new and progressive technique, when they
become available.
When a new technique becomes
available, NRLO will advise you about it and will most likely
list a question or a problem in the "Training Q&A" section; and the
multitude of Members will faithfully respond, and the answers
will then passed on to you.
In order to be ready out
there, you need all of the new training input you can get; but you
need the old input too. That is why NRLO provides you with
basic training information; syllabus; and program sections of the
web site. NRLO's free "eTraining"
Membership allows Reserves all across the country to access these
sections NRLO is planning a "Members
Only" training section which will allow for "context
sensitive" information on firearms and specialty task force
training. More information will be posted on NRLO's "SOS
Bulletin Board - Message Center".
You need all of the training
information you can get on all phases of Law Enforcement. You
also need the "certification" in the subject(s) you have been
trained in. You must "be ready" to
meet crime (the opposition) head-on.
Terrorism
We are more than likely going
to get hit with terrorist activity like we have never seen
before. You are going to need "refresher courses" in hands-on-training in
Physical Contact Training, Weapon
Retention, and an added course in
Biological and Chemical Warfare. Am I possibly sounding
"way out?" Perhaps, but when you first became a Law
Enforcement Officer, didn't you think then that some of the courses
were silly or not necessary? Do you know how to handle anthrax, or do you know what to do if a missle
or container of small pox hits your
city?
You,
the Law Enforcement Officers of America are the "Home Front." You are the ones who
are depended upon to "take care of
things." You can let citizens be assured that the
"Home Front" is safe by keeping up-to-date; learn new
training procedures and developments; and find out what's
going on. Don't let them down!
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Training Center, Artesia, NM; and former Narcotics
Investigator/Deputy Sheriff, Captain Law Enforcement Division, Luna
County Sheriff's Dept., NM)
Join NRLO's team of
professionals, the Members of National Reserve Law Officers
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#######
A Reserve Unit is an Integral Part of the
Department
There are Law Enforcement Agencies who have
never had the opportunity, advantage, and pleasure to work with
a Reserve/Auxiliary group of well trained, volunteer Officers.
These Officers are there to augment the regular,
full-time Officers in times of stress, emergencies, and in all
Law Enforcement needs.
A Reserve Unit is an integral part of the Department
for which it serves. It is
established and operated under the Authority of the Statutes of the
State in which it serves, while under the direction of the Sheriff,
Chief of Police, or other authority.
A
volunteer force of Officers cannot exercise the powers of regular
Officers unless they receive those powers by appropriate authority
and then only within whatever limitations the law
imposes. A Reserve's job assignments depend on the
training received. This is where NRLO comes in.
NRLO assists in laying out training syllabuses to cover most
situations and questions are answered. These syllabuses and
suggestions are meant to be used as guidelines only.
Worried
about insurance? Here
again NRLO can furnish a low cost, much needed, insurance policy for
the volunteers (and for regular Officers as well).
Many
agencies throughout the United States would find it difficult to
operate without their volunteer force. As an
example: What would the United States do without the National
Guard? What would our country do without the National Guard
and Reserve Units? The same principle and theory applies to
our Law Enforcement. Yes, we would and will prevail; but not
as quickly or efficiently. As stated earlier, these volunteers
are there to augment the regular officers, not to replace
them. They fill in the gaps when needed, from Officer assist,
crowd control, ride along, crime scene security, inmate transport,
court security, and so much more. Wouldn't it be more sensible
to have a Reserve/Auxiliary Officer control traffic during a parade? Escorting a
funeral? Guarding a crime scene? Taking inmates to
court, to detention, delivering paper work, etc.?
Reserve/Auxiliary Officers in most operations receive the
same training as the Regular Officers; and in some Departments, they
have the same authority. Smaller Departments use their
volunteers to fill in the gaps when their Officers are tied up with
court appearances and many other time consuming duties.
Training is so designed that the volunteer Officer can assist the
regular Officers in the proper performance of his/her
duties should the occasion arise. Reserve/Auxiliary
Officers perform only the duties they have been trained and
certified to do.
You will find
that these civilian counterparts are well liked and respected by the
community in which they reside. Through being courteous,
thoughtful, and resourceful, volunteers bring and
enhance goodwill to the entire community by establishing a
closer relationship between the citizens and their Law Enforcement
Officers. After all, these volunteers are your neighbors and
friends. You see them every day and you respect them and their
uniform. There is now a different light in the eyes of the
public. They now see you as a part of them.
The National Reserve Law Officers Association (NRLO)
has gone a step further in assisting agencies in formatting their
training and in helping to solve problems that may arise or
exist. Each and every one of you should take the time to
review just what NRLO does for Law Enforcement. From
the ground up, they show you how to establish a Reserve/Auxiliary
Unit, about certified training programs, and a lot more that will
surprise you. NRLO is here for you today and for
tomorrow.
Don't discount
or short-change a volunteer group of dedicated individuals who are
willing to put their life on the line to help you and their fellow
man in making this a better and safer country in which to
live. They may be a volunteer today, but tomorrow they may be
that Officer backing you up when you need one.
If you
have not checked out this site, do so now. Look at all of the
Departments, check out the eTraining, read the response of its members, Guestbook
signups, and more. If you have
not looked at both sides of the coin, you are making a gross error
in judgment. You owe it to yourself and to your agency to
resolve all doubts in your favor. A Reserve/Auxiliary Unit
will help you do this.
#####
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Comments in NRLO Guestbook signup from
Chief
L. Lewis, Lakeville Police Department, IN
February 17, 2005
(Due to limited space for the guestbook comments, following
is the complete guestbook entry supporting Captain Mantkus' training
message titled "What would you
do without
Reserves/Auxiliaries?.)
Very informative
site. I have a 10-man Department; 3 of us are paid, the other
7 are Reserve Officers. Our Reserves run 60% of our monthly
work schedule. If it were not for Reserves, we wouldn't have
over half the shifts covered in our town. Properly trained
Reserves are the biggest asset a small town (or large town for
that matter) can have. Indeed, we appreciate the Reserves for
what they do. Out of the 10 total Officers we have, at the end
of 2005, we will have 6 state-certified Training Instructors.
Not bad for a small town Department.
I have posted
this link to my Officers. I'm sure they will want to join this
Association. I'd like to thank you for the insight and for the
help you do in regards to recognition to Reserve Officers.
These guys put their lives on the line every day and for free.
I treat all of my guys the same. We all do the same job and
deserve the same treatment.
You know, it
might be a Reserve Officer that saves your life one day; and if we
are in need of backup, who cares if such Officer is paid or
not??? I'm sure the Officer that is in need of help surely
doesn't care nor does that Officer's family care just as long as we
all go home at the end of our shifts to be with our loved
ones.
I'd like to hit
on another note, if I may. For those skeptical about starting
a Reserve Unit, just make sure the people you take are decent.
Check their background and work history well. I know when I
started my Reserve Unit, we had some opposition to it. Some
were saying that the only reason one would work for free is that
they want a badge and a gun. In some instances there are
people like that; but if you look hard, you will locate some darn
good guys. Even if it takes you a while to locate these new
Officers, it's well worth it in the end. I have guys that were
academy certified that worked for a few years in Law Enforcement and
got out of it because they found better paying jobs (we all know
Police Officers don't get paid what they should be getting
paid). Older gentlemen who were in Law Enforcement and who
retired (but were still young enough to do the job and do it
for free just to help them pass time) still enjoy helping
others. I have other young men that are Dispatchers for other
agencies that want to get their feet wet; and I tell you that some
of these guys end up being the best of all.
In short, don't
give up on your Reserve program even if you feel you need to do
so. I'm proud to have the guys that I do have, and they are
definitely an asset to my Department. If I had a budget that
would support hiring them, I'd hire all of the ones I have in a
heart beat. NRLO, keep up the great work that you are
doing.
Sincerely
yours,
Chief J. Lewis
Lakeville Police Department,
Indiana
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