The Lyon County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a few good men and women who are interested in working in law enforcement as reserve officers.
Garland Hendrickson, a supervisor in the department, is organizing another class to train reserves, who will work as volunteers while simultaneously having enforcement authority while they are on-duty.
“We’ve got to stress, no pay,” Hendrickson said.
It is a program that gives citizens an opportunity to help out on a part-time basis and also lets people interested in a law-enforcement career test-drive the job before they make a commitment.
“It’s a lot better to find out you don’t want it before you go to the academy,” Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson himself started as a reserve officer in 1982 and joined the department full-time in 1985.
He pointed out that K-9 handler Cory Doudican, supervisor Mark Bolen and deputy Brad Douglas also started out as reserve officers.
“It’s a way to get the foot in the door,” Hendrickson said. “When we get done, we use them a lot.”
Eight hours a month is an average commitment, though Reserve Officer Daryl Klumpe of Olpe often contributes eight hours per week.
Several Lyon County residents already have applied for the upcoming class, and Hendrickson would like to add a few more to the list before he sets a date for the course to begin.
“It’s the same type of stuff they do in the part-time class that the (Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center) academy puts on,” Hendrickson said.
Undersheriff Richard Old said that the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Commission sets standards for full-time and part-time law enforcement officers.
“These are reserve officers. They are not required to meet either of those two state mandatory requirements,” Old said.
However, the sheriff requires them to meet the training standard to protect the department in the event of a lawsuit.
Old said the training is relatively thorough, and a contrast to the old ride-along style in use when Old entered the field.
“Much better than what I got when I was an officer,” he said.
The 80 hours of classes, while condensed, cover the gamut of training topics such as state statutes, firing range, report writing, working accidents, and other areas pertinent to the job.
The 80-hour course spreads classes one evening a week over a four- to five-month period and takes a hands-on approach, Hendrickson said.
“When we get down towards the end of it, time goes faster because we’re going to the range,” he said.
And the training doesn’t end with the basics.
Reserves can be certified in numerous areas, from operating radar equipment to being qualified to carry Tasers, like Klumpe.
Klumpe, whose full-time job is firefighting, is certified as an arson investigator with the state fire marshal’s office, and has completed additional courses at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson and the Highway Patrol Academy in Salina.
Reserves often are asked to help out with directing traffic at accident scenes, keeping crime scenes secure, transporting prisoners, and helping with crowd control at area festivals, and they often are called in when deputies are busy with major accidents or serious cases.
While they are on-duty, however, they have the same authority as officers who are commissioned and working full-time in law enforcement, though the latter’s status is round-the-clock every day of the year.
“While he’s on the radio, logged as in-service, he’s got law-enforcement powers,” Hendrickson said of Klumpe and the other reserves.
“As soon as I take this uniform off, I’ve got no powers,” Klumpe said, completing his supervisor’s thought.
The reserves, sent out on their own, make traffic stops, write tickets and enforce laws just as the full-time officers do. As a result of their activities, they also are subpoenaed and called into court to testify.
Uniforms are furnished and look like the full-time deputy’s gear, right down to the badges.
“They don’t even say reserve on them,” Klumpe said. “We’re all the same.”
People who want to begin the process to become a reserve officer with the sheriff’s department may pick up an application at the Lyon County Courthouse, complete it, and turn it in at the sheriff’s office, 425 Mechanic St.
To apply for a spot in the reserve class, an applicant must:
• be 21 years of age.
• be a high-school graduate
• pass a background check
Because of the Fair Labor Standards Act, people employed by Lyon County are not eligible to take part in the Reserve program, Hendrickson said. FLSA will not allow a current employee to donate time as a volunteer to his or her employer.
Anyone with questions may call Hendrickson at 342-5545, preferably after 4 p.m., for more information.
cruiser (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
January 24, 2010 at 12:31 a.m. ( permalink )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
If there is as much in fighting and back stabbing going on all the time in our local police department and sheriffs office as appears on these boards I'm surprised they have enough time left to protect and serve.
January 24, 2010 at 6:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
73again (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
January 24, 2010 at 5:01 a.m. ( permalink )