Senior Volunteer Patrols

Depending on the jurisdiction, applicants must be at least 50 to 55 years of age.

Both male and female applicants are accepted.

Applicants agree to abide by all department and program rules.

Applicants must pass a background check, consisting of complete criminal history computer check; Department of Justice fingerprint check; and a check of references.

Applicant must successfully complete the Basic RSVP Academy course. Training To prepare the volunteers for handling these tasks, new volunteers are sent to a two-week academy where they are taught the proper procedures for accomplishing their assigned duties. In addition, monthly meetings are held in which the volunteers are updated on procedures and where problems encountered by the volunteers are addressed. The volunteers commit a minimum of six hours per week to the patrol duties, although many volunteers exceed this time commitment. – 2004 (filed May 12, 2004) 3 Report 2003/4-04 Each of the volunteers is also trained in the non-confrontational policies of the law enforcement agencies as it affects the volunteers. This non-confrontational policy is a vital part of the program’s success. The volunteers are trained to recognize confrontational situations and how to avoid them. This system provides for the safety of the volunteers, their acceptance by the public and helps to avoid potential problems that could arise from the use of “cop wannabees”. Value to the agencies of the services received. Before the senior volunteer programs were adopted, patrol officers performed each of the tasks described in the foregoing section whenever time permitted. If sufficient time were not available to perform the tasks, they would, by necessity, remain undone. With volunteers performing these tasks, the officers are freed to concentrate on duties that require a sworn officer to perform. We have determined, as a result of interviews, that the volunteers in these programs are not only accepted by the sworn officers, but are welcomed by the majority of them. Dollar value of the services performed by volunteers. During fiscal year 2002-2003, 601 volunteers with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department logged 137,718 man-hours. Approximately 500 volunteers with the San Diego Police Department logged 135,674 hours, and the volunteers at the La Mesa Police Department logged 16,998 hours. The hours volunteered by senior citizens are valued by the departments at $16.54 per hour. The value returned to the community of $4,803,051 is dramatically less than the cost of the sworn officers who had been performing these duties. Cost of maintaining the program. The cost of maintaining the Senior Volunteer Program includes all of the expenses incurred in the operation of the program, such as, uniforms, training, supervision, vehicles and maintenance and supplies. The cost to the Sheriff’s Department was $54,056 using part time supervision; cost to the San Diego Police Department was $125,682; and the cost to the La Mesa Police Department was $81,000. In the La Mesa and the San Diego Police departments, a full time officer is assigned for supervision. FACTS AND FINDINGS Facts This Grand Jury finds that the Senior Volunteer Patrol program provides significant savings to the jurisdictions served. The savings are derived by having volunteers perform valuable services while freeing sworn officers to perform their law enforcement duties. Findings The Senior Volunteer Patrol program provides a real service in the community by performing the routine duties that were formerly performed by sworn officers and deputies, freeing these sworn officers to focus on protecting the citizens of San Diego County. 4 – 2004 (filed May 12, 2004) Report 2003/4-04 The services provided by the volunteers comes at a cost of $260,738 to the jurisdictions examined. That cost, while significant, is outweighed by the benefits derived from the use of the volunteers. The value placed on the hours contributed by the volunteers by the departments examined in this report for fiscal year 2002/2003 is $4,803,051. The net value of these services by the volunteers is $4,542,313 for the year, using the modest value being used of $16.54 per hour. When you also consider the value to the local governments of freeing sworn officers from routine jobs, the value of the volunteers is even more apparent. One issue that has not been evaluated by this Jury is the revenue brought in by the writing of citations for the unauthorized use of handicapped parking. While this revenue is probably quite significant, this revenue has not been considered in determining the value of the Senior Volunteer Patrol program. To determine the true cost and value of the programs, the citation revenues should be included. Even without the revenues, the Senior Volunteer Programs give far more value back to the community than it costs to maintain. COMMENDATION The men and women volunteering their services to the Senior Volunteer Patrols are a dedicated group of citizens who are worthy of commendation by this Grand Jury. They provide a valuable service to the communities they serve by performing the routine duties that otherwise would take sworn officers away from the essential tasks that they perform.