The Community Safety Volunteer Program enables volunteers to provide services to the community in those areas of law enforcement that do not require the attention of a sworn officer.  Volunteers will receive specialized training in the areas of self defense, conflict resolution, defensive driving, and many other basic skills useful in the field of law enforcement.

Volunteers will be performing community service tasks including: processing fingerprint applications; performing Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) verifications; giving presentations on crime prevention topics; completing tow company paperwork at accident scenes; assisting with traffic control; and a variety of other office-related duties.

This program is the result of Sheriff David Weaver’s passion to work in partnership with local residents to achieve safety and pride of ownership in the community.  “In my 24 years of law enforcement experience, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of very talented people, many of whom were civilians,” said Sheriff Weaver about his motivation for starting the program.  “I had it in the back of my mind that if I ever became Sheriff, I would work hard to incorporate those individuals from the community more.”

Qualified volunteers will be required to attend a 10-week citizen’s academy beginning April 4, 2006.  The classes will meet every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Justice Center in Castle Rock, and three Sundays in between before graduation on June 8, 2006.  Volunteers will also be required to complete a minimum of 30 “ride-along” hours with a patrol officer.  Some courses and material will be available online.

Minimum requirements to apply for this program include:

• Must be 20 years of age or older
  
  
• Must be a citizen of the United States
  
  
• Must possess a valid Colorado driver’s license
  
  
• Must pass a polygraph and full background investigation
  
  
• Must never have been convicted of a felony
  
  
• Must have absolutely no illegal drug use within the last three years
  
  
• Must have no alcohol-related traffic offenses within the last five years
  
  
• Must have the ability to deal with confidential information and keep it confidential
  
  
• Must possess good public speaking and presentation skills
  
  
• Must be willing to commit a minimum of 16 hours a month
  

Applications are available online at www.dcsheriff.net or at the Sheriff’s Office. For additional information about this program, please contact Captain Kim L. Castellano at 303-660-7516.