This document provides an overview of the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) program. It discusses how VIPS was established through a presidential initiative to expand the role of community members in law enforcement. The presentation covers goals of the VIPS program, training for volunteers, recruitment strategies, program development considerations, and ensuring sustainability through funding and community support. The overall aim is to familiarize law enforcement agencies with implementing volunteer programs to enhance community policing efforts.

1. “US” PERSPECTIVE
Procedures for Volunteers
in Police Service
JOHN BABATUNDE LEE

2. HOW DID VIPS COME TO BE?
USA Freedom Corps
Corporation for National
and Community Service
Peace Corps
Citizen Corps
Volunteers in Police
Service (VIPS)
Community Emergency
Response Team
(CERT)
Neighborhood
Watch Program
Medical Reserve
Corps

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 , USA
•San Diego, California , USA
•Alexandria, Virginia , USA

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
AFRIMERICA COMMUNITY POLICING
INSTITUTE (ACPI)
What is a Afrimerica Community
Policing Institute?
How an ACPI 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.

51. REVIEW AND SUMMARY
Train the Trainer Overview
Review goals
Introduction to VIPS
What is VIPS
VIPS relationship to community policing and
homeland security
Needs Assessment Support
Applying the VIPS program
Volunteers

52. REVIEW AND SUMMARY
Recruiting and Marketing
 Planning for success
 Relationship with the citizens
Management and Administration
 Role of the volunteer
 Management responsibilities
Background and Screening
 Volunteers requirements
 Legal implications

53. REVIEW AND SUMMARY
Communications
Department acceptance of VIPS
Community acceptance of VIPS
Program Development
Training
Volunteer activities
Funding and sustainability
Value of volunteers
Outreach for funding

54. THANK YOU
JOHN BABATUNDE LEE
Chief Consultant / CEO
AFRIMERICA SECURITY GROUP
Tel: +233- 546 881 061
Email: leejohnbabatunde@gmail.com