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| RESERVE PEACE OFFICERS Reserve Officers are utilized in nearly all Police and Sheriff's agencies to supplement law enforcement manpower. Like regular officers, reserve officers are professionally trained and duly sworn law enforcement personnel. In most cases, reserves are assigned to the same duties as regular officers. Routine tasks such as patrol, booking, warrant service, stake outs and undercover work are just some examples of reserve duties. California has well over 1,000 law enforcement agencies which currently employ nearly 15,000 reserve peace officers. Since reserve peace officers have the same powers of arrest as regular officers they are required by law to meet the same hiring, background, medical and psychological standards as regular officers. Reserve officers are assigned to different duty levels based on the POST certified training which they have received.
Reserve officers are generally recruited by an agency during, or after successful completion of a P.O.S.T. certified academy. (P.O.S.T. is an acronym for California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training). Recruits are required to possess the P.O.S.T. PC 832 credentials as well as pass the physical ability and background requirements of the recruiting agency.
For a complete summary of POST mandated training requirements, visit the California Commission on Peace Officers Standard home page. The link is posted at the bottom of the academy page or click the button at the right to go directly to the P.O.S.T Reserve Officer deployment guideline.
This is the highest level of Reserve Peace Officers. These officers have the same law enforcement powers and authority as regular officers while on duty and may be utilized in such capacity depending on the policy of the host agency. To be appointed to this level, Reserve Officers must have completed at least one of the following course regimens and completed the department prescribed field training requirements:
Level I I Reserve OfficersLevel Two Reserve Officers have peace officer powers and work in a general law enforcement capacity under direct supervision of a qualified regular full-time peace officer. After successful completion of a prescribed training schedule and field experience, the Level II reserve officer is eligible to be promoted to a Level I reserve officer, as long as that officer has successfully completed the POST prescribed training as outlined above. Level I I I Reserve Officers Level Three Reserve Officers are are deployed and authorized only to carry out limited duties not requiring general law enforcement powers in the routine performance of duties. This may include duties such as traffic control and crowd control. RESERVE OFFICER TRAININGThe academy is a fast-paced, para-military style environment. As with full-time law enforcement academies, emphasis is placed on cooperation, teamwork, discipline, academic and physical achievement. Cadets are required to conform to academy dress standards for uniforms and physical training attire. They are required to keep their uniforms clean, pressed and shoes shined. Uniform inspections are conducted weekly. Instruction and practical application is provided in areas of Administration of Criminal Justice, ethics, California court system,, discretionary decision making, first aid / CPR, crimes in progress, unusual occurrences, report writing, radio communications, police-community relations, criminal law, traffic investigation, laws of evidence and patrol procedures.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION Substantial time is invested on instruction in arrest, search and seizure, methods of arrest, weaponless defense, control holds, side-handle baton, vehicle operation and vehicle pull-overs. Cadets are trained and re-trained in each area and evaluated in practical application. Development of skill and officer safety is stressed. Special emphasis is placed on the moral-legal aspects of firearms use and firearms safety. Firearms (pistol and shotgun) use as related to law enforcement with training in combat/stress shooting scenarios and qualifications over a P.O.S.T. prescribed course of fire. Firearms, ammunition and safety gear are supplied by the academy. Cadets are required to participate in a vigorous regimen of physical training (PT). This includes group runs in distances of up to five miles and circuit training which includes push ups, abdominal crunches, leg raises and pull ups. Cadets will be trained to effectively run through a course of various obstacles including hills, chain link fences and six-foot solid wood and concrete walls. PT is progressive and begins with short runs and fewer repetitions. CRITICAL INCIDENTS Skills are tested in practical exercises and "Critical Incident Scenarios". This is a full 12-hour day near the end of the 21-week session where cadets test their acquired skills under simulated street conditions. Cadets are partnered with other cadets and dispatched to calls in the field. They are required to analyze each call and initiate the appropriate enforcement action necessary to solve the problem. Most calls will put the cadets under stress to make quick and logical decisions. Calls for service range from civil disputes and drunken subjects all the way to gang fights, armed robberies and active shooters. The scenarios are proctored by skilled officers who evaluate and document the performance of the cadets. Areas that are evaluated are:
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND MATERIALS The basic minimum requirements for registrants are as follows:
There is a Ventura College course fee, which must be paid at the time of registration. Additionally, cadets must complete a Department of Justice criminal history inquiry (at a cost of approximately $66.00), purchase materials such as Penal Code and Vehicle Code manuals, a uniform and physical training attire. Required materials will be discussed during the first class session. Basic Grooming Guideline Prior to purchase of uniforms, cadets should attend academy sessions in business attire or physical training attire as directed by academy staff. No shorts, sandals or open-toe shoes are allowed. No monogrammed or silk-screened t-shirts are allowed. Male cadets are required to have high and tight haircuts. No facial hair or side burns. Female cadets are required to have hair away from eyes and up off collar. No jewelry except wedding bands and athletic watches. First Week Registrants should come to the first academy session prepared for entry-level physical testing. Proper attire includes sweats, running shorts and running shoes. Changing facilities are available. Once the entry-level physical testing has been successfully completed, registrants will be referred to as "cadets". Starting on the first class meeting, cadets should come prepared to take notes. Bring a notepad and black ball-point pen. Practice writing neatly in upper-case block letters. Come prepared to fill out forms that will include employer information, vehicle license plate numbers, driver's license number, etc. Cadets will be required to purchase a uniforms and physical training attire. Information on these purchases will be submitted to you prior to orientation in the first week. Until such time that academy attire is purchased, cadets are required to bring their own physical training attire. This includes dark-colored shorts, white t-shirts (no logos or silk-screening), sweats and running shoes. In summary, bring all these items to the first class meeting:
Physical Preparation Registrants should engage in vigorous physical conditioning prior to the start of the academy session. Exercises such as running, push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups are highly recommended. To pass the academy's physical agility entry requirements, the cadet will be required to:
Click here for a detailed description of the Physical Agility Test HOURS OF OPERATION AND REGISTRATION The academy normally operates approximately 20 hours per week for 21 weeks. It is open from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings and from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The evening and weekend schedule is designed to help accommodate full-time employment commitments of the cadets. There are two, twenty-one week academy sessions per year. The first session begins in January and the second in August. Registration is through Ventura College as course CJ V70. The academy is located at the Camarillo airport facility in mid-Ventura County at 100 Durley Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010. Telephone (805) 987-7413. You may also fill out and submit the on-line form to receive registration materials in the mail.
The academy runs
two, 21-week sessions per year. The first begins in January, the second begins in
August. Academy registration is through Ventura College. Ventura College Tel: (805) 654-6470 Are you interested? If so, then Ventura College will send you registration information. Simply fill out and submit the on-line request for registration materials. You can also visit the Ventura College web site for further registration information www.venturacollege.edu. |
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| RECRUITING AGENCIES The following are some Southern California law enforcement agencies that have recruited from the Ventura County Police and Sheriff's Reserve Officer Academy. This is only a partial list.
The credentials from the academy meets the training qualifications required by California POST for reserve officer employment. Because the training is POST certified, most California law enforcement agencies accept the training received from this academy. Some Ventura County area law enforcement agencies recruit cadets while they are attending the academy. Most cadets are recruited into law enforcement after they have successfully completed the academy. |
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RELATED LINKS Local (Ventura County Area):
California:
National:
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In general, reserve officers are
volunteers that may work as little as 16 hours per month and are not usually compensated
for their normal duty time. Reserve forces are comprised of individuals that want to
contribute to the safety and well-being of their community as well as those who desire to
work in law enforcement prior to seeking full-time law enforcement careers. Many law
enforcement agencies consider the merits and accomplishments of their reserve officers for
filling full-time positions before seeking outside applicants.
The Ventura County Police and Sheriffs Reserve Officer Academy is a
fully accredited P.O.S.T. regional Modular training center where cadets receive in excess
of 478 hours of law enforcement training. This training includes the identical P.O.S.T
Learning Domains required for the regular officer Training Centers, but is taught on a
evening and weekend schedule to accommodate cadets who cannot attend a full-time academy.
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Ventura County Police and Sheriff's Reserve Officer Academy Updated 08-02-2012 |
