Wanted: Reserve police officers – at least three

by Dennis Dalman

editor@thenewsleaders.com

The Sartell Police Department is hoping for three more Reserve officers – at least three – but like fishing without any luck, it’s been difficult for the department to get any nibbles.

“It’s really been a struggle to get enough (Reserve officers),” said Sgt. Kelly Mader. “We used to get 20 to 30 applications. Now we’re lucky if we get even two.”

The department has 10 Reserve officers now.

“We’d like to get that number up to 14, at least,” Mader said. “We’re always, always looking for applicants.”

The Sartell Police Department Reserve Program was created in the late 1970s as a way for civilian volunteers to assist the department with various duties. Those duties include assisting with records-keeping, fingerprinting, vacation home checks, welcome-packet deliveries to new residents, working on the police blotter, helping at the summer Police Activities League with children, traffic control and serving as security at local events, among other tasks.

Reserve officers also help with general law enforcement, crime-prevention programs, emergency medical responses, winter parking enforcement and motorist assistance.

Reserve officers contribute greatly to the success of the Sartell Police Department, not least of which is freeing up full-time officers for more urgent emergency duties. The department now has 19 full-fledged, full-time police officers, Mader noted.

The Reserve program is funded in large part by grants and donations.

Some Reserve volunteers also choose to take First Responder training.

The following are the qualifications and expectations for Reserve officers:

• Must be at least 18, no criminal record, valid driver’s license and be in reasonably good physical shape.
• Each Reserve officer goes through about eight hours of initial training, and while on the job, the recruit is learning all of the time.
• Reserve officers are expected to put in a minimum of 10 hours per month, but the program is very flexible according to the needs and schedules of each volunteer.

“It’s a great program,” Mader said. “It gives people the opportunity to get involved and to help out with police work while still having another job and interests.”

Mader himself was a Reserve police officer in 1996 with the Sartell Police Department. After his service there, he landed a job as an officer with the Avon Police Department and worked there for three years. Then he was hired to work in his hometown, Sartell, and he’s been there happily ever since.

Reserve Sgt. Todd Ackerman has been with the Sartell Police Department for 13 years, the longest of any Reserve officer, Mader noted.

Mader said he is hoping at least three applicants will step up to bat soon. He already has one person interested, but it would be ideal if three more candidates would apply so the four could be trained all at the same time.

The Reserve program is good for people who are studying to become full-fledged police officers, but on the other hand, it’s also an excellent way for people not interested in becoming police officers to lend a hand, to do interesting work and to meet interesting people. In fact, Mader hopes he will get applications from people not planning to go into law enforcement as a profession. That way, they won’t be inclined to move out of the area and can keep serving as Reserve officers as long as they like.

Thanks to Reserve officers and their dedicated work, a total of 3,608 hours of volunteer time were given in 2016, more than in the previous two years. In salary equivalents, that translates into a savings of $90,921 for 2016.

Anyone interested can find an application on the Sartell Police Department webpage. To find it, go to the Sartell City website at www.sartellmn.com. Then on the very top of that page, click on “Departments.” Next, on the left side of the page click on “Public Safety.” Then, again on the left of the page, click on “Police.” Hold the cursor over “Sponsored Programs,” and one of the menu choices will be “Police Reserves.” Part way down the page you will find “Reserve Officer Application.” Click on that.