Police Volunteer Programs

Volunteers are the "community" part of community policing. The Department encourages its volunteers to suggest new and better ways to involve citizens in preventing crime. Together, the Department and the volunteers turn those good ideas into realities that benefit the whole City.

Volunteers in Action

We have three separate volunteer programs to choose from:

Explorers

A program focused on exposing youth to the possibility of law enforcement as a career. Explorer Scouts are part of Learning for Life through Boy Scouts of America. Applicants must be between 14 1/2 and 21 years of age.

Harbor Patrol

Allows those with boating experience to promote safety on the water through education and enforcement. Volunteers are recruited every fall and receive training by the opening of boating season. Shifts are typically four hours.

VIPS

A more generalized opportunity for citizens to be involved with the police department. Assignments vary from periodic special events to weekly shifts patrolling or assisting at City Hall. This program is flexible and can be built to match your schedule and interests.

Contact Us

To learn more about Police Community Programs and how you can get involved, contact the Community Programs office at:

Amy Stull
Police Community Programs
Olympia Police Department
360-753-8049
astull@ci.olympia.wa.us

Our volunteers represent the Department in the community, and because of legal requirements related to police facility security, we require all volunteers to be fingerprinted and complete a background check prior to being accepted into the program.

If you are interested in a career in law enforcement, please see the Career Opportunities page for information about the policing profession.