POLICE RESERVES

Reserve Officers serve a vital function in the Tumwater Police Department. In fact, in 2000 these officers donated approximately $74,000 in labor hours (equating to approx. 2,459 hours) to the department.  Academy reserve officers attend a six month academy, training in fields such as first aid, emergency vehicle operations (EVOC), and defensive tactic techniques as well as classroom instruction in law enforcement. This training is then applied in real situations during their training to become a qualified reserve patrolman. 

Reserve Officers serve on the department in various positions; such as, assisting in jail transport operations, answering phones during emergencies, and maintaining security for School functions and Accident/Crime scene investigations.  Reserve Officers also help the regular full-time officers with patrol functions. 

Training is an important aspect of the reserve unit and is the most important focus for the officers. The reserve unit has monthly training sessions with  various instructors from within our department and from other agencies. Firearms and defensive tactics are done quarterly with a mandatory requirement of attendance to maintain an active status  The stress on increased training is in part, due to the liabilities associated with law enforcement. We are fortunate to have quality instructors within our full-time staff, which makes it great for training purposes. In addition to the training requirements a reserve officer must work a minimum of twenty hours monthly with most reserve officers averaging twenty to twenty five hours monthly.  It is also not uncommon for some of the officers to put in up to forty hours per month.

Some of the requirements to be a Tumwater Police Reserve:

  • Be twenty-one years of age by Jan of the following year
  • Possess a valid Washington State Driver's license with a good driving record for the past 5 years
  • A High school Diploma or G.E.D.
  • No Felony or Domestic Violence Arrests
  • No criminal convictions in the past 5 years
  • Live in Thurston County
  • Pass an oral board
  • Pass a physical, psychological and polygraph examination
  • Pass a background investigation
  • Pass an interview with the Chief of Police
  • Successful completion of the Reserve Academy
If you have any questions about the Reserve Officer program please feel free to contact Officer Clark or Officer Tressler.


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Updated: June 14, 2005