Employment Volunteer Services
The Fresno Police Department is looking for the best and brightest individuals – those who have the aptitude and sense of commitment – those who want to help their community, and who want to make a difference. FPD’s goal is to provide the highest level of professional public service to the wide range of ethnic and culturally diverse groups that make up Fresno.
A career with the Fresno Police Department offers: challenge, excitement, variety, teamwork and job satisfaction, opportunities for special assignments and career development, opportunities for promotion, and excellent salary and benefits.
Sworn Positions
Applicants for Fresno Police Officers most often start out as a cadet. As a cadet, potential new officers gain valuable experience working at various locations within the Police Department. Cadets can be assigned to field patrol where they respond in a marked patrol car to lower priority non-emergency calls. This allows them to learn how to write reports and work with the public in a generally non-confrontational environment. After gaining some experience, cadets are sent to the Police Academy where they receive six months of intensive academic and physical conditioning. Upon successful completion of the academy, cadets are generally promoted to Police Officer Recruits (the first rank as a police officer) and are paired up with a Police Training Officer for a minimum sixteen weeks to learn how to apply their academy training and how to be an effective Fresno Police Officer. Once training is completed new officers must pass a probationary period before they are promoted to the rank of Police Officer.
Current police officers from other agencies may apply for a lateral transfer to our agency as a regular police officer. Lateral police officers go through an accelerated training program because of their prior experience.
Volunteers
Fresno PD has a nationally-recognized volunteer program. Join the Citizens on Patrol (COP) or the Police Activities League (PAL) or learn more from the following available programs:
Police Reserve Unit
You may see them driving police vehicles, walking a beat, riding a bicycle, or even on horseback. They are dressed in full police uniform and equipped with all the usual safety equipment. At first glance you may think it’s just a regular police officer working a regular shift. But looks can be deceiving. It may actually be a Fresno Police Department Reserve Police Officer, and there is nothing regular about that.
Reserve Police Officers are an unique type of individual. They are generally not content to play a passive role in life. They are civic-minded and service oriented people who “get involved” for the betterment of their community. They are dedicated and motivated individuals who give of their own time and energy to help make Fresno a better place to live.
A successful Reserve program, made up of citizen volunteers from within the community, stands as a symbol of Fresno Police Department’s commitment to community partnerships and teamwork to improve the quality of life within our city. Reserve Police Officers are effective spokespersons in their neighborhoods, resulting in a better understanding and support of law enforcement. Conversely, their presence in the Department provides full-time officers with a deeper insight into all segments of the City’s population.
In many ways, Reserve Police Officers bridge the gap between the Department and the community and in doing so, live up to the creed that to be a Reserve Police Officer is “Twice the Citizen”
For more information contact:
Sergeant Todd Miller
[email protected]
Police Officer Reserve Coordinator
Fresno Police Department, Personnel Division
P.O. Box 1271, Fresno, CA 93715
About the Fresno Police Department Reserve Unit
This position is open on a continuous basis.
The Reserve Police Officer position is an un-represented volunteer class. Reserve Police Officers receive specialized law enforcement training mandated by the State of California and Peace Officers Standards of Training (POST). They serve at the discretion of the Chief of Police and have full peace officer powers while on duty. The Fresno Police Department requests a minimum of 24 hours of service by each Reserve Officer per month.
The function of the Reserve Unit has always been to support and augment the department in providing basic police services to the community. Historically, this has been accomplished by Reserve Police Officers working patrol, or riding as a second person in a two-officer police vehicle. However new trends in community-oriented policing and problem solving have resulted in Reserve Police Officers working a wide variety of special assignments in addition to their patrol assignments. They are called upon when a critical incident occurs within the city and are an integrated part of the homeland defense plan.
Today it is not uncommon to find Reserve Police Officers on bicycle patrol, walking patrol, or on horseback at any number of police operations and community events, You can find them assigned to details such as dignitary security, homeland security, critical incident response, DUI check points, patrolling city parks, providing police presence at various community outreach programs and non-profit events, working special gang enforcement and auto theft assignments, traffic and crowd control functions at large sporting events or concerts, or even working plain clothes assignments assisting in narcotics or prostitution stings.
The Fresno Police Department is fortunate to have a Reserve Unit of highly committed and dedicated individuals who take great pride in their work. The Reserve Police Officers donate an immense amount of volunteer time to the community and the department that serve the City of Fresno and the citizens.
Why become a reserve police officer?
Becoming a Reserve Police Officer is a challenging and rewarding way of serving your community while becoming a part of the exciting world of law enforcement.
Many of our Reserve Police Officers enter the program with an interest in a career in law enforcement. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual to gain first hand knowledge and experience in the field before deciding to dedicate themselves to the profession. Our Reserve Police Officers have taken full advantage of this career development opportunity, as a great number of them have promoted to full-time positions with the Fresno Police department in the past ten years.
While some of our officers are moving on to full-time careers, others make a career of being Reserve Police Officers. Many of our Reserve Police Officers have well established positions in the public and private sectors. They are deeply rooted in the community and come to our unit with a wide variety of skills and life experiences. Their duties here give them civic pride and the satisfaction of making a positive impact on the quality of life within the City of Fresno. A number of our Reserve Police Officers have served the City of Fresno for more than 25 years.
The City of Fresno is looking for highly motivated individuals who have a desire to provide valuable assistance to the community and the Department through service as a Reserve Police Officer. Explore this exciting opportunity to see what a career in law enforcement is really like. Feel the pride and satisfaction generated by being part of the team of citizens who take an active role in establishing the City of Fresno as a safer and productive community where their families and loved ones can grow and prosper.
Whether you are seeking a career in law enforcement, or simply want to take your interest in community activism to the next level, do something positive for yourself and your community – become one of Fresno’s finest.
Benefits of becoming a reserve police officer
In order to assist you in determining your suitability for this position, the following information regarding requirements of membership and the examination process is provided.
The Department issues all related police safety equipment and police uniforms needed to perform the duties of a Reserve Police Officer, including: handgun, custom fitted protective vest, and necessary duty gear.
Reserve Police Officers receive Worker’s Compensation protection while they are working for the City Of Fresno in their official capacity.
The Reserve Police Officers is strictly a volunteer position however receive a stipend pay for their uniform and equipment needs every six months.
Minimum Requirements
- Be at least 21 years old at the time of appointment
- Be a citizen of the United States or have applied for citizenship prior to application
- Possess a high school diploma or G.E.D. certificate
- Possess a valid California driver’s license
- Be in good physical condition as certified by a medical examination
- Take a psychological examination and be found suitable for police work
- Possess a certificate of completion of courses required under California Penal Code section 832.
- Have completed or attending a Level II POST Reserve Academy or the Police Officer POST Academy.
- Be of good moral character as determined by a criminal record check, background investigation and polygraph examination.
- Have no felony convictions. Felony arrest(s) with no conviction(s) may be cause for rejection.
- Have no recent or extensive misdemeanor record, including traffic citations.
- A misdemeanor record of assaultive behavior, regardless of the time of occurrence may be cause for rejection.
Examination Process
- Entry interview
- Polygraph
- Extensive background check
- Staff interview
- Psychological examination
- Medical Examination
Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS)
The Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS) program draws on the skills and abilities of community volunteers to support the Fresno Police Department in a wide range of non-patrol roles. Volunteers are a valuable resource in the policing districts, bureaus and special units; and serve in diverse array of capacities including clerical assignments, as well as special projects, research, crime prevention initiatives and community events. By providing vital support services to the Department, volunteers enhance public safety and enable sworn personnel to handle critical public safety needs.
Please print and complete the provided Volunteer Application and Personal History Statement shown atop.
Return both documents to the Fresno Police Department:
Officer David J. Standley
Support Division, Fresno Police Department
P.O. Box 1271
Fresno, California 93715-1271
Volunteer Coordinator
Office – (559) 621-2345
[email protected]
Police Chaplaincy
All Chaplains are required to go through a background check, polygraph, and screening process before they are invited to work with the Fresno Police Department.
Chaplains can be called upon by any officer of Fresno Police employee at any time they believe a Chaplain would be helpful or appropriate. All services provided by Chaplains are confidential unless an officer signs a written release requesting that information be shared with others. Chaplains are part of the Community/Employee Services Bureau—Professional Standard Division of the Fresno Police Department.
Chaplains can provide support to both Department and community members in the following ways:
Department Support
- Act as a buffer between citizens and officers
- Free officers for new calls
- Ride-along with officers
- Sit with dispatchers
- Lead prayers at briefings when requested
- Offer confidential counseling (i.e., marital, premarital)
- Officiate at weddings, funerals, invocations
- Provide Critical Incident Stress Management
- Attend neighborhood events
- Offer grief counseling
- Provide a Neighborhood Support Team vehicle to offer
refreshments and shelter during extended calls for service,
traffic accidents, SWAT calls, and homicide investigations
Citizen Support
- Assist officers in death notifications
- Offer post-suicide or post-homicide care
- Offer domestic violence assistance
- Assist community members with issues involving the
coroner - Invocations at civic events
Treatment of Employees
Fresno Police Department staff members and supervisors will treat employees fairly, with honesty, respect, and dignity. Staff members and supervisors will not demean, embarrass, or be condescending towards employees.
If an employee demonstrates a desire to promote, then staff members and supervisors will do all they can to encourage them, counsel them on any perceived weakness, encourage them to gain experience in various assignments, and ensure they have every opportunity to promote.
The Fresno Police Department will provide the most appropriate level of training to all Department employees to help ensure effective and efficient delivery of service to members of our community.
The Fresno Police Department will provide employees with the equipment needed to help ensure their safety, keep members of the community safe, and to ensure the Department is able to provide the most effective and efficient service available.
Treatment of Citizens
Members of the Fresno Police Department will treat all members of the community professionally, with respect, dignity, compassion, fairness, empathy, and courtesy, and will not be condescending, disrespectful, rude, or unapproachable during contacts, regardless of how we are treated by them.
Members of the Fresno Police Department will maintain a positive, “can do” attitude while handling complaints, calls, concerns, inquires, etc., from citizens, and will not become defensive or appear unwilling to help.
Department members who do not have the ability to assist citizens on a particular problem will make every effort to guide them to the appropriate available resource.
Expectations of Employees
Members of the Fresno Police Department will do all they can to reduce crime through prevention, intervention, enforcement, investigative, and problem solving efforts. We will work closely with the community and allied agencies to accomplish this objective.
Members of the Fresno Police Department will operate with fiscal prudence and continually explore new and different ways to accomplish our tasks, to include new technology, use of volunteers, and non-sworn personnel with a desired result of becoming as effective and efficient as possible.
Members of the Fresno Police Department will continue to explore new revenue sources and reduce expenditures when practical, always considering the impact on service delivery.
Members of the Fresno Police Department will operate with honesty and openness as an organization providing information to the public as often as possible while respecting privacy rights, confidentiality laws, and the integrity of investigations.
Members of the Fresno Police Department will do all they can to provide the highest level of service to the public to include: promptly responding to calls for service ; returning phone calls in a prompt and polite manner; providing comprehensive and timely follow-up investigations; solving neighborhood problems; resolving citizen questions, problems and complaints; keeping crime victims informed of the progress of investigations; and being sensitive to the needs of business and property owners.
Within budgetary parameters, the Fresno Police Department will recruit the best candidates possible who are representative of our community in ethnicity and gender. Although the Department will not compromise standards to achieve minority recruiting goals, we will target members of under represented classes.