Auxiliary Police Officer Job Description
Job Descriptions November 26, 2012An auxiliary police officer assists local police to maintain law and order and protect the safety of the residents of a community. Many auxiliary police officers are individuals with the welfare of their neighbors and neighborhood at heart who volunteer their services.
Job Profile of an Auxiliary Police Officer
Community police departments and precincts are assisted by auxiliary police officers in non-hazardous and non-enforcement work. Such work is defined and delegated to them by the relevant police department and the police officer in charge of the department. Though several auxiliary police officers work voluntarily without drawing any wages, some auxiliary law enforcement work attracts a salary paid by the police departments concerned.
An Auxiliary Police Officer’s Duties
Police calls upon auxiliary police officers to supplement their work, if considered necessary. Auxiliary police officers perform jobs other than those that require the use of force; they help in facilitating peace, order, preventing crime, and protecting property and life as required by the police department. Traffic and crowd control, neighborhood patrols, and provision of security at local festivals and concerts could all form part of an auxiliary police officer’s duties.
Prerequisites of an Auxiliary Police Officer
Many communities and departments specify a minimum age of eighteen or twenty-one for individuals who wish to work as auxiliary police officers. The applicants are required by many police departments to hold a high school diploma or equivalent educational qualifications.
Additionally, departments only consider individuals with a clean background for the job and might even require the prospective auxiliary police officer to pass a drug test. Some communities don’t insist on US citizenship; however, permanent residency is a necessary requirement.
As the chief police officers of the relevant police departments decide on the appointment of auxiliary police officers, the requirements tend to differ according to community.
For instance, in many smaller communities, auxiliary police officers are hired on an hourly basis. In some communities aspiring auxiliary police officers may be required to take part in auxiliary law enforcement training programs. Often, such training programs are conducted at college premises in the local community The potential auxiliary officers receive basic firearms, first aid and law enforcement training.
