The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is looking for citizens from within our communities who want to volunteer to work with our law enforcement professionals. Volunteers bring their experiences and skills to enhance the services provided by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Volunteer Program consists of different volunteer groups with specific roles that complement the work of the Sheriff’s Office. These volunteer groups include:
The Sheriff's Amateur Radio Program (SHARP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit formed in 1977 in response to a rash of theft crimes and heightened citizen participation in the apprehension of the East Area Rapist. SHARP is comprised of volunteer amateur radio operators who are licensed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC).
The members of SHARP have the responsibility of assisting the Sacramento County Emergency Operations Center with any emergency requiring auxiliary communication. Emergencies include extended power outages, flooding, and other types of disasters that disable land based power supplies where amateur radio specialists can continue to operate.
Download the Volunteer Application Download the Volunteer Agreement
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Explorer Program is for teenagers and young adults, 14-20 years of age. The program is a well rounded P.O.S.T. approved curriculum that prepares the Explorers for a future in law enforcement and other community service-based careers. Explorers receive hands-on training in self-defense tactics, arrest, search and seizure laws, and other Law Enforcement related subjects. Additional life building skills, such as public speaking, resume building, grooming standards, work ethic, and teamwork complete the curriculum.
Explorers perform community services in the greater Sacramento area such as traffic control, security, decoy operations, and fingerprinting.
This program provides youth, interested in a career in Law Enforcement, the opportunity to work side-by-side with Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputies. These deputies work in a variety of assignments including patrol, corrections, traffic, Problem Oriented Policing, and Crime Scene Investigation.
Using the skills they are taught, they are able to successfully compete against other Explorer Programs throughout the state. For more information, contact Lieutenant Shelly Hodgkins at shodgkins@sacsheriff.com.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has a Volunteer Reserve Force of approximately 164 reserve officers, Level III through Level I. Our reserve program is highly regarded in the law enforcement community and is an integral part of our daily operations.
Working alongside regular officers, reserve officers can participate in warrant sweeps, DUI checkpoints, prisoner transportation, boating and water safety programs, academy training, firearms training and other related activities.
If you are interested in more information, you may contact the Reserve Officer Recruiter.
To apply for a Volunteer Reserve Deputy position, mail a completed Reserve Deputy Application Form along with a copy of your POST Certification to:
Since 1993, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office is proud to have a volunteer work force that helps foster the partnership between the Sheriff's Office and the community in working toward improving the quality of life for the residents of Sacramento County.
Our volunteers are currently assisting in the following programs:
Volunteers help citizens with neighborhood and law enforcement related issues and questions, crime reports, fingerprinting, safety fairs, and general office assistance.
Volunteers patrol neighborhoods providing vacation checks, illegal sign abatement, reporting of code enforcement violations, parking violations, and any other directed patrol requests.
Volunteers assist with Missing Person follow up and Child Abuse Unit data entry.
Volunteers are placed in different areas in the Sheriff s Office to provide computer data entry, filing, scanning, organizing, and customer service to citizens and staff.
If you are interested in obtaining more information about volunteer opportunities with the Sheriff's Office, contact us at volunteers@sacsheriff.com.
The Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit was started in 1992 and consists of all volunteer members who are registered Disaster Services Workers with the State Office of Emergency Services. The unit has over 50 qualified members that are trained in search management techniques including foot, equestrian, and canine searches. The canine teams are qualified in trailing, tracking, water, and cadaver search.
Unit members are trained in urban, suburban, and rural searches for missing persons. They are also available for evidence and article searches and large animal rescue. The unit plays a regional mutual-aid role in assisting search and rescue efforts with outside jurisdictions. The members are equipped to respond 24 hours a day 7 days a week to department needs.
The Sacramento Sheriff's Office is fortunate to have this dedicated and skilled organization of volunteers working for the safety of the community at large.
For more information on Sacramento County Sheriff Search and Rescue, please visit their website at:
SACSARUse the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office online system to submit a report for some types of crimes occurring in unincorporated Sacramento County and Rancho Cordova. A valid email address is required.
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