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The Sheriff and Lt. Villar will also outline and describe the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office volunteer programs, with special emphasis on the all-volunteer Sheriff’s Posse group. One goal is to recruit Posse volunteers for an academy that will be held in March 2012.
PCSO Posse member loads into a waiting helicopter during a rescue mission on the Superstition Mountains.
Posse members are highly trained and in fact receive training similar to that of the Sheriff’s deputies. They perform many of the same tasks that deputies on patrol perform, including transporting individuals, assisting the deputies on calls, and working with the youth Explorers, a program for teens.
Lt. Villar, who heads the Posse, recently spoke about the important role volunteers play within the Sheriff’s Office. The need for volunteers has risen dramatically with the unprecedented population growth of Pinal County, she said. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between April 1, 2000 and July 1, 2009, the county grew by 87.9%, compared to the statewide population growth of 28.6% during that same period. The increase continues. Pinal is also a large county, 5,385 square miles, roughly the size of Connecticut, and includes large rural areas. She noted that the growing population in the county, particularly in the central and northern sections, has led to an increasing need for volunteers to support all divisions within the Sheriff’s Office.
Such growth naturally leads to increasing calls to the Sheriff’s office. Lt. Villar said, “Volunteers have become an essential resource for our county and the San Tan Valley area.”
Professionals and interested citizens from all backgrounds are great candidates for the volunteer positions, she said. Although there is an emphasis on finding recruits for the Sheriff’s Posse, other volunteer opportunities abound. Another area with growing need is the Victims Services Unit and the Chaplains Unit. After thorough training, these volunteers go out to console, counsel, and help crime victims or people experiencing a crisis or traumatic incident. Other volunteer opportunities include the I.D. Unit, Professional Volunteers, Citizens on Patrol (COPS), youth Explorers, Search and Rescue, Mounted Unit, and Administrative Volunteers.
Rigorous Training and a New Academy
“A rigorous course of training awaits potential Posse members,” Lt. Villar said. Posse training mirrors the training that fully certified deputies and reserve deputies undergo, including an extensive background check. Among past and current volunteers are retired professionals, including doctors, attorneys, teachers, and business owners.
Sheriff Babeu and Lt. Villar hope to recruit 30 to 40 people who will attend the Posse Academy beginning in March. Training is extensive and takes about 3 to 5 months of classes, including onsite and offsite training, to prepare for the work ahead. Lt. Villar also noted that many assignments for the Sheriff’s
Posse include patrols in San Tan Valley and surrounding areas.
Sheriff Babeu will detail the vital role community support and involvement play in Pinal County law enforcement.
For more information about the afternoon briefing and presentation on February 23, and the volunteer programs, please call (520) 866-5295. Information can also be found at www.pinaljobs.com.
