Volunteer with SCPD

Volunteer with the Santa Cruz Police Department!

Santa Cruz Police Volunteer Program from Santa Cruz Police on Vimeo.

Going on Vacation?
We can check the perimeter of your residence while you are away. If anything suspicious is observed, you will be notified immediately.

Complete the Vacation Form

The SCPD Volunteers in Policing Services (VIPS) program allows community members to assist the Santa Cruz Police Department and supplement public safety and crime prevention efforts.

SCPD engages a team of trained citizen volunteers to assist the department in non-sworn duties. Our dedicated group of volunteers will support officers in providing additional services. These services include maintaining positive relationships with the public, freeing up officers' time for higher-level duties, and maximizing a positive impact on the community.

Volunteer duties include a variety of activities such as; walking and vehicle patrols, security checks in neighborhoods, welfare checks on the elderly, conducting vacation home security checks, working at special events, providing community outreach, supporting vehicle abatement, covering the front lobby desk, helping with various clerical tasks, court runs, supporting our Victim's Advocate, and washing department vehicles.

Volunteers patrol the downtown area, neighborhoods, and parks. Volunteers engage with DT ambassadors, local merchants, community members, and tourists in outreach and public safety support. They observe and report crime and quality-of-life issues. They also distribute valuable information to the community and businesses. Members do not carry weapons or make arrests.

Our goal is to form a partnership with the community where trained volunteers can enhance support from the police department. Placing volunteers in rewarding activities that utilize their experience and talents frees up officers and staff for higher priority duties.

Volunteer assignments will depend on specific skills, interests, the background of each volunteer, and the needs of the Santa Cruz Police Department.

We are especially interested in volunteers assisting with community outreach and patrol as extra "eyes and ears" for the department.

What We Do

• Security checks in neighborhoods
• Welfare checks on the elderly (YANA)
• Conducting vacation home security checks
• Working at special events
• Enforcing parked vehicle violations
• Vehicle abatement
• Helping the department with clerical tasks
• Downtown, neighborhood and park patrols

Qualifications

• Minimum 18 years of age; must pass a background check
• Time commitment: Must meet an expectation of minimum 8 volunteer hours per month on average