Police Reserve Corps Visit our new interactive website at DCPolice.jobs!    The Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps is a volunteer program providing qualified civic-minded individuals with the opportunity to assist the Metropolitan Police Department in carrying out its policing responsibilities. Members of the Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps can make a volunteer public safety contribution to their community in many ways. Reserve Officer assignments are varied and range from administrative support to the broad duties of career police officers. Reserve Officers are expected to volunteer a minimum of 16 hours per month, 192 hours per year. Background Organization Training Volunteer & Application Process Contact Information Background During World War II, District of Columbia residents were protected by the Civil Defense Force, which was organized to assist against the threat of attack on the Nation's Capital. After the war, while Civil Defense was no longer a top priority, it became apparent that an organized reserve force would benefit the municipal police by assisting them in carrying out their every day responsibilities. The Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps was established in November 1948. Public law passed in 1950 gave authority to the Chief of Police, at his discretion, to select, organize, train, and equip certain residents of the District and the metropolitan area in a special reserve unit known as the Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps. The members of this force served without pay. Members of the new Reserve Corps were first deployed on October 31, 1951, to guard fire alarm boxes to prevent the sounding of false alarms Halloween Night. In 1961, the Reserve Corps was called to duty and sworn in to assist with the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. Throughout the 1960s, the Reserve Corps was frequently called upon to assist with demonstrations and civil insurgence arising from national tragedies such as the assassinations of President Kennedy, his brother Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1970, an MPDC general order set forth the policy, procedures, and responsibilities of the Reserve Corps. This general order was updated and re-issued most recently in March 2006. As such, the Reserve Corps has been brought to a state of readiness for community service and is an integral part of the MPD. Organization Members of the Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps are sworn members of the Department who serve without compensation, and perform a variety of duties with, and in support of, the career police force. Reserve Officers are assigned to various units of the Department, and work to provide a variety of law enforcement activities. Many Reserve Officers are assigned to a Police Service Area (PSA) in one of the seven patrol districts. Others may work in a specialized unit and will work in support of the patrol districts. Reserve Officers serve the Department in many ways, depending on experience, qualifications and interests. Some Reserve Officers may work indoors in a patrol district. Others will work side by side with patrol officers performing front-line law enforcement activities. While entry-level Reserve Officers (Level II) are unarmed, experienced Level I Reserves are armed with Department-issued service weapons and are authorized to perform all duties and responsibilities of a sworn officer. The opportunities for public service through the all-volunteer Reserve Corps are extensive, and are limited only by the commitment an individual is prepared to make. Training The MPDC has redesigned its Reserve Corps program to make it more accessible to those interested in volunteering with the department. The Reserve Corps program now consists of two levels of Reserve Officers, each class with different duties, authorities, selection criteria and training.  The Department's Maurice T. Turner Jr., Metropolitan Police Academy provides training for all Reserve Officers. Thus, the training for recruit Reserve Officers will be provided on a varied schedule, during the day and evenings, and on weekends. During training, Reserve Officer candidates complete a full program of physical skills, classroom, and hands-on training to prepare them for the challenges of being a Reserve Officer. Among the subjects covered by the training are laws of arrest, search and seizure, criminal law, traffic regulations, human relations, community policing, ethics and integrity, and basic police techniques. Reserve Officers Level I candidates must successfully complete the same firearms training as career officers to be elevated to Level I status. Volunteer Process In addition to meeting the general criteria, anyone interested in becoming a member of the Metropolitan Police Reserve Corps must pass a thorough screening process that includes: Passing an Entry-Level Written Examination Fingerprinting and Comprehensive Background Check Medical and Psychological Evaluation The selection criteria mirrors the selection criteria for sworn career members. Download a copy of the form from our website* Contact Information For more information contact: Commander Richard Southby Police Headquarters 300 Indiana Avenue, NW, Room 4138 Washington, DC 20001 Email: richard.southby@dc.gov  Sergeant Christopher Lively MPD Reserve Corps Recruiting Liaison Email: christopher.lively@dc.gov Police Recruiting Unit Police Headquarters 300 Indiana Avenue, NW, Room 2169 Phone:(202) 727-2767 Fax: (202) 727-0502 * This document is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF) and a PDF reader is required for viewing. Download a PDF reader or learn more about PDFs.