Ask an Officer: How Can I Volunteer with the Station?

Have a question you've always wanted to ask someone in law enforcement? Officer Gary Lose of the Vienna Police Department will answer your question through our Ask an Officer feature. Readers submit questions, and Officer Lose responds. Send questions to Nicole.Trifone@patch.com or submit them in the comments section below.

Here is this week's question:

Is there any volunteer work on night or graveyard shift at the police station?

The Vienna Police Department is a full service police department which operates around the clock seven days a week. Due to the nature of work, all employees and volunteers must pass a stringent background verification before being allowed to work at the department. Because the work being conducted is sensitive in nature the department has limited opportunities for volunteer work. The best opportunity to serve the department as a volunteer is by becoming a member of our Auxiliary program which currently consists of four (4) Auxiliary Officers. The Auxiliaries provide many different services within the police department. 

The duties of the Auxiliaries consist of but are not limited to assisting with traffic control during special events, i.e. Halloween Parade, July Fourth, and Viva Vienna. The auxiliaries can also issue parking citations and ride along with a sworn police officer. 

All Auxiliaries must complete an approved training and probation period. The training is completed through the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy as well as other programs deemed appropriate. Once an Auxiliary has completed the required training they are permitted to operate the police vehicles and police radios.

The duties of an Auxiliary may be performed at anytime of the day or night, with the approval of the shift supervisor or his/her designee.

The Town of Vienna is currently anticipating an Auxiliary Training Session to begin in January of 2013. Auxiliaries are required to pass an extensive background check and interview process.

Anyone interested in becoming a Town of Vienna Police Auxiliary may contact MPO Gary R. Lose at glose@viennava.gov or 703-255-6396.

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