RESERVE
Reserve Police Officer
Join the San Francisco Police Reserves
Are you interested in taking the first step? Discover an exciting career within the San Francisco Police Department. The SFPD Reserve Unit is seeking qualified community members. Who meet the standards to become a SFPD Reserve. SFPD invites you to consider a second career to serve and protect. Serve in a world-class city in the uniform of a world-class police department.
The minimum qualifications for Reserve Police Officer is as follows:
- Be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment;
- Not have any felony or serious misdemeanor convictions that would prohibit you from possessing a firearm;
- Be a United States citizen or have applied for U.S. citizenship;
- Possess a High School diploma or GED equivalency;
- Possess a California driver’s license;
- Successfully pass a complete Peace Officer Background Investigation;
- Pass the Police Entrance Exam
- Successfully pass a polygraph exam, psychological screening, & medical examination;
- Successfully pass an Oral Interview.
Most Community Colleges that have an Administration of Justice Program sponsor the necessary training. There are several institutions within the nine Bay Area Counties, including City College of San Francisco.
In most cases, the basic training needed (Reserve Officer Level III) will last one full semester. Contact the institution of your choice to determine the availability and schedule of the next class.
Some suggestions are listed below:
South Bay Regional Training Consortium
College of San Mateo Campus 1700 West Hillsdale Blvd San Mateo, California 94402 |
South Bay Regional Training Consortium
Evergreen Campus 3095 Yerba Buena Road San Jose, CA 95135 |
Santa Rosa Junior College Training Center
Administration of Justice Department 5743 Skylane Blvd Windsor, California 95492 1-707-837-8843 |
Napa Valley College
Administration of Justice Department 2277 Napa Vallejo Highway 29 Napa, California 95458 |
Reserve Officers are also utilized at special events such as parades, street fairs, or security for major sporting events. Other duties include support services to other units within the Department, narcotics or vice crimes investigations, DUI checkpoints, Marine Unit patrol, or be assigned to the Inspector’s Bureau. Reserve Officers perform most of the same duties as a full-time officer.
Reserve Officers are required to work during maximum deployment assignments such as, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, major disasters, or major events. Reserve Officers may be required to work extended 12-hour shifts.
A typical Reserve Officer performs at least twenty hours of service each month. A Reserve Officer can volunteer to work more than the minimum twenty hours a month, if they choose. Reserve Officers can request to be assigned to any of the ten district stations within San Francisco or work within one of the many specialized units. Reserve Officers will receive an additional four hours, per month, of training each month various regarding topics.
Reserve Officers are eligible for continued professional training, outside training courses, and any other course taught at the SFPD Academy at no-cost to that Reserve Officer.
If a Reserve Officer is injured in the line-of-duty, he or she will receive Worker’s Compensation benefits.
Reserve Officer is strictly a non-civil service volunteer position and does not receive any payment.
The San Francisco Police Department is also seeking qualified Reserve Police Officers for lateral entry into its Police Reserve Unit. Lateral Reserve Officers will not have to attend another academy, only orientation type training to become familiar with SFPD policies and procedures. Applicants must have graduated from a POST (Police Officers Standards and Training) approved academy. Candidates will be required to successfully complete the same processing criteria required for a San Francisco Police Reserve Officer. Lateral Reserve Officers must have served satisfactorily in another police agency for at least one year. The first step is to attend a reserve orientation meeting.
Level I Reserve Officers may be certified to work alone or with another Reserve Officer. He/she must successfully pass a 400-hour Field Training Program prior to being released to work alone.
Level II Reserve Officers cannot work alone and must work with a fulltime officer or a Level I Reserve Officer.
Level III Reserve Officers cannot work alone and are assigned mostly to special events. This is an entry level position for Reserve Officer, unless you have been certified at a higher level.
For any questions or to obtain more information please contact Sgt. Raymond Padmore at raymond.padmore@sfgov.org or Garret Tom at garret.tom@sfgov.org.
Reserve Officer Informational Flyer (PDF)
Contact Information
If you need additional information, please contact Sgt. Raymond Padmore at raymond.padmore@sfgov.org or Garret Tom at garret.tom@sfgov.org.