Reserve deputies can help police and sheriff's departments save money, but in the wake of the controversy in Oklahoma, when a 73-year-old volunteer sheriff's deputy mistook his gun for his Taser and fatally shot a man, some are asking if they receive enough training.
In the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, agency spokespersons said being a reserve officer or deputy requires just as much training as a regular employed officer.
In the sheriff's department, there are 95 reserve deputies ranging between the ages of 32 and 77 years old.
"Here in the state of California, reserve deputies, reserve officers have to go through the very same training and continued professional training as the employed deputies and officers. It's very strict," said sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell.
By state law, those requirements include at least 1,000 hours of training for basic and field training for the highest level of reserve deputy and retraining at least twice a year.
There's no age limit, but there are physical requirements like they must be able lift or drag an 165-pound, lifelike dummy at least 32 feet.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell says it's important not to confuse reserve deputies with the senior volunteers.
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"That's a big distinction. They are two separate and distinct entities," Caldwell said. "Our reserve deputies are trained through the academy through the same rigorous POST standards as our employed deputy sheriffs."
Reserve deputies carry weapons, and senior volunteers do not. Senior volunteers handle more administrative tasks, like transporting evidence, that are not likely to put them in direct contact with suspects.
Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder is a reserve Assistant Sheriff for San Diego County.
Van Gorder said his motivation for keeping up with the continued and intense training is partly that he loves the camaraderie. Also, he wants to give back to the community and offer his unique set of skills and experience to the department.
"When I was a regular police officer, I loved having a reserve work with me," Van Gorder said. "They provided 'cover' and support that I would not have had if they did not volunteer. Today, I get to play in that support role, and I know it's appreciated."
NBC 7 has requested more detailed training information on all the reservists in the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department through the California Public Records Act.
