SDPD Seeks Volunteers for Crisis, Trauma Victims

The San Diego Police Department Crisis Intervention program is seeking new volunteers to join their team starting in March.

The program, which started 28 years ago, offers emotional support, referrals and resources to people in the City of San Diego who have recently dealt with trauma or potentially traumatic events, including crime, according to the department.

Those critical incidents include natural deaths, homicides, suicides, robberies, SWAT incidents, missing children, kidnappings, accidents and natural disasters, such as fires and earthquakes.

The department said Crisis Intervention volunteers responded to more than 500 calls last year.

"I think that the work our interventionists do is amazing," said Officer Rick Kirchhoff of SDPD Volunteer Services. "They make themselves available all day every day to help those in need. It is an amazing group of individuals who give so freely of themselves with no expectation of publicity or reward."

Volunteers from all backgrounds undergo an intensive three-month long training to be equipped to provide the support necessary to help victims and witnesses of such incidents. The next training session starts in March.

Volunteers must be able to commit to 20 "on-call" hours and one meeting each month for at least one year. Volunteers must also be able to pass a police background check, have no felonies and not currently be on probation.

Interested city of San Diego residents with a valid California driver's license can contact Kirchhoff at 619-446-1014 or email crisis@pd.sandiego.gov. Additional qualification information is available by clicking here.

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