Volunteer with SCPD
Volunteer with the Santa Cruz Police Department!
Going on Vacation?
We can check the perimeter of your residence while you are away. If anything suspicious is observed, you will be notified immediately.
Complete the Vacation Form
The SCPD Volunteers program enables community members to support the Santa Cruz Police Department in public safety and crime prevention.
Volunteers engage in various activities, including patrols, security checks, welfare checks for the elderly, vacation home security, assistance at events, community outreach, front desk coverage, and vehicle cleaning. They distribute important information but do not carry weapons or make arrests.
The program aims to establish a partnership between trained volunteers and the police, allowing volunteers to utilize their skills and free up officers for higher-priority tasks. Assignments are based on individual skills and departmental needs.
What We Do
- Security checks in neighborhoods
- Welfare checks on the elderly (YANA)
- Conducting vacation home security checks
- Working at special events
- Providing security for city events
- Downtown, neighborhood, wharf and park patrols
- Vehicle cleaning
- SCPD front desk coverage
Qualifications
- Minimum 18 years of age; must pass a background check
- Time commitment: Must meet an expectation of a minimum of 10 volunteer hours per month on average
- Must be capable of walking for 2 hours on level surfaces, with a sit-down brake(s), during a 3-hour shift.