Ocean Shores Police Department Citizens Patrol accepting applications
Ocean Shores Police Department Citizens Patrol
Accepting Applications
The Ocean Shores Police Department’s mission is to prevent crime, enforce the law and support quality public safety by delivering respectful, professional and dependable police services. We will continue to grow, adapt and evolve as we provide the highest level of service and protection to our residents and the visitors to our community.
As a member of the Ocean Shores Police Department (OSPD) Citizens Patrol you will be required to subscribe to our ethical standard of conduct and to act in a reasonable, considerate and professional manner to fellow members and the public at all times. As an OSPD Citizen Patrol member you will agree to uphold the departments Mission statement and Agency Values/Vision.
Members of OSPD Citizens Patrol will be registered with the City of Ocean Shores as Volunteers. Any U.S. Citizen who is at least 50 years old may apply to be a member of the Citizens Patrol, provided they are of good moral character, free of felony conviction and crimes of moral turpitude. They must provide a completed Application, Volunteer Service Agreement and a copy of their valid WA driver’s license. They will be subject to a background investigation and fingerprinting by OSPD. All forms can be turned into the Police Department during normal business hours, and they will schedule for fingerprints once application has been processed and accepted. Volunteers must reside in the city limits of Ocean Shores. A volunteer is a non-salaried individual who offers his/her services for a limited time, acting in a specific capacity willingly by one’s own accord. In accordance with the provisions of this program, a volunteer has no salary, benefits or labor relation rights of a City employee and serves “at the will” of the Chief of Police. A volunteer can be placed in or removed from volunteer duties by the Chief of Police with or without cause.
The Chief of Police is the final authority on all matters regarding operational policy, procedure, and personnel.
The department will provide training and guidance to the program. A liaison officer (sworn officer) will be assigned to coordinate and manage the program and to act as a liaison between the Citizens Patrol Primary Coordinator and the Chief of Police.
All members of the Citizens Patrol, including the Primary Coordinator and their designee, are of equal rank. No hierarchy exists between individual members. The Citizens Patrol program, acting in its official capacity, has the ability to make suggestions regarding policy and procedure. Individual Citizens Patrol members and coordinator/designee do not.
As a member of the Citizens Patrol, you will fill a variety of roles, as you provide Citizens Patrol and other related non-enforcement services to our community. You will recognize that trust and support are not automatically granted but must be earned.